Free agency in the NFL is almost always a crapshoot. Signing proven free agents doesn't always equate to on-field success because guys who hit free agency may have a history of injuries, they may be past their prime, or they may have just left a much better situation than they find in free agency.
For every NFL free agent, the grass is always greener, isn't it?
It's usually a better idea to play it safe in free agency and go after the bargains, but that's not always proven to be the case. Some of the best teams in the NFL were assembled with key free agent acquisitions. Still, it's hard not to scoff at some of the moves that were made over the last handful of months. What are the 10 worst moves in NFL free agency in 2024?
Ranking the 10 worst moves in NFL free agency in 2024
10. Titans signing center Lloyd Cushenberry III
The Tennessee Titans made a big move to go after free agent center Lloyd Cushenberry III, the former LSU star who was a third-round pick of the Denver Broncos in 2020. Cushenberry struggled badly in his first three NFL seasons before putting it together in his fourth year.
Is it possible that Cushenberry was a late-bloomer in Denver? It's possible. It's also possible that he regresses to what we have seen from him for the majority of his snaps in the NFL, getting completely overpowered at the point of attack and struggling to anchor. The Titans gave him a four-year deal worth $50 million in total money and $30 million in guarantees. It was good to be an interior lineman in this year's market.
9. Falcons signing WR Darnell Mooney
I don't get this move for a variety of reasons. The first reason is the price tag. Darnell Mooney made off like a bandit in free agency with $26 million in total guarantees on a three-year deal that is worth just shy of $40 million in total money.
He hasn't even reached 500 yards receiving since 2021.
There's undoubtedly talent there with Mooney, but the Falcons are also bringing him into a situation in which he's going to steal targets from Kyle Pitts, Drake London, and Bijan Robinson. This one was weird.
8. Commanders signing EDGE Dorance Armstrong
The Commanders signing Dorance Armstrong in free agency was extremely predictable. The Commanders hired Dan Quinn, formerly the defensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys. It was in Dallas -- under Quinn -- that Armstrong really started to carve out a role for himself.
I don't know if the Commanders are expecting Armstrong to be their alpha off the edge, but that faith would probably be misplaced. He's averaged just about 13 QB hits over the last three seasons combined, and just got over $22 million in guaranteed money. This move feels like a classic case of an NFL team trying to spend to reach the salary cap floor.
7. Giants signing OG Jon Runyan Jr.
Even the Green Bay Packers had to be laughing at the fact that the New York Giants paid $10 million annually to Jon Runyan Jr. on a new contract. Runyan has vastly outplayed his draft status as a former sixth-round pick, but people have been putting way too much stock in the fact that he started all but one game over the last three years.
The Packers were ready to move on from him, and given their situation with Jordan Love, why would they mess with continuity on the line if they thought Runyan was a quality starter? He struggled badly last season and the Giants overpaid.
6. Falcons signing QB Kirk Cousins
I would have been ready to call this one of the best NFL free agent signings of the 2024 offseason until the 2024 NFL Draft took place. The Falcons taking Michael Penix Jr. makes a ton of sense if they would have already had Cousins on the roster and under contract, maybe even close to an expiring deal. It doesn't make a lot of sense with them having just signed Cousins.
And because the Falcons developed such a conviction on Penix, the decision to sign Cousins to the $180 million deal is even more confusing. Now it looks like the Falcons have a bit of buyer's remorse on a guy who suffered an Achilles injury last year and is clearly on the back nine of his NFL career.
They had better hope this works out.
5. Vikings signing QB Sam Darnold
Nobody's agent deserves more credit than Sam Darnold's for the way 2024 free agency went. Darnold, who did legitimately nothing last year for the 49ers, was given a one-year, $10 million deal by the Vikings. Maybe he has Kyle Shanahan to thank, maybe he has Baker Mayfield to thank, maybe he has Kirk Cousins to thank.
I don't know.
All I know is that $10 million is a huge raise for Darnold after simply spending a year with the 49ers.
4. Jaguars signing WR Gabe Davis
The Jacksonville Jaguars really wanted to bring back Calvin Ridley after his first season with the team, and you can't help but wonder if their pursuit of Gabe Davis prevented that from ultimately happening.
Considering the fact that Trevor Lawrence was coming off of a down/injury-impacted season, completely changing up the receiver group doesn't feel like the best idea. Gabe Davis has come up with some really nice performances for the Buffalo Bills, but hasn't even reached 850 yards in a single season. He got a near-identical contract to the one Darnell Mooney signed with the Falcons.
3. 49ers signing EDGE Yetur Gross-Matos
I love it when teams take chances on players in NFL free agency. I don't love it when they pay a premium to take the chance. The 49ers signing Yetur Gross-Matos feels like the equivalent of paying $10 to play one of those "adult" claw machine games where you can win Apple TV or something like that. Just because it's an adult claw machine doesn't mean it's not a claw machine.
Gross-Matos was a 2nd-round pick of the Panthers and even after Carolina traded Brian Burns, they made little effort to bring Gross-Matos back. The 49ers may know something we all don't, but he has just 13.5 sacks in four NFL seasons. He landed $12.39 million in guaranteed money on his deal with the 49ers.
2. Eagles signing EDGE Bryce Huff
The Philadelphia Eagles signing Bryce Huff away from the New York Jets and then trading away Haason Reddick feels like one of the riskiest moves in NFL free agency.
Huff has started 7 games as an NFL player, but despite not being a "starter", he's been an impact player. This past season, he exploded with 21 QB hits and 10.0 sacks without even playing 480 snaps. The Jets have maximized his effectiveness to the point that he landed a deal worth $34 million guaranteed, one of the biggest guarantees in all free agency.
Still, Huff has never played 500 snaps in a season. The Eagles just hired Vic Fangio as their defensive coordinator, and he doesn't love taking EDGE guys off the field if he doesn't have to. This will be an interesting one worth monitoring.
1. Titans signing CB Chidobe Awuzie
It helps to know people in high places, doesn't it?
Chidobe Awuzie came to the Titans from the Cincinnati Bengals, just like his head coach Brian Callahan. The Titans gave Awuzie a three-year deal worth $22.98 million in guaranteed money. Awuzie hasn't had an interception since 2021 and he's missed 11 games over the last two years combined.
I like what the Titans are trying to do, but signing a 29-year-old corner for that much money without a ton of ball production seems like a bad idea.