Not all NFL free agent moves work out. Here are the moves from free agency so far with the most disaster potential.
NFL free agency is all about high risk with high reward. It is the perfect time to build your roster, but teams also usually have to overpay for players on the open market, as they are bidding against every team in the league. These moves could pay off, but they are risky because of the significant financial investment and lack of guarantee that a player will work in a new system. Free agent signees could end up busting out and not living up to the contracts that they signed, so here are the moves from this offseason with the most disaster potential.
Milton Williams, New England Patriots
Milton Williams signed a deal totaling more money than any other free agent this offseason. His contract with the New England Patriots totals $104 million. That is a lot of money for someone who is somewhat unproven. The defensive tackle played four seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, but he only started 19 total games.
His hefty contract is likely a result of winning Super Bowl 59. Had he have been on a different team and put up similar production, there is no way he'd get a nine-figure contract. Williams did shine in limited time on the field, but he was glued to the bench more often than not, as the Eagles had first-round investments in Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter. Williams only has 132 total tackles and 11.5 sacks in his four-year career.
This is the ultimate high-risk, high-reward signing. Williams does have loads of potential, but if he doesn't become the star that the Patriots think he can become, than the team is tied to a player with a bigger contract than anybody else earned during this free agent period.
Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
The next biggest contract went to Sam Darnold, which makes sense, considering quarterbacks go for a pretty penny in the NFL. Darnold signed a three-year, $100.5 million deal with the Seattle Seahawks after the team traded Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders.
This is a risky deal that could blow up in the Seahawks face because Darnold really only has one season of high-quality NFL football to his name. Prior to his last season with the Minnesota Vikings, Darnold looked like a massive draft bust. The New York Jets originally picked him third overall in the 2018 NFL Draft, but he failed drastically during his tenure as the starting quarterback with the team (and with the Carolina Panthers).
Darnold broke out in a big way during his lone season in Minnesota, as the quarterback was named to the Pro Bowl after throwing for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns. It is fair to wonder if this was a one-hit-wonder situation, though. Darnold had the perfect context to thrive, as his head coach, Kevin O'Connell, is an offensive genius. Darnold also had the best receiver in the NFL to throw to in Justin Jefferson.
The Vikings let Darnold walk for a reason, so there is a chance he reverts back to his old ways in Seattle. The Seahawks are committed to the quarterback for the long run, but it isn't set in stone that he is a franchise-level signal-caller.
Morgan Moses, New England Patriots
Morgan Moses was one of the best tackles in football during his time with the Washington Commanders. He has become somewhat of a journeyman since surpassing age 30, though. Moses played for the New York Jets in 2021 before he was on the Baltimore Ravens' roster for two season. Then, he went back to New York last season.
Moses is now 34 years old, and while he has been reliable, handing him a three-year contract is a risky proposition. That is exactly what the Patriots did. The team handed out a lot of money during NFL free agency (in addition to the two players on this list, they also overpaid for Carlton Davis). Moses' best days are in the rearview mirror, and he will be pushing 40 by the time his contract with the Patriots expires. Few players thrive in their mid-to-upper 30s in the NFL, so it is a risky proposition to rely on an aging veteran to protect Drake Maye.
Chase Young, New Orleans Saints
Chase Young was the second overall pick in 2020, but he never quite lived up to his pre-draft billing. The defensive end has become somewhat of a journeyman, as he has played for three different teams over the last two seasons. He is a solid player, but he hasn't become a great player.
The New Orleans Saints paid him like a megastar, though, as they gave him a $51 million deal. Young is still only 25 years old, but he has never had more than 7.5 sacks in a season. His production was underwhelming with the Saints last season, and it is fair to question if the Ohio State product can live up to this contract. It seems as though the Saints are paying Young more for what he can become than what he is.
Dre Greenlaw, Denver Broncos
Paying players with injuries red flags is risky. Dre Greenlaw looked like one of the best linebackers in the NFL before getting hurt, but he suffered a torn achilles in Super Bowl 58. The injury held Greenlaw out for almost the entire 2024 season, and he didn't look like the same player when he returned for the final two games of the San Francisco 49ers season.
If Greenlaw returns to form, then the Denver Broncos got a steal. However, achilles injuries are viewed at as the hardest to effectively come back from, so the player who signed for $35 million over three years may never look like the star he once was again. That makes his NFL free agency signing one of the moves with the most disaster potential.
