Free Agency Awards by Omar Gómez
The Most Overpaid Player
This award is the most competed of all. Pierre Garcon received a huge contract with no foundations. However, I have enough awards to mention everyone in this article, so the most overpaid player award will go to Eric Wright, who received will receive $37.5 million over the next 5 years. Now, the only question is, what the hell has Eric Wright done to receive a five year deal? And even worse, how can someone misevaluate a player so badly? I thought Wright was going to receive a 1 year deal for no more than 6 million.
Other Nominees: Pierre Garcon, Carl Nicks, Laurent Robinson, Frostee Rucker
The Most Underpaid Player
The most underpaid player award will go to Jason Jones, who received a one year 4.5 million deal. How the hell did that happen? To put this in context: Jason Jones was 12th in Pro Football Talk’s Free Agent Hot 100 List and received 4.5 million; meanwhile, Pierre Garcon was 57th and received 42.5 million. Jason Jones should have waited and he would have received much more money and something better than a one year deal. However, he will receive a much better contract the next year.
Other Nominees: Eric Winston, LaRon Landry, Matt Flynn, Dan Connor
The Most Underrated Acquisition
Maybe it is just me, but I love Kendall’s Langford deal with the Rams and I have no idea why no one is speaking louder about it. Kendall Langford has been incredibly under-rated the last few years. Langford has amazing talent that was somewhat wasted in Miami’s 3-4 scheme and he has all the ideal tools for the 4-3 formation, in which he should excel. The Rams just addressed their biggest need obtaining a potential pro-bowler for a reasonable price and no one is talking about it.
Other Nominees: Martellus Bennett, Cory Redding, Jarret Johnson, Travelle Wharton
The Most Overrated Acquisition
I will give the most overrated acquisition to Chad Henne because I have been hearing people saying that they just got insurance in case Blaine Gabbert struggles again. Well, not so much. Henne is almost as terrible as Gabbert has been, so I cannot understand how the Jaguars fans can possibly be happy about this. I cannot see how Chad Henne would be an upgrade. Both have been terrible and even though the Jaguars did not pay much money to Henne, Jaguars fans should not be high in this move.
Other Nominees: Josh Morgan, Mike Tolbert, Robert Meachem, Brandon Merriweather
The Most Overrated Deal
The difference between deal and acquisition is that deal takes into account the money the team paid to the player, while acquisition is only about how the player fits. I will give this award to Mario Williams because he received the most lucrative contract ever given to a defensive player and he is certainly not that good. Mario is great, but I would not put him among the top 5 pass rushers in the league, so paying him 100 million dollars makes no sense to me. Buffalo’s will be fearsome with Super Mario there, but I do not think he is worth that money.
Other Nominees: Carl Nicks, Laurent Robinson, Stanford Routt, Jermichael Finley
The Most Underrated Deal
I will give this award to Peyton Hillis’ deal with the Kansas City Chiefs because no one is talking about it. I really thought Hillis was going to receive a multi-year deal with at more than 10 million guaranteed, so obtaining him for a one year 3 million deal is pretty insane. I love Hillis’ fit with the Chiefs and they got him for a ridiculously low price, so I do not get why anyone is speaking louder about it. Hillis could have got a lot more money by waiting a bit more, but the CIA thing certainly hurt his value.
Other Nominees: Todd Herremans, Nick Hardwick, Steve Hutchinson, Scott Wells
The Sleeper
The sleeper award is for the player who could end up being a free agency steal. The award goes to Trevor Scott for the New England Patriots. Scott is a solid pass rusher who could end up making a similar impact as Andre Carter and Mark Anderson did last year. I think it is a real possibility that many teams will look back in a few years and ask themselves why they did not make a stronger pursue for this guy. The Patriots got a lot of sleeper candidates who could also be out of the team by the beginning of the season.
Other Nominees: Jonathan Fanene, Cedric Griffin, Anthony Gonzalez, Jason Allen
The Possible Bust
Every year we see a free agent bust. So who is more likely to not live to the expectations this year? I would say it goes to Vincent Jackson. Jackson has been a great receiver for the Chargers. But, will he stand not having a great quarterback to throw him the ball? I would say Vincent Jackson is a very risky signing because of his previous quarterback situation and for the fact that he has never had more than 70 receptions in a year. As much as he upgrades Bucs offense, this is a hit or miss signing.
Other Nominees: Laurent Robinson, Carl Nicks, Mario Williams, Pierre Garcon
The Best Resigning
This award has to go to Trent Cole’s resigning. I mean, they are paying him 53 million over the next four years. Mario Williams just received almost the same amount in guaranteed money and as far as I am concerned, Trent Cole is a better player than Mario. Not to mention that Philadelphia is only giving their stud pass rusher 15 million guaranteed, making this deal one of the best moves this offseason. Philadelphia resigned one of the best defensive players in the league to a relatively cheap price. Moves like this allow team to have a great team and remain under the salary cap.
Other Nominees: Evan Mathis, Sione Pouha, Jeremy Mincey, Paul Soliai, Chris Myers
The Worst Resigning
There were some tough contenders in this category, but the award has to go for the Cardinals resigning Levi Brown after releasing him days earlier. Seriously, what the hell is this? I do not care how much the Cardinals are paying Levi Brown now, but the fact that they have resigned one of the worst linemen in football to a five year (and planning to pair him with one of the strongest competitors for the nod, Adam Snyder) leads me to believe that the Cardinals do not know what they are doing and maybe that lead Peyton Manning to look elsewhere. What a pitiful move for Arizona.
Other Nominees: DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Zuttah, Adam Carriker, Dimitri Patterson
Mr. Irrelevant
This is for the most irrelevant move in free agency. The award goes for Philadelphia trading Winston Justice for a swap of six round picks with the Colts. I had never seen something like that. This deal probably included a set of plates for the Eagles. I guess are being benefited from this trade as Philadelphia saves some cap room and the Colts get a player I suppose they wanted for a pathetically low price. This is probably the only place in which Justice’s name is highlighted.
Other Nominees: Trent Edwards, Dante Rosario, Manuel Ramirez, Lex Hilliard
The Best Overall Acquisition
This award goes for the acquisition that will improve a team the most, so it is pretty much a one man race. The award goes for the Broncos acquiring Peyton Manning because this automatically makes the Broncos a serious super bowl contender. Peyton Manning is the best free agent to ever hit the market and he will take Denver from a mediocre record (8-8) to be a dominant team in the AFC West. That is how great Manning is and how great is for the Broncos to land such a great talent.
Other Nominees: Bren Grubbs, Mario Williams, Cortland Finnegan, Brandon Carr
The Worst Overall Acquisition
This goes for the player who is likely to make the hurt the most the team that took him. I believe this award goes for the 49ers acquiring Perrish Cox because even though San Francisco has a great locker room, this could easily change with such a harmful presence in there. Cox is a bad teammate and a terrible person who is constantly getting into trouble. As much as I like the job Jim Harbaugh has done with this locker room and this team in general, I really have to question this move and to hope that it does not come back to haunt them in a few years.
Other Nominees: John Carlson, Randy Moss, DeSean Jackson, Adam Snyder
The Best Overall Deal
This really has to go to the New England Patriots resigning Brandon Lloyd. I mean, how did they pull off such a great deal? Considering a one year wonder with durability concerns like Robinson is receiving 32.5 million, Brandon Lloyd, who is a much better and proven receiver, receiving 12 million is a complete bargain. I cannot believe New England convinced Lloyd to receive that ridiculously low amount of money. That makes me believe that Lloyd was completely desperate for playing again for Josh McDaniels and for having a good quarterback throwing him the ball. This has to be the best move in free agency so far.
Other Nominees: Trent Cole, Matt Flynn, Eric Winston, Jason Jones, Peyton Manning
The Worst Overall Deal
There were lots and lots of terrible deals in this year’s free agency but I really have to highlight one. John Carlson deal with the Vikings has to get the nod and, in my opinion, for quite a margin. Carlson was a good prospect, but he has been terrible as a professional, not only struggling with injuries, but being actually pretty mediocre when healthy. I have no idea why in the world would someone thing it is a good idea giving a long term contract (5 year- 25 million) to such a looser. John Carlson has durability issues, so I would not have given him more than3 million in a one year deal, let’s not talk about 25 million over five years. But that is not all, Carlson projects as a terrible fit for the Vikings as he is a similar type of player as the promising Kyle Rudolph, so it is not like they needed him and he could in fact, take snaps away and delay Rudolph’s development. This is undoubtedly one of the worst moves in free agency in recent years.
Other Nominees: Eric Wright, Rober Meachem, Pierre Garcon, Nate Livings
Worst Team
I really thought of giving this award to the Redskins or the Buccaneers for overpaying in every single move they did, but they are at least trying to get better. I also thought about the Titans for passing on everyone for the obsession with Manning. Now, the award has to go to the Browns who have done nothing to address the quarterback position this offseason. One thing is that you do not want to give three first rounder’s for RGIII (they should have), but doing nothing to obtain Matt Flynn or anybody else is pretty pathetic as they cannot start Colt McCoy another season. Besides the whole quarterback thing, Cleveland has made really bad moves this offseason overpaying Frostee Rucker, overpaying Dimitri Patterson and overpaying D’Qwell Jackson in a pretty solid linebacker’s class.
Other Nominees: Green Bay, Tennessee, Washington, Tampa Bay, Baltimore
Best Team
I am giving the Rams the best team award over the Patriots and the Chiefs because of what they have done to fill the holes in the roster. Prior to free agency, they had more holes than solid starters in their lineup, but after a really strong free agency, they are now a much improved team ready for letting the draft come to them. I guess the thing that gives the edge to the Rams is the trade they pulled off acquiring three first rounders from the Redskins. You really have to applaud what the Rams have done this offseason. First, obtaining the best head coach available in Jeff Fisher, the pulling off a great trade, and finally having an outstanding free agency period. Let’s see how the draft goes.
Other Nominees: Kansas City, New England, Philadelphia, Seattle, New Orleans
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