Dan Snyder's worst free-agent signing

[SmootSmack]

So are we only talking free agents then, not trades right? So TJ Duckett doesn't count?

If we're only talking free agents I'm tempted to go with Adam Archuleta. When Joe Gibbs says you're uncoachable, that's like God kicking you out of Sunday school.

Michael Barrow was a huge bust for us as well, but that was largely due to an unexpected injury

[MTK]

I never fully understood the Deion hate. Yeah he was a Cowboy, but he was also a Falcon, 49er, and later on a Raven. The guy was a hired gun for his career. He went to whoever had the $$ and the chance to win. At least he wasn't a bust on the field for us.

[jdlea]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

I never fully understood the Deion hate. Yeah he was a Cowboy, but he was also a Falcon, 49er, and later on a Raven. The guy was a hired gun for his career. He went to whoever had the $$ and the chance to win. At least he wasn't a bust on the field for us.

I agree, I never got it either. I mean, it's not like I loved the guy or thought he played great, but he wasn't bad while he was here. There were a lot of worse signings than that one IMO.

Hell, by comparison, he may have been the best signing from the early days.

[ArtMonkDrillz]

My gut reaction was Archuleta. To pay a guy more money than any other safety ever when he isn't even the best one on your team is insane.

Then again, there are some very valid points as to why George was the worst. Its hard to argue that the effect of dumping Brad Johnson for him isn't still being felt in Washington.

[Lotus]

George has a strong case. I never understood the George love when we already had Brad Johnson.

But I voted Arch Deluxe. You could argue that he was paid way too much even if he had been a great. But he was a mediocre player whose style did not fit our defense at all. He had no chance to succeed. He was a vastly overpaid square peg in a round hole from the start.

[artmonkforhallofamein07]

This debate is not even close in my book, for the simple fact that we already had a winning QB here, and not to mention the fact that the last time we had a winning offensive team was with Brad Johnson at the healm. Signing Jeff G segt this team back offensively for years to come after wards. Brad johson was a good QB and the last good one we have had here. So for me the buck stops at Jeff George. He came in and completely f'ed our team.

All of the other guys can have a case made for them, but Jeff was a guy who came in and ruined it.

The others were positions of need at the time and were just busts.

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

So are we only talking free agents then, not trades right? So TJ Duckett doesn't count?

If we're only talking free agents I'm tempted to go with Adam Archuleta. When Joe Gibbs says you're uncoachable, that's like God kicking you out of Sunday school.

Michael Barrow was a huge bust for us as well, but that was largely due to an unexpected injury

Been there!!!!!!

[Longtimefan]

A good case could be made for everyone on the list, I'm going with a name not on the list. Brandon Lloyd, came from an organization Vinny was very familiar with. The word on him spread quickly among players, couldn't figure why Vinnie never got it.

[over the mountain]

Originally Posted by jdlea

I agree, I never got it either. I mean, it's not like I loved the guy or thought he played great, but he wasn't bad while he was here. There were a lot of worse signings than that one IMO.

Hell, by comparison, he may have been the best signing from the early days.

idk about all that. while i do hate deion for his cowboy career he was gosh awful at tackling. that year, watching him play for the skins it was so freakin frustrating to see him pull a matador and let the guy go by him. he was scared to death of contact. on top of that, i remember times when he would avoid contact or do a half ass attempt at tackle, then when the player is fartehr down the field and being tackled by real men, he would then try and get into the action by hitting the guy as he was already going down.

deions tackling and fear of contact was embarrassing.

my vote has to for jeff george for all the reasons stated previously. the year before we had a great team, we lost some close ones by field goals. that year, if i remember correctly, we lost games b/c of our kicker.

[MTK]

Deion was never a good tackler, just wasn't his game. He was a pure cover corner and one of the best. I believe he only gave up 1 TD his year here.

[jdlea]

Originally Posted by over the mountain

idk about all that. while i do hate deion for his cowboy career he was gosh awful at tackling. that year, watching him play for the skins it was so freakin frustrating to see him pull a matador and let the guy go by him. he was scared to death of contact. on top of that, i remember times when he would avoid contact or do a half ass attempt at tackle, then when the player is fartehr down the field and being tackled by real men, he would then try and get into the action by hitting the guy as he was already going down.

deions tackling and fear of contact was embarrassing.

my vote has to for jeff george for all the reasons stated previously. the year before we had a great team, we lost some close ones by field goals. that year, if i remember correctly, we lost games b/c of our kicker.

That's a very valid point, the last part was sort of thrown in because I chuckled to myself thinking of some of the other really bad signings. That said, you're totally right, his "tackling" was piss poor, however, he didn't cover too badly while he was here

[FRPLG]

George by a mile. Didn't need him and everyone knew it was bound to be a disaster. After that I go with Arch...but he gets a little bit of a pass since Grills really wanted him.

Deon was a dceent move..no reason to think he was going to be so crappy. AH was a great move...he's a top player...they knew the risk when they took and it isn't hurting us cap-wise since the cap doesn't exist.

[mlmdub130]

from wiki

After the 2005 season ended, he was one of the most sought after free agent safeties. The Redskins made him the highest paid safety in the history of the NFL by signing Archuleta to a six-year, $30 million contract (with approximately $10 million guaranteed) on March 14, 2006 [1] Archuleta started at strong safety for 7 of 16 games played with the Redskins, registering 50 tackles and one sack to go along with career-high 17 special teams tackles. He appeared in all 16 regular season contests for third time in career, registering a sack for sixth consecutive season, the longest active streak for an NFL safety. However, after struggles in the deep passing game for the Redskins, Archuleta was replaced at the strong safety position with Troy Vincent, and played only on special teams the last half of the season. On December 28, 2006, Archuleta expressed his displeasure with the way the Redskins were using him, and the lack of communication from the coaching staff.

it has to be aa it was just an all around terrible move. the guy was beat out of his job by troy vincent, by the end of the season he was a f-ing special teams player that had 10 mil guaranteed, it just mind bottling. we should so put ah on special teams

edit: didn't realize we set records for contracts in the nfl with aa and ah

[Gmanc711]

If we're talking just FA's... its got to be Arch. I mean that guy did NOTHING for us.... I could at least argue that the other guys contributed in some way in at least a couple games.

I mean Haynesworth has all this off the feild drama, but without him, Orakpo and Carter down combine for 22 sacks last year.

Sanders wasnt that bad, IMO... and he had that nice punt return to beat the Bucs in 2000.

I have to think that Jeff George threw at least one TD pass...

The only thing Arch was good for was blowing the coverage on Witten in 2006, to set up the Hands of God block/Taylor Return/Novack winner.....

[Dlyne8r]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

I never fully understood the Deion hate. Yeah he was a Cowboy, but he was also a Falcon, 49er, and later on a Raven. The guy was a hired gun for his career. He went to whoever had the $$ and the chance to win. At least he wasn't a bust on the field for us.

While I'm sure you'll come up with some impressive stats somewhere or something, I beg to differ with you on his "on the field" performance. I only remember "PrimeTime" as an underachiever during his brief stay with the 'Skins. I'm not speaking for anyone else but me, but I recall him rarely making tackles and he just appeared to sit back in coverage and wait for someone else to pursue the play. In addition, he too robbed the Redskins for $8 mil for what I considered a poor effort that one season. Ok, I'm ready to be disciplined :-)