Ten Worst NFL Offseason Moves

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Dec 15, 2006

Ten Worst NFL Offseason Moves

Titans sign Kerry Collins

A bizarre turn of events led to the Titans signing the veteran quarterback late in training camp and they quickly inserted him into the starting lineup. They were unhappy with veteran Billy Volek and thought rookie Vince Young wasn't ready. Collins, who never appeared that interested in resuscitating his career, started the first three games of the season and threw six interceptions and just one touchdown. Tennessee started out 0-3, before winning six of its next 10 games with Young under center.

Patriots play hardball

The Pats have had a lot of success by maintaining a strict fiscal policy. But letting veteran after veteran go might have caught up with them this season. They lost their top receiver Deion Branch after an ugly negotiation, and quarterback Tom Brady lashed out at the team. Now, Brady is on his way to having the lowest passer rating of his career this year. Yes, New England is 9-4 and will win the AFC East, but that division is a joke this year, and if the Patriots were playing like they should, they would have captured homefield advantage in the AFC playoffs.

Vikings break the bank for Steve Hutchinson

The Vikings gave Hutchinson a seven-year, $49 million contract, the richest ever for a guard. Minnesota's run game has improved, but according to SI.com's Dr. Z, Hutchison has not been overly impressive, and has even looked awkward and stiff at times. Once again, the Vikes have proven huge contracts do not translate into wins.

Raiders pass on Matt Leinart

Several teams are guilty of passing on the former Heisman Trophy winner, who went No. 10 to Arizona, but the Raiders might have made the biggest mistake. They took safety Michael Huff, who could turn into a star, but they have a huge hole at quarterback. Oakland thought it would be OK with either Aaron Brooks or Andrew Walter, and that just hasn't been the case. Now, the Raiders will look at QB in the upcoming draft, but there won't be anyone in Leinart's caliber -- and that includes Notre Dame's Brady Quinn.

Atlanta fails to fix WR problem

The Falcons have made several moves in the last few years to bolster Michael Vick's receiving corps. They've all been failures. Former first-round picks Michael Jenkins and Roddy White have had way too many drops this season, and the Falcons traded for former Broncos wideout Ashley Lelie, who has also gotten a bad case of the drops. This is hindsight, but Atlanta should have known better about Lelie, who was never that impressive in Denver.

Cardinals break the bank for Edgerrin James

This isn't a knock on James, who still has time to get his career back on a Hall of Fame track. But giving a running back a four-year, $30 million deal was not what this team needed. Arizona had holes all over, starting with the offensive line, and so it's no surprise James has been ineffective. James is averaging 3.3 yards per carry and has had just two 100-yard rushing games.

Redskins overspend ... again

Every year the Redskins spend a ton of money, and every year their huge signings are disappointments. This season they made Adam Archuleta the highest-paid safety ever, and he lost his starting job. High-priced receivers Brandon Lloyd and Antwaan Randle El have combined for 49 receptions and 619 receiving yards and three touchdown catches.

Texans draft Mario Williams

Before the draft, Houston fans made it clear they wanted hometown hero Vince Young. Houston's front office opted for defensive end Mario Williams, who shot up the draft boards after an incredible combine workout. Williams struggled at first, but has improved lately. Still, the Texans appear headed toward another losing season. They would have been better off starting over at quarterback with Young or Matt Leinart, or by taking the exciting Reggie Bush.

Raiders choose Tom Walsh as offensive coordinator

Tom Walsh was running a bed and breakfast when new Raiders coach Art Shell picked him to be offensive coordinator. Walsh was Shell's coordinator in the 1990s, and up until the time the Raiders demoted him last month, he ran an offense many considered to be predictable and one in which he couldn't figure out how to keep his quarterbacks from getting sacked at a near record pace.

Dolphins sign Daunte Culpepper

The Dolphins had a shot at Drew Brees and Daunte Culpepper and chose Culpepper because they thought he had a better shot at staying healthy. Didn't quite work out that way. Culpepper was ineffective in four games because his knee injury lingered, while Brees overcame a shoulder injury and is having an MVP-caliber season.

Ten Worst NFL Offseason Moves