As the free agency period of the NFL year quickly approaches, I want to take a look at some expensive contracts NFL teams probably regret offering. Here are my four worst contracts in the NFL (in no particular order).
Player - Trumaine Johnson
Team - NY Jets
Position - Cornerback
Contract - $72.5M/5 years
Average cap hit per year - $14.5M
Johnson was drafted by the Rams in 2012, and by the end of his rookie contract, the Rams were not sure if they wanted to make a long term commitment and offer Johnson an extension. He was asking to be the highest paid corner in the league and the Rams were not sure if they wanted to pay him. He played both the 2016 and 2017 seasons on a franchise tag before being signed by the Jets during the 2018 offseason. Johnson has been disappointing so far in New York. He had three total pass defenses over the past two seasons with the Jets, compared to 34 in three seasons with the Rams. During his time with the Rams, Johnson was good not great, so when the Jets offered him this deal, they were taking a risk, and at this point, it seems like they messed up big time.
Player - Xavier Rhodes
Team - Minnesota Vikings
Position - Cornerback
Contract - $70.1M/5 years
Average cap hit per year - $14.02M
Rhodes signed a 5 year contract extension to his rookie deal back in 2017. He played well during his contract year in 2016, totaling 5 interceptions and allowing a 48.6% completion percentage, which is similar to what Ravens corner Marlon Humphrey allowed in 2019. However, his production has only gone downhill since then. Rhodes was still productive in 2017, but his numbers continued to get worse. Since 2016, he has not had more than 2 interceptions or allowed a completion percentage of lower than 50%. In 2019, Rhodes had one of the worst seasons I have ever seen from a corner. He allowed a 75% completion percentage and 9.5 yards per target. Pro Football Focus ranked Rhodes #107 of 133 eligible cornerbacks in 2019. Rhodes is under contract until the 2022 offseason and is set to have a cap hit of $12.9M in 2020. The Vikings could opt to cut Rhodes, which would cause them to absorb $7.2M in dead cap, but save a total of $33.7M over the next three seasons.
Player - Nick Foles
Team - Jacksonville Jaguars
Position - Quarterback
Contract - $88M/4 years
Average cap hit per year - $22M
After reviving his career by winning superbowl MVP by defeating Tom Brady and the Patriots, Foles stayed with the Eagles for one more year to be Carson Wentz’s backup. He then went into the 2019 offseason as an unrestricted free agent, ultimately signing with the Jaguars to an $88M deal. He was supposed Jacksonville’s franchise quarterback for the next 4 years, but Foles spent most of the 2019 season injured, and did not look good when he played. It is only a matter of time before Foles is permanently replaced by young quarterback Gardner Minshew, who showed great potential last season, but in the meantime, the Jaguars are stuck with this massive deal. Foles is set to have a $22M cap hit in 2020, $26.8M in 2021, and $27M in 2022
Player - Nate Solder
Team - New York Giants
Position - Tackle
Contract - $62M/4 years
Average cap hit per year - $15.5M
Solder signed with the Giants in 2018 after several productive years with the Patriots. The year before he signed with the Giants, he did not have a good season, totaling 29 blown blocks, and letting up 6 sacks. He had his worst year of his career in 2019, totaling 39 blown blocks and letting up 14 sacks, which is just horrible considering the fact that the Giants had a rookie quarterback last season. Solder is set to have a cap hit of $19.5M in 2020 and $20.5M in 2021