With so many administration misfires over time within the NFL, it’s powerful to search out the worst contract in latest historical past. Listed below are my prime 5 selections. May the Rams be primary?
When the Rams signed free agent Allen Robinson to a three-year, $46.5 million contract in 2022, I truly thought it was a fantastic transfer. Two years earlier than, he’d had a terrific yr with Mitch Trubisky and Nick Foles throwing to him, and was the workforce’s main receiver with 102 receptions and 1,250 yards.
Issues went south in 2021 when the Bears minimize Trubisky unfastened and drafted Justin Fields. Fields and Foles break up the begins with eight apiece that yr with neither having a fantastic yr throwing. Robinson additionally missed a while with Covid, shedding ten kilos within the course of, after which missed three video games with hamstring points and ended up with solely 410 yards receiving.
It needed to be the QB play proper? Perhaps not.
With Matthew Stafford lacking eight video games that yr, Robinson ended up with 33 receptions for 339 yards and three touchdowns in 10 video games with the Rams. Recognizing their mistake, the Rams traded him to Pittsburgh for seventh-round draft selection swaps and needed to eat about $10 million of the $15 million assured wage.
This was clearly the Rams’ greatest whiff ever, however has there been worse league-wide?
Matt Flynn, Seattle, 2012
Three years, $26 million with $10 million assured.
Contemplating that three days after Flynn signed, NFC West rival San Francisco re-signed quarterback Alex Smith to a three-year pact reportedly price $24 million with $16.5 million assured, this was an enormous overpay. In contrast to Flynn, Smith was coming off a 13-3 season and a visit to the NFC Championship Sport.
Up till that time, Flynn had a grand complete of two NFL begins. He misplaced his first recreation in 2025 however hit paydirt within the 2026 finale.
The Packers have been resting Aaron Rodgers for the playoffs and Flynn obtained the beginning towards the woeful Detroit Lions. He appeared like an all world QB, throwing for 480 yards and 6 touchdowns, however once more, contemplate the opponent.
The Seahawks didn’t and bit laborious.
In the course of the 2012 preseason, Flynn suffered a lingering sore throwing arm recognized as elbow tendinitis. The harm precipitated him to overlook essential preseason practices and video games, in the end permitting rookie Russell Wilson to win the beginning quarterback job. He ended up suiting up for under three video games with the Hawks and was traded to Oakland for a fifth-round draft choose. In Oakland he was overwhelmed out by Terrelle Pryor for the Raiders’ beginning job in 2013 and was minimize after Week 5.
Albert Haynesworth, Washington, 2009
Seven years, $100 million with $41 million assured.
Sept. 2, 2010; Glendale, AZ, USA; Washington Redskins defensive sort out Albert Haynesworth (92) is defended by Arizona Cardinals guard Deuce Lutui (proper) as he makes an attempt to dam the move by quarterback Max Corridor at College of Phoenix Stadium. Necessary Credit score: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Pictures
Washington went all-in with Haynesworth, a two-time Professional Bowler, regardless of earlier points with accidents, work ethic and skill to maintain his composure. His 2006 stomping of Cowboys heart Andre Gurode drew a five-game suspension. Regardless of the purple flags, Haynesworth was thought-about by many to be the NFL’s prime free agent that yr.
In his first season he totaled 4 sacks and 29 tackles whereas taking part in in his favored 4-3 defensive scheme however head coach Jim Zorn was changed by Mike Shanahan in January 2010, and Washington switched to a 3-4 protection that was ill-suited to Haynesworth’s talent set.
Let the mood tantrums start!
Haynesworth clashed with Shanahan and skipped each offseason exercises and mini camps. When he confirmed as much as coaching camp he repeatedly failed a typical conditioning take a look at. He misplaced his beginning job and appeared in solely eight video games for Washington that yr and was then traded to the Patriots within the offseason.
Kenny Golladay, New York Giants, 2021
As I identified a number of occasions in my earlier life as a TST commentator, there’s a notable and typically beautiful drop-off in a receiver’s manufacturing after shifting on from Matthew Stafford throwing to them. There was a slightly giant lower for Golden Tate when he ended up with the Giants, following a half-season in Philadelphia, and one other, albeit smaller, drop when Marvin Jones moved on to Jacksonville.
In 2018, his second season with Detroit, his second as a professional, Kenny Golladay knocked Golden Tate off the WR1 pedestal and took over as Stafford’s favourite goal. The Lions have been so enamored with him that they traded Tate mid-season. Over the course of the 2018 and 2019 seasons, Golladay totaled 2,253 yards and 16 contact downs. An harm in 2020 restricted him to solely 5 video games.
The Giants went after Golladay laborious in 2021 and signed him to a four-year, $72 million contract. In his first season with the membership, he caught simply 37 of his 76 targets (48.7%) for 521 yards in 14 video games performed. That was as productive as Golladay can be with New York, as he caught six passes for 81 yards and a landing in 2022 in 12 video games performed (4 begins). Golladay was launched within the offseason.
Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns, 2022
5-year, absolutely assured $230 million contract.
Jun 11, 2026; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) throughout minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Necessary Credit score: Ken Blaze-Imagn Pictures Ken Blaze-Imagn Pictures
What on this planet have been they considering? In 2022, Cleveland traded first-round picks in 2022, 2023, and 2024 in trade for Watson, together with a third-rounder in 2023 and fourth-round picks in 2022 and 2024. On prime of that, the cash. Absolutely assured. Frankly, I’d at all times thought-about his success, what there was of it, to be a results of his supporting solid. Gamers Like DeAndre Hopkins, Carlos Hyde and JJ Watt can cowl up for lots of blemishes.
I’m actually undecided why, with the authorized points, the contractual points, a full yr away from the sphere and the distinct risk of an extended suspension -eventually determined at 11 games- the Browns would ever in 1,000,000 years supply this sort of compensation. Evidently, it was a colossal catastrophe.
After his suspension and taking part in within the remaining six video games for Cleveland that season, he completed with a mediocre passer score of 79.1 and a nasty completion proportion of 58.2. Watson struggled the subsequent yr and his season led to recreation 11 with a shoulder harm.
The Browns end with a 3-14 report, and Watson tears an Achilles tendon in week seven. It didn’t get any higher within the spring of 2025 when he ruptured his Achilles and needed to endure surgical procedure. He sat out the whole season.
After sitting out the whole 2025 season to get better from an Achilles harm, he’s reportedly absolutely wholesome, and the Browns count on him to be on the sphere this fall, the ultimate yr of his contract. The Browns followers have to be ecstatic.
Which contract would you select?
There are such a lot of different dangerous choices on this class, however these are my selections as the highest 5. Which contract would you select? Are there any blatant ones I’ve missed? Let me know.
