Top Five Worst Deals From 2025 NFL Free Agency

The opening days of free agency were a flurry, with most of the top names scooped up within the first 24 hours. The markets for offensive tackles, safeties, cornerbacks and defensive tackles were particularly strong, with many teams seeking upgrades at those positions and willing to spend big to acquire them.

Every year, there are a bunch of these big contracts handed out. Fans love big free agent signings, and plenty of these new additions make key impacts for teams. But many more fail to live up to their hefty contracts, often complicating the books for years after the deal was signed and sometimes even after the player is no longer on the team.

Today, let’s take a look at some of the worst deals teams signed in this free agent cycle:

Commanders signed DT Javon Kinlaw, three years $45 million

When new ownership took over for the Commanders following the 2023 season, they proceeded to clean house. In was new GM Adam Peters and HC Dan Quinn. The duo absolutely nailed last year’s draft, taking a star in QB Jayden Daniels at No. 2 overall. Daniels had a sensational season, leading the Commanders to a wildcard berth and conference championship game appearance, winning two road playoff games including in blowout fashion over the NFC’s top seed. Suddenly, what looked like a long rebuild is a team ready to take the next step to true contention.

To that end, some roster upgrades were sorely needed. Washington overachieved last year given their talent level, with Daniels and Quinn overcoming a thin receiving corps, average offensive line and patchwork defense. If there was one strength of their roster, however, it was at defensive tackle. Stalwarts Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen combined with second-rounder Jer’Zhan Newton to form a strong rotation.

Allen was released before the start of the new league year in a cap-shedding move, however. He was entering the final year of a four-year extension signed in 2021, one that paid him $18 million per year. To replace him, Washington signed Kinlaw to his $15 million APY deal. This is a baffling choice. Kinlaw played for the Jets last year, where he was PFF’s 79th-ranked interior defender. He graded out as a particularly poor run defender, and prior to his time in New York, he was an equally ineffective player in San Francisco.

Allen has since signed with the Vikings on a three-year, $51 million dollar deal, which comes out to $17 million APY. The Commanders saved $2 million in annual value for a player two years younger. To recap, Washington got slightly cheaper and slightly younger on defense for a worse player — even in a down 2024 season, Allen graded out ahead of Kinlaw in PFF’s system. No one would argue Kinlaw is the better player, and the Commanders didn’t even save that much money by bringing him in instead.

I have to wonder if Allen would have been open to an extension that lowered his cap hit. He signed in Minnesota for less than he made in Washington, so it couldn’t have been an impossible task. Kinlaw is being paid like a top-25 defensive tackle in the league, and his play does not warrant that. He signed a one-year deal with the Jets last season and didn’t stand out. Who were the Commanders competing for his services with that they needed to sign this deal? It was one of the stranger choices we saw in free agency this year.

Titans signed LT Dan Moore Jr., four years $82 million

Early on Day 1 of free agency, the Titans made a big splash, bringing Moore over from Pittsburgh to be their new left tackle. Tennessee has tried to fortify their offensive line for some time, spending first-rounders on linemen each of the last two years. Moore’s addition to the group lets 2024 No. 7 pick JC Latham move back to right tackle, his more natural spot. Moore will park next to Peter Skoronski and protect the blindside of the Titans’ new quarterback, whoever that ends up being.

It shouldn’t be forgotten, however, that the Steelers have been trying to upgrade from Moore for years themselves. They have also drafted offensive linemen in the first round in two straight years, taking a pair of tackles during that span. Broderick Jones, selected in 2023, has started at right tackle but hasn’t proven to be reliable yet. Troy Fautanu, selected in 2024, missed most of his rookie year with injury. Just because Pittsburgh hasn’t successfully upgraded from Moore yet doesn’t mean they were happy with his play.

PFF gave Moore a 67.2 overall grade last season, easily the best of his career. That was good enough to be the 42nd-ranked tackle in their system, in the same range as replacement-level tackles like Rasheed Walker and Terence Steele. Despite this, Moore is the eighth-highest-paid tackle in the league now. The only tackles making more than him are Penei Sewell, Christian Darrisaw, Trent Williams, Laremy Tunsil, Tristan Wirfs, Jordan Mailata and Andrew Thomas.

That’s pretty much a who’s-who of the best tackles in the game today. Moore is decidedly not, and while you could certainly do worse at the position, the Titans are paying him as if he’ll be their savior. In fairness, there is an out in the contract after 2026, so if they need to move on they can. Still, this is a ton of money to give to a player his old team was actively attempting to draft over.

Packers signed G Aaron Banks, four years $77 million

This year’s “you mean who got how much?” award goes to Banks. In an effort to improve their interior offensive line play, Green Bay brought Banks over from the 49ers, where he’s been a mainstay for the last few seasons. Bringing him in at left guard likely signals a shift for Elgton Jenkins to center, with Sean Rhyan or Jordan Morgan playing right guard.

Banks is getting $19.25 million per year, making him the sixth-highest-paid offensive guard in the NFL. The problem for the Packers is he hasn’t proved himself nearly that caliber of player. Banks was rated the 33rd-best guard in football last year, per PFF — and that was a career-best. He’s not a liability by any means, but nothing he’s done in the league so far suggests he’s worth that kind of money.

Not only that, but 49ers guards have a history of struggling outside of HC Kyle Shanahan’s system. Look no further than Laken Tomlinson, a stalwart in San Francisco who has been almost unplayable at several stops since. Shanahan’s scheme is notoriously easy on linemen, which is a credit to him, but it does make evaluating and projecting these players more difficult. History suggests betting on Banks to replicate or exceed his production with the 49ers isn’t a wise choice.

Bears signed ED Dayo Odeyingbo, three years $48 million

A fifth-year player out of Vanderbilt with one of the best nicknames in the league, “Hurricane Dayo” spent his rookie contract as a rotational player in Indianapolis. A second-round pick, Odeyingbo didn’t see the field until the end of his rookie season, as he was recovering from an Achilles tear suffered on his pro day. Though he’s never been a starter for the Colts, he’s put up decent production in a smaller role, leading some to consider him a breakout candidate. He should have the first crack at the starting job across from Montez Sweat in Chicago.

At first blush, $16 million per year for your second edge rusher isn’t insane money. But it’s a lot for someone of Odeyingbo’s pedigree. Per PFF, he had a career-best 66.1 overall grade in 2024, good for 54th among all edge rushers. With 31 tackles, three sacks, and a pair of forced fumbles, it’s not that Odeyingbo was completely unproductive. He’s graded out as a low-end starter though, which is an accurate description of his play. A lot of scouting is projection, so perhaps Chicago thinks that in a larger role, Odeyingbo will get a chance to shine. There’s an equal or greater chance that he’s not consistent as a starter, or that he’ll play at about the same level and underperform relative to his contract.

I like Odeyingbo and I do think there’s untapped potential in his game. But the Bears are paying him like a top-20 player at his position when he hasn’t even proved he can be a consistent starter. That’s a risk, and it gets worse when you consider the advanced metrics don’t paint a rosy picture of what Odeyingbo’s been to this point in his career. I’d love it if he was the first guy my team brought off the bench, but paying him big money to be a significant contributor is a questionable move.

Patriots signed CB Carlton Davis, three years $54million

Unlike these other deals I’ve highlighted, my criticisms of Davis’ contract have nothing to do with the caliber of player he is. He spent six excellent seasons in Tampa Bay as one of the better cover corners in the league, racking up nine interceptions during his time there and earning a reputation as a hard-nosed football player. He signed a one-year deal with Detroit last offseason, earning a solid 74.5 grade per PFF, good for 21st at the position. At $18 million per year, this contract isn’t too out of line with Davis’ production, so why does it rank on this list?

Two main reasons. First, for as good as Davis is, he hasn’t played a full season once in his seven years in the league. He’s missed at least four games each of the last four seasons — you can basically pencil him in to miss a quarter of the season each year. That contributes to his value, as does his age. Davis is already 29 and will be 31 by the time the deal is up. Cornerbacks usually experience a sharp decline in play around age 30, so this is a risky contract for the Patriots.

The second is the structure of this deal. There is a lot of guaranteed money in this deal, including a $13 million salary in 2026. New England can’t get out of this contract early, not without incurring massive dead money hits as a result. In a worst-case scenario where Davis’ play falls off a cliff in 2025, the Patriots would still be stuck with paying that money. Even if that scenario never materializes, the Patriots are locked into an expensive three-year deal for a player who will likely miss significant time each year. That’s not an ideal place to be.