Your Top 10 Free Agent Busts of the Snyder Era

[Spaceman Spiff]

 

 

I was texting with the homie @TryTheBeal!earlier today before the BIG WIN AGAINST TOM BRADY AND TAMPA BAY TODAY and he was wondering if Curtis Samuel is a real person.  I'm convinced he is, he just has groin area that's weaker than wet toilet paper. 

 

That got me wondering, where does he rank on the list of free agent busts in the Snyder Era?  Can he crack a list of vaunted high priced failures?

 

I've been sitting here for 10 minutes and I'm not sure where to start.  But here we go.  Feel free to rank your own and add commentary.

 

1.  Haynesworth.  I was thinking who to put at the top of this list and I knew there was someone obvious that I was forgetting.  And then I remembered him and was upset at myself for remembering him because sometimes it's better to forget and this is one of those times. 

 

****, he was bad.  And his attitude was worse.  **** Albert Haynesworth in the neck.

 

2.  Deion Sanders.  The thing is, I don't remember him being that terrible, he had 4 interceptions.  Statistically he was alright.  Never known for being a physical corner before landing here, I think he got even softer in Washington as he was getting closer to retirement.  I remember him getting dragged by someone he was trying to tackle which was really embarrassing and of course him having that punt bounce of his facemask was stupid, too.  

 

He's even got a highlight reel for his time in Washington on YouTube.  Won't let me display it here but click and watch it, it's pretty fun and surprising.

 

 

Then he retired which of course I remember but I forgot why.  Basically, he didn't want to play for Marty.  https://www.si.com/nfl/washingtonfootball/news/ol-rickys-redskins-tales-deion-sanders

 

Then he came back a few years later and played well for Baltimore.  I don't think he was terrible while he was here on the field but his abrupt retirement made anyone easily forget any good he did.  

 

3.  Jeff George.  I don't think the years or the dollar amount were completely awful, but he was.  Like Deion, he was brought here towards the end of his career, but unlike Deion he was never all that good to begin with.  Another guy with a ****ty attitude.

 

What I didn't remember about this is that Dennis "THEY ARE WHO WE THOUGHT THEY WERE" Green in Minnesota apparently told him to look around to see if he could get a starting job somewhere else.  Apparently the entire league passed on the opportunity to sign him and then Minnesota offered him a base salary of $400k with a total contract value of $1.4 million after incentives.  

 

Then Danny came in and decided to bid against practically no one else and offered him 4 years/$14.8 million.  He backed up Brad Johnson and then after Johnson left he clashed with Marty and proceeded to **** the bed and roll around in it.  He was released after a blowout loss to Green Bay, 37-0.  Tony Banks came in and performed admirably enough to finish the season at 8-8 after the 0-5 start.  

 

4.  Mike Barrow.  This list will contain some bigger, more memorable names but in doing a bit of research for this to make sure I didn't leave off any glaring omissions, I came across Mike Barrow.  I actually did forget about this loser because he wasn't so terribly memorable like Haynesworth.

 

Barrow was signed after his age 33 season to a SIX YEAR contract worth somewhere between $11 and $15 million, essentially moving Jeremiah Trotter back to Philly where he'd play at a Pro-Bowl level.  

 

Barrow never not once suited up for a game in a Redskins jersey.  Here's an old article that hasn't aged well at all in some respects:  https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/244379/the-mike-barrow-era/  

 

Quote

And he wasn’t ready for practice the following Monday, either. But there he was, listed as questionable for the season’s second game, against his old team, the Giants. Again, he wasn’t in uniform at kickoff. The ritual played out again against Dallas. And again and again. In one of the most bizarre chapters in Redskins injury history, every week became Groundhog Week for Barrow and the team. He’d sit out all practices, be listed as questionable, and then be declared out on Sunday—a “game-day scratch” in league parlance. It was as if management was keeping a spot on the roster for Barrow in hopes that his knee would be cured by some miracle, à la the Rev. Reggie White and the torn hamstring that White always claimed was repaired through divine intervention.

 

By the time the Redskins stopped the madness by putting him on the league’s injured reserve list, thereby ending his season, during Thanksgiving week, Barrow had as many scratches as Siegfried’s Roy.

Yet he’s still on the team. Even though he’s still not healthy: Barrow’s been excused from the Redskins recent organized team activities (OTAs), the allegedly voluntary workouts that every player must attend or face public ridicule, to seek help from a sports therapist in Arizona.

 

 

Part of me thinks I could very easily rank Barrow higher.  At least the three guys ahead of him suited up and played some.

 

5.  Adam Archuleta.  Do you remember that Danny made this guy the HIGHEST PAID SAFETY IN HISTORY?  Danny gave Archuleta a 6 year/30 million dollar deal back in 2006.  

 

It was around that time that I started logging into ExtremeSkins and being a part of this community.  People here were ****ing CISED (yes, I said cised) that we got Archuleta.  He was physical freak, he put up some good stats with the Rams and it looked like we were going to get a guy entering the prime of his career.  Also, his wife was a complete smokeshow.  

 

He was ****ing terrible.  We traded him to the Bears after his only season here for a 6th round pick.  He played one year for the Bears, was released and couldn't make it out of camp in 2008 with the Raiders.  Last time I saw this guy he was broadcasting one of our games a few years ago which means he was, like, on the CBS D team for broadcasting games.  

 

6.  Josh Norman.  Once again, Danny made someone the highest paid player ever at their position, parlaying a monster 2015 season in Carolina into a 5 year $75 million dollar deal for a cornerback.  

 

Norman's tenure in Washington started decently enough, although I don't think anyone here would agree that he was worth what he was being paid at any time while he was here.  He did play hard, but that was marred by weird **** like announcing that he was going to join the broadcast crew for Fox's NFL studio show during the season.  He was just a weird, quirky guy overall who's skills slowly eroded year by year while he was here.  Quite frankly, I'm surprised he's still in the league.

 

7.  Antwaan Randle El.  11 touchdowns over 4 seasons for $31 million.  Never really seemed to be the game-breaker guy who could play different positions and give defenses nightmares.  Never caught more than 728 yards in a season here, never caught more than 53 passes in a season.  Super nice guy, everyone loved him but he didn't produce.

 

8.  Bruce Smith.  More focused on chasing down Reggie White's sack record, something that seemed like a huge deal at the time but no one gives a **** about anymore.  Danny just had to sign him when he was 36 years old for a 5 year deal.  He played 4 years of the deal, registered 29 sacks and got Reggie's record, while pretty much pissing off everyone who had to play.  This was the era in which Danny just had to throw money at big names who were past their prime.  It was the year Deion Sanders and Mark Carrier were signed, too.  

 

The sack record was selfish, but I also kind of understand a guy who ended up losing 4 Super Bowls in Buffalo wanting to win something.  But what did anyone expect from someone who was 36 and had already played 15 years?  

 

9.  Jeremiah Trotter.  Before arriving in Philly, Trotter was an All-Pro linebacker in Philly.  The Redskins released him after two seasons into a 7 year, $36 million contract.  He promptly went back to Philly and made two more Pro Bowls.

 

10.  Curtis Samuel.  Yeah, I put The Groin on here but this is more of a prediction than anything.  He narrowly beat out Landon Collins.

 

But I'm sure I've missed out on some guys you'd put on your list.  Or didn't rank someone high enough/low enough.  

 

What's your list look like?

 

 

 

 

[skinfan2k]

Mark Carrier has to be on this list.  Also i think you have to add Dana Stubblefield and Dan Wilkinson too

[Ball Security]

Who was that safety from Tampa who never played because he couldn’t stay off the weeeeeed.  - Tanard Jackson.

 

You know who isn’t in the top 10?  Deandre Carter.

[hail2skins]

1 minute ago, skinfan2k said:

Mark Carrier has to be on this list.  Also i think you have to add Dana Stubblefield and Dan Wilkinson too

Stubby and Big Daddy were signed pre- Snyder.

[TradeTheBeal!]

This post is exhausting.

[Spaceman Spiff]

1 minute ago, TryTheBeal! said:

This post is exhausting.

 

You'll get over it.  Tacos on me next time.

[duffy]

Brandon Lloyd comes to mind. 

[Spaceman Spiff]

15 minutes ago, duffy said:

Brandon Lloyd comes to mind. 

He was a trade. I thought he was a free agent, too. 
 

Still disappointing for sure though. 

[MrJL]

besides being pre-Snyder one of Stubblefield and Wilkenson was also a trade.  Don't remember which though, don't feel like looking it up

[Voice_of_Reason]

Jeff George is #1 on my list.  It was the sign of things to come. 
 

I think I’d put Collins in over Curtis at this point.  I think it’s too early for Curtis.  If I was going to put a 2021 guy on there it would be WJIII.  Who’s been terrible.  I don’t think any of the guys on your list above 9 would come off of mine.  

 

Interesting though, of the original list, do you notice that all but two of those guys were before 2009?  The only real massive FA bust of the 2010’s is Norman.  Collins, Curtis and WJIII might join him, but for now, all of the FA ridiculousness is over a decade old. 
 

But still, 8 out of 10 are from a previous decade.  And 2 we’re in Dan’s first FA class: George and Bruce Smith 

[petey hodge]

Chris Blewett ... our expectations were sky high, but sadly his Extra Point trajectories were not.  He was the CHOSEN ONE.  He came here to fight the Sith, not join them?

 

[duffy]

1 hour ago, Spaceman Spiff said:

He was a trade. I thought he was a free agent, too. 
 

Still disappointing for sure though. 

Ahhh that's right 

[TK]

Imma just point out that we only got a Quarter out of Fitz. We got more outta Alex Smith & his six million dollar leg when everyone thought he was done.

 

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

8 hours ago, TK said:

Imma just point out that we only got a Quarter out of Fitz. We got more outta Alex Smith & his six million dollar leg when everyone thought he was done.

 

 

 

I thought about Fitzy for a second but he's only here for a year.  

[Koolblue13]

This thread after a huge win belong on the bust list. 

[Boss_Hogg]

i agree with everyone on this list except Curtis Samuel. I don't want to give up on him yet. 

 

Honorable mentions

 

Jerimiah Trotter

Jessie Armstead

Reidel Anthony - never saw the field 

Adrian Murrell

 

[NickyJ]

Curtis Samuel is young. He might still make himself into a DeSean Jackson player that's healthy for 6 games a season. Michael Barrow was already old and unlikely to play his whole contract, which makes him inexcusable.

 

William Jackson is a much bigger bust to me. If you suck when you're healthy, there's really nothing else to say.

Edited November 15, 2021 by NickyJ

[Wildbunny]

13 hours ago, Ball Security said:

Who was that safety from Tampa who never played because he couldn’t stay off the weeeeeed.  - Tanard Jackson.

That guy is clearly #1 to me. Guy was in Goodell's doghouse before we signed him and stayed there for his whole contract. I still don't get why we did signed him.

 

Another honorable mention to add to this list: Reuben Foster. Didn't sniffed regular season much by is second year. Came here with lots of off the field troubles.

 

As much as Haynesworth was a problem child to this team, he at least showed on the field his first year, compared to those two above.

[Reaper Skins]

Paul Richardson was pretty invisible.

 

Didnt we give up a ridiculously high draft pick for TJ Duckett?

 

Jason Taylor was extremely ineffective.

 

Terrelle Pryor was all hype no production.

 

 

[Malapropismic Depository]

14 hours ago, Spaceman Spiff said:

 

 Tacos on me next time.

 

13 hours ago, duffy said:

Brandon Lloyd comes to mind. 

 

 

The irony of duffy being the very next post after "Tacos on me next time".

I was expecting duffy to say something like, "And I'll throw in a dance with that taco !"

[mistertim]

2 hours ago, Spaceman Spiff said:

 

I thought about Fitzy for a second but he's only here for a year.  

 

Not sure why Fitz would be on here. The dude got hurt 6 passes into his very first game with us. And it's not like we even spent a ton of money on him. He got somewhere in between high end backup and low end starter money.

 

If we bring in a guy who has had chronic injury issues through his career and he then ends up injured and ineffective with us then that could definitely qualify as a FA bust because it was already a known issue that we ignored. But IMO if it's a guy who hasn't had that but does happen to get injured it's not the same, because that's just sort of a "**** happens" situation. Fitz has had a couple of injuries though his career but he's not "injury prone".

[Malapropismic Depository]

14 hours ago, Ball Security said:

You know who isn’t in the top 10?  Deandre Carter.

 

Yea, we need a positive counterpart to this thread, especially after such a big win. A list of Best FA acquisitions ?

Carter has a great story too. He promised his dying brother (who also was attempting to make it in the NFL) that he (Carter) would make it, for the both of them.

 

 

[markmills67]

16 hours ago, Spaceman Spiff said:

 

 

I was texting with the homie @TryTheBeal!earlier today before the BIG WIN AGAINST TOM BRADY AND TAMPA BAY TODAY and he was wondering if Curtis Samuel is a real person.  I'm convinced he is, he just has groin area that's weaker than wet toilet paper. 

 

That got me wondering, where does he rank on the list of free agent busts in the Snyder Era?  Can he crack a list of vaunted high priced failures?

 

I've been sitting here for 10 minutes and I'm not sure where to start.  But here we go.  Feel free to rank your own and add commentary.

 

1.  Haynesworth.  I was thinking who to put at the top of this list and I knew there was someone obvious that I was forgetting.  And then I remembered him and was upset at myself for remembering him because sometimes it's better to forget and this is one of those times. 

 

****, he was bad.  And his attitude was worse.  **** Albert Haynesworth in the neck.

 

2.  Deion Sanders.  The thing is, I don't remember him being that terrible, he had 4 interceptions.  Statistically he was alright.  Never known for being a physical corner before landing here, I think he got even softer in Washington as he was getting closer to retirement.  I remember him getting dragged by someone he was trying to tackle which was really embarrassing and of course him having that punt bounce of his facemask was stupid, too.  

 

He's even got a highlight reel for his time in Washington on YouTube.  Won't let me display it here but click and watch it, it's pretty fun and surprising.

 

 

Then he retired which of course I remember but I forgot why.  Basically, he didn't want to play for Marty.  https://www.si.com/nfl/washingtonfootball/news/ol-rickys-redskins-tales-deion-sanders

 

Then he came back a few years later and played well for Baltimore.  I don't think he was terrible while he was here on the field but his abrupt retirement made anyone easily forget any good he did.  

 

3.  Jeff George.  I don't think the years or the dollar amount were completely awful, but he was.  Like Deion, he was brought here towards the end of his career, but unlike Deion he was never all that good to begin with.  Another guy with a ****ty attitude.

 

What I didn't remember about this is that Dennis "THEY ARE WHO WE THOUGHT THEY WERE" Green in Minnesota apparently told him to look around to see if he could get a starting job somewhere else.  Apparently the entire league passed on the opportunity to sign him and then Minnesota offered him a base salary of $400k with a total contract value of $1.4 million after incentives.  

 

Then Danny came in and decided to bid against practically no one else and offered him 4 years/$14.8 million.  He backed up Brad Johnson and then after Johnson left he clashed with Marty and proceeded to **** the bed and roll around in it.  He was released after a blowout loss to Green Bay, 37-0.  Tony Banks came in and performed admirably enough to finish the season at 8-8 after the 0-5 start.  

 

4.  Mike Barrow.  This list will contain some bigger, more memorable names but in doing a bit of research for this to make sure I didn't leave off any glaring omissions, I came across Mike Barrow.  I actually did forget about this loser because he wasn't so terribly memorable like Haynesworth.

 

Barrow was signed after his age 33 season to a SIX YEAR contract worth somewhere between $11 and $15 million, essentially moving Jeremiah Trotter back to Philly where he'd play at a Pro-Bowl level.  

 

Barrow never not once suited up for a game in a Redskins jersey.  Here's an old article that hasn't aged well at all in some respects:  https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/244379/the-mike-barrow-era/  

 

 

 

Part of me thinks I could very easily rank Barrow higher.  At least the three guys ahead of him suited up and played some.

 

5.  Adam Archuleta.  Do you remember that Danny made this guy the HIGHEST PAID SAFETY IN HISTORY?  Danny gave Archuleta a 6 year/30 million dollar deal back in 2006.  

 

It was around that time that I started logging into ExtremeSkins and being a part of this community.  People here were ****ing CISED (yes, I said cised) that we got Archuleta.  He was physical freak, he put up some good stats with the Rams and it looked like we were going to get a guy entering the prime of his career.  Also, his wife was a complete smokeshow.  

 

He was ****ing terrible.  We traded him to the Bears after his only season here for a 6th round pick.  He played one year for the Bears, was released and couldn't make it out of camp in 2008 with the Raiders.  Last time I saw this guy he was broadcasting one of our games a few years ago which means he was, like, on the CBS D team for broadcasting games.  

 

6.  Josh Norman.  Once again, Danny made someone the highest paid player ever at their position, parlaying a monster 2015 season in Carolina into a 5 year $75 million dollar deal for a cornerback.  

 

Norman's tenure in Washington started decently enough, although I don't think anyone here would agree that he was worth what he was being paid at any time while he was here.  He did play hard, but that was marred by weird **** like announcing that he was going to join the broadcast crew for Fox's NFL studio show during the season.  He was just a weird, quirky guy overall who's skills slowly eroded year by year while he was here.  Quite frankly, I'm surprised he's still in the league.

 

7.  Antwaan Randle El.  11 touchdowns over 4 seasons for $31 million.  Never really seemed to be the game-breaker guy who could play different positions and give defenses nightmares.  Never caught more than 728 yards in a season here, never caught more than 53 passes in a season.  Super nice guy, everyone loved him but he didn't produce.

 

8.  Bruce Smith.  More focused on chasing down Reggie White's sack record, something that seemed like a huge deal at the time but no one gives a **** about anymore.  Danny just had to sign him when he was 36 years old for a 5 year deal.  He played 4 years of the deal, registered 29 sacks and got Reggie's record, while pretty much pissing off everyone who had to play.  This was the era in which Danny just had to throw money at big names who were past their prime.  It was the year Deion Sanders and Mark Carrier were signed, too.  

 

The sack record was selfish, but I also kind of understand a guy who ended up losing 4 Super Bowls in Buffalo wanting to win something.  But what did anyone expect from someone who was 36 and had already played 15 years?  

 

9.  Jeremiah Trotter.  Before arriving in Philly, Trotter was an All-Pro linebacker in Philly.  The Redskins released him after two seasons into a 7 year, $36 million contract.  He promptly went back to Philly and made two more Pro Bowls.

 

10.  Curtis Samuel.  Yeah, I put The Groin on here but this is more of a prediction than anything.  He narrowly beat out Landon Collins.

 

But I'm sure I've missed out on some guys you'd put on your list.  Or didn't rank someone high enough/low enough.  

 

What's your list look like?

 

 

 

 

Great Post, would be better if you could let us know how much money they actually got paid by the Redskins 😁

[Riggo-toni]

16 hours ago, skinfan2k said:

Mark Carrier has to be on this list.  Also i think you have to add Dana Stubblefield and Dan Wilkinson too

Blubberfield and Big Daddy were the brainchilds of Casserly, before Dannyboy arrived. And I think we traded a 1st and a 3rd for BDW, so he technically wasn't a free agent.

[Wildbunny]

2 minutes ago, Riggo-toni said:

Blubberfield and Big Daddy were the brainchilds of Casserly, before Dannyboy arrived. And I think we traded a 1st and a 3rd for BDW, so he technically wasn't a free agent.

If we have to include Trades in that list, Donovan McNabb will say hello!