AFC's Worst Free Agency Moves: Bengals should be a case study on how not to run an NFL franchise and more
NFL free agency is in full swing with the legal tampering window opening on Monday and deals galore being reached across the league. In the AFC, everybody is still chasing the Kansas City Chiefs. Kansas City has won the AFC and appeared in the Super Bowl in five of the last six seasons. The road […]
NFL free agency is in full swing with the legal tampering window opening on Monday and deals galore being reached across the league.
In the AFC, everybody is still chasing the Kansas City Chiefs. Kansas City has won the AFC and appeared in the Super Bowl in five of the last six seasons. The road to changing the status quo begins now.
Making moves is the only way to get better, but that doesn't mean every free agent signing is a smart one. Even the good organizations get a few wrong each year.Here's a look at the worst move every AFC team has made during NFL free agency thus far.
AFC South
Tennessee Titans – Cody Barton as the ILB fix
I don’t hate Cody Barton as a player. I don’t even hate the three-year, $21 million contract he signed. But for the Titans, I would have liked to see a bigger splash at the inside linebacker position. It would have only been slightly more expensive to land a player of a much higher caliber.
Additionally, Tennessee desperately needs an inside linebacker that can thrive in coverage. That would compliment Kenneth Murray Jr. well. That’s not really Barton’s game…but it is Dre Greenlaw’s, for example.
Houston Texans – Not adding to the offensive line
Houston has done a lot right in free agency, but as things are right now, you just can't help but notice the holes that are being left vacant on the offensive line.
The Texans traded Laremy Tunsil and Kenyon Green. They released Shaq Mason. I’m cool with all of that. Houston’s offensive line was not good enough last season and there should be no love lost watching three of five starters up front leave…But you also have to replace them.
This is something that will have to be judged in totality after the offseason, but I’m nervous that there might not be a plan to actually make the necessary upgrades on the line.
Jacksonville Jaguars – Signing Eric Murray
Eric Murray had a solid year in 2024 with the Texans, but I’m not a fan of this signing at $20 million with over $12 million guaranteed. Even at his best, Murray is a league average safety and all you have to do is look at the other deals this offseason to understand how Murray is not great value for the Jags.
Jeremy Chinn is a better player that got $16 million over two years. Xavier Woods is a better player and he got $10 million over two years. An overpay by the Jaguars, and it’s probably not even an upgrade over Andre Cisco. Yikes.
Indianapolis Colts – Cam Bynum's deal
Cam Bynum is a really good player and he solves a big problem for the Indianapolis Colts. To be honest, it only lands as my “worst move” for Indianapolis because I’ve been a big fan of what Chris Ballard has done in free agency.
My only qualm with the Bynum signing is the market value at safety. I can’t help but wonder if the Colts could have gotten a better deal with a different player. Justin Reid or Jeremy Chinn would have been better bang for your buck and served the same purpose.
AFC West
Los Angeles Chargers – Not spending more
The Chargers have $80 million in cap space available…What are we waiting for?! The 2024 Chargers exceeded expectations with 11 wins and making the playoffs in the first year under head coach Jim Harbaugh. You have the quarterback. You have the defense. Now is the time to supplement!
Letting Poona Ford walk is a mistake. You lost Josh Palmer and now really need to make a big splash at wide receiver. It’s a long offseason and the Chargers will have ample opportunity to improve their team, but fans have to be getting restless watching some of this talent come off the board while LA sits idly by.
Kansas City Chiefs – Signing Jaylon Moore
$15 million per year and over $21 million fully guaranteed for a career backup is a bit much. That’s what the Kansas City Chiefs gave to former 49ers offensive tackle Jaylon Moore in free agency.
Moore has only started 12 games in his four-year NFL career and only played 271 snaps in 2024. Now you’re relying on that guy to protect the blindside of Patrick Mahomes for an entire season. The Chiefs should have gone for a more proven player at such an important position.
Denver Broncos – Keeping Stidham over Wilson
I’m not a fan of the Broncos opting for Jarrett Stidham over Zach Wilson as the backup to Bo Nix in 2025. Stidham got $12 million over two years to go back to Denver while Wilson signed a one-year $6 million contract with the Miami Dolphins. Same cost against the cap this season and Wilson is younger, has more upside, and more starting experience.
I really like the fit for Zach Wilson coming off the bench in Denver and working with Sean Payton. Wilson seems to be a player that some teams believe will get a second shot to start eventually. He could be on the Sam Darnold trajectory for all we know. I simply think Wilson is the better quarterback. I would have kept him instead.
Las Vegas Raiders – No splash at WR…yet
The Raiders need to give new QB Geno Smith some weapons. They have essentially nobody after Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker currently under contract. Las Vegas is a team that should have made it a priority to convert on a D.K. Metcalf trade, but that ship has now sailed.
Stefon Diggs makes a lot of sense. Tyler Lockett reuniting with Pete Carroll and Geno Smith would make a lot of sense too. There is still talent out there, but the Raiders need to make a splash at wide receiver at some point in free agency and we haven’t seen it yet.
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens – There's honestly not much to say
Seriously, one can't realistically find anything wrong enough to put one of the Ravens' decisions, here. Granted, that's more by default, as the team's cap situation doesn't allow it to do much, at all. Still, that has the Ravens in a good spot, in this specific context.
Cincinnati Bengals – The inability to work out a long-term deal with Tee Higgins, Ja'Marr Chase, or Trey Hendrickson
At this point, the Bengals need to be a case study on how not to operate an NFL franchise. They undervalue their guys in-house, but then overvalue them in public. Case in point: Asking for a "large trade package" after denying Hendrickson his desired payday. By delaying these deals, they're only increasing the price tags they already don't want to pay.
Make it make sense. Please.
Cleveland Browns – Myles Garrett's historic extension is also a bad deal
It's plain and simple: $40 million per year for a non-quarterback, especially a guy who is already 30-years-old, is not a good deal.
Pittsburgh Steelers – D.K. Metcalf's extension is elite money for a non-elite receiver
I love Metcalf's game and I think he's a top-12 or top-15 receiver without a doubt. But $33 million per year puts him in the top-3 range, where he simply doesn't belong.
That, along with what is currently a huge question mark at quarterback, isn't conducive for success and can easily backfire.
AFC East
Buffalo Bills – Where are all the "difference-makers"?
Sean McDermott's season-ending comments set the tone for the Bills' offseason, but we've yet to really see it come to fruition. Sure, Joey Bosa is a difference-maker when he's healthy, but he's appeared in just 28 games over the last three seasons and has 13 more games where he played less than 50% of defensive snaps.
Outside of that, there's zilch to point to. We'll see if that changes in the near future.
Miami Dolphins – They're on turtle speed when it comes to filling the defensive trenches
Right now, the Dolphins have just two defensive linemen under contract in Zach Sieler and Matt Dickerson. If they don't hurry up and figure something out with Calais Campbell or even Benito Jones – they could be in trouble at that spot.
New England Patriots – Carlton Davis is not worth anywhere close to what he received
Davis received $20 million per year, which is $4 million more on an annual basis than what D.J. Reed received. And Reed is a better cornerback than Davis.
Sure, Davis is a CB1, but he gets injured on a way-too-consistent-basis and he lacks the ball production to warrant this kind of payday. He's never played an entire season since he entered the league in 2018 and he has just 11 interceptions over those seven seasons.
$12-$14 million per year makes sense, but this is egregious.
New York Jets – Isaiah Oliver can't be the team's main nickelback
Opposing QBs averaged a 118.8 QB rating when targeting him in coverage last year and he gave up a 76.2% completion rate, along with two touchdowns to no interceptions. The Jets simply can't roll with Oliver as the main nickel heading into 2025.
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