Saints' Jairus Byrd leads list of top 10 free-agent flops

[Mr_Tomahawk]

Per NFL.com

Since we covered the best free-agent pickups last week, we are turning our attention to the top free-agent failures this week:

1. Jairus Byrd, New Orleans Saints safety: Of all players who changed teams this offseason, Byrd earned the most guaranteed money. A major red flag emerged shortly thereafter when Byrd underwent back surgery in May. He was limited in training camp and exposed as a liability during the Saints' disappointing September. After missing tackles and surrendering big plays, the three-time Pro Bowl selection managed just four games before a torn lateral meniscus ligament ended his season.

2. Dimitri Patterson, New York Jets cornerback: General manager John Idzik shot down Rex Ryan's wishes for Darrelle Revis, Vontae Davis and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, settling instead for journeyman Patterson as the top veteran in a cornerback-reliant scheme. Patterson went AWOL for a preseason game, was suspended by the team and subsequently released before ever seeing regular-season action. The Jets' patchwork secondary featured undrafted former North Dakota State star Marcus Williams as the No. 1 cornerback in his first career start last week.

3. LaMarr Woodley, Oakland Raiders defensive end: When Woodley signed a $12 million contract in Oakland, then-coach Dennis Allen suggested the Steelers had been using him out of position as an outside linebacker for the better part of a decade. Woodley managed three tackles in five games with the Raiders before landing on injured reserve with a torn biceps. Reggie McKenzie's plan to rebuild a depleted roster with paycheck veterans was a head-scratcher from the get-go.

4. Champ Bailey, New Orleans Saints cornerback: The Saints had financial incentive to keep Bailey on the roster after handing him $500,000 guaranteed in April. Instead, they released him before the season once it became obvious that last year's nagging foot injury wasn't going away. Perhaps a more rigorous medical screening is needed in New Orleans.

5. Anthony Collins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers tackle: Pass protection has been a season-long problem for a team that went window shopping for Collins, Logan Mankins and Evan Dietrich-Smith on a refurbished offensive line. Collins has been disappointing enough that there's talk of moving him inside to guard. Check the honorable mention list below. The Bucs dug deep in their pockets for a slew of veterans and came up with a handful of lint.

6. Hakeem Nicks, Indianapolis Colts wide receiver: Nicks wisely chose the Colts on a one-year, make-good deal to rehab his market value. Unfortunately, a multitude of early-career leg injuries have robbed him of the ability to separate from defensive backs. Standing in the way of a better player in rookie Donte Moncrief, Nicks is no better than the seventh or eighth option in Andrew Luck's top-ranked aerial attack.

7. Chris Johnson, New York Jets running back: For a few brief flashes in last week's game, Johnson and Michael Vick finally met Dan Hanzus' offseason hopes. It's more telling, though, that Johnson has spent the majority of the past month on the bench of a 1-8 team after being outplayed by Chris Ivory. Looking down the barrel of age 30, Johnson's starting days are over.

8. Toby Gerhart, Jacksonville Jaguars running back: The Jaguars spent the offseason hyping Gerhart as a workhorse back who would be the focal point of their offense. After attributing his disappointing September to run-blocking woes, it quickly became obvious that he was the problem when Denard Robinson rushed for 329 yards in a three-game span.

9. Maurice Jones-Drew, Oakland Raiders running back: The Raiders are on pace for the worst rushing attack since 1946. From here on out, any Jones-Drew carry is a wasted carry. The end is nigh for one of the NFL's most fun players to watch from 2006 through 2011.

10. Donald Butler, San Diego Chargers linebacker: The Bolts shelled out $28 million in guarantees to re-sign Butler as a nucleus player in their front seven. Through nine weeks, they rank 31st in Football Outsiders' defensive metrics, with Butler missing too many tackles and struggling in coverage.

Honorable mention: Josh McCown, Alterraun Verner, Michael Johnson, Evan Dietrich-Smith, Ben Tate, Michael Oher, Dennis Pitta, Geoff Schwartz

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[Marcellus]

Considering the vitriol that spewed over our failing to attempt to sign Byrd in the offseason, this is damn hilarious. Dorsey was flat roasted over this.

Lots of egg on lots of faces, not that most would admit it now.

[Easy 6]

Originally Posted by TEX

How's Emanuel Sanders looking??? THAT one STILL hurts...

Yes, yes it does... that guys exactly what we need, but Dorsey tried, he just got burned by an underhanded agent and player.

[mcaj22]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

Considering the vitriol that spewed over our failing to attempt to sign Byrd in the offseason, this is damn hilarious. Dorsey was flat roasted over this.

Lots of egg on lots of faces, not that most would admit it now.

Dorsey was roasted for 12 million to a backup NT that spells Poe for 10 snaps a game and 9 million to a MLBer that has yet to play a game for us.

The concept of Jarius Byrd was a player in his prime (or so people thought) that the Chiefs could use to get them over the hump to win a playoff game with their 30 year old win now competitive QB.

While the anti Byrd people assumed this would be a down year cause of schedule. I believe the word used was "transition" year? Those are the people with egg on their faces not the people that want a FA that could improve the team at the time. It was the people that didnt want to spend because they thought this year would be a wasted season. Now we are in position where we could have used a FA to get us over the hump.

[ModSocks]

I never had the Hardon for Byrd that others had. It was nice to think about, but the reality is that he wanted a lot of $$$ for basically being the new Bob Sanders.

Yes, Bob Sanders was a real person.

[Bowser]

Here to eat crow for Jarius Byrd. I was in the camp of wanting to get him in here at all costs. Guess that's why I'm on here reading threads on dating and Mechanic Wars rather than in a nice plush office building NFL teams.

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by mcaj22

Dorsey was roasted for 12 million to a backup NT that spells Poe for 10 snaps a game and 9 million to a MLBer that has yet to play a game for us.

The concept of Jarius Byrd was a player in his prime (or so people thought) that the Chiefs could use to get them over the hump to win a playoff game with their 30 year old win now competitive QB.

While the anti Byrd people assumed this would be a down year cause of schedule. I believe the word used was "transition" year? Those are the people with egg on their faces not the people that want a FA that could improve the team at the time. It was the people that didnt want to spend because they thought this year would be a wasted season. Now we are in position where we could have used a FA to get us over the hump.

Is that you Obama?

[O.city]

I'd still take him ...

[Bowser]

Originally Posted by O.city

I'd still take him ...

At vet minimum I hope