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NFL Free Agency: 5 biggest mistakes and worst signings made so far

By Rucker Haringey

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 06: Tyrod Taylor #5 of the Los Angeles Chargers warms up before the game against the New England Patriots at SoFi Stadium on December 06, 2020 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 06: Tyrod Taylor #5 of the Los Angeles Chargers warms up before the game against the New England Patriots at SoFi Stadium on December 06, 2020 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) /
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NFL free agency, Leonard Williams
LANDOVER, MD – NOVEMBER 08: Leonard Williams #99 of the New York Giants celebrates during the game against the Washington Football Team at FedExField on November 8, 2020 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) /

2. Leonard Williams, New York Giants

The Giants backed themselves into a tight corner the minute they franchised Williams. The end result was giving the massive defensive lineman a three-year, $63 million deal with a whopping $45 million in guaranteed money.

That’s a lot of cash to give to a lineman whose only real plus skill comes in regards to stopping the run. Williams does that very well, but the issue is he doesn’t rush the passer with any meaningful consistency.

That’s the premium skill New York should be targeting in free agency. Keeping Dalvin Tomlinson to stop the run would have been the better economic play for the Giants. Instead, they’re paying Williams to be a superstar when his ceiling is as an above-average starter with a pretty big limitation.

Giants fans should be counting the days until Dave Gettelman mercifully retires. This is yet another example of his failure to properly understand value in the modern NFL. He’ll tout Williams as a success because of his productivity against the run, but the team’s next GM won’t feel the same way.

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