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- 05/17/2012, 07:19PM ET
Worst Free Agent Signing This Past NFL Offseason
Mr Monopoly Man said 05/17, 07:19 PM
There were a handful of clearly bad signings this past offseason, but in my opinion one sticks out above all the others. And that is Jacksonville signing Laurent Robinson.
Robinson has played in the NFL for five seasons, totaling 143 receptions, 1,858 yards and 15 touchdowns in 52 games (24 starts). He's topped 37 catches in a season once. Prior to last season, he averaged a single TD a season. Robinson performed fairly well stepping in for Miles Austin, but in no way did he do enough to make up for the fact that he was stepped in obscurity prior to last year and quite honestly gave no impression of being even a good WR.
Now, unimpressive numbers aren't necessarily enough to discredit someone. Maybe he had a breakout season. Except Robinson has missed 28 games in his career. He's not durable, and is at risk to injury. Even in his breakout season Robinson had to miss two games.
Depending on what Jacksonville paid, this might not have been an awful signing. Except they overpaid. A lot. Jacksonville coughed up $32.5 million to get him. They expect him to be the #1 WR; he isn't that talented. His numbers will drop next season. This move was a reach.
Bloggers Needed said 05/18, 08:26 AM
Wrong, A team with no hope overpaying a decent player isn't worst
A Playoff Team killing its chances of winning IS.
The Loser is:
Peyton Manning
Manning is OLD, and he???s been dinged in the neck- QBs do need to turn their heads from time to time in the NFL, the ONLY reason to sign Manning is to make title runs for the next 3-5 years. He???s not going to help the next generation, he???s not going to coach your team, he???s not going to throw down serious roots.
Manning knows this, and I???m sure the thought process was- Tebow got them that far with a 47% completion rate- I have to be able to win 2 more games than that for a ring!
Sounds plausible, but patently false.
Let???s look at the AFC west, who is there that is poised to make the Broncos go 4-2 instead of a six game cushion while the Ravens/Steelers, Pats/Jets are fighting for a weekly bye? No one.
But how many times has Manning only needed to win twice to win the AFC? This isn???t new to Manning- wax a weak division, win 10+ games, get a week off, go 0-1 or 1-1 in the playoffs, rinse, repeat.
Does going from a weak division to the weakest in football change this? Denver has to hope so.
Mr Monopoly Man said 05/18, 02:04 PM
Denver needed a QB. I don't think Peyton is the savior, but he's absolutely an improvement over Tebow. Peyton drew attention to Denver, much more than Tebow did. The buzz with Tebow at the helm was if they could make the playoffs; with Peyton, there have been people talking SB. Fan interest is up, which is shocking considering they let go of Tebow. Denver improved a position of extreme importance, and drew in more fans. How is that a bad signing?
Jacksonville has more at stake then you think. They are trying to bring in weapons for a player they spent a first round pick on. They desperately want Gabbert to be the answer. If he isn't, the organization admits failure and sets themselves back two, three more years as they wasted a pick on him. So they wanted weapons. But they signed the wrong one, overpaying highly for an unproven player.
Jacksonville has shown they can compete in the South. Their D is talented, and they're trying to make the offense work. They have hope, contrary to what you think. Signing Robinson to be a #1 WR and overpaying for him when there were other options is not how you help a 1st round pick on the hot seat. It was the worst.
Bloggers Needed said 05/18, 06:11 PM
"Peyton drew attention to Denver, much more than Tebow did. "
ARE YOU DRUNK?
Tebow was the focal point of EVERY ESPN/CNNSI/PFT segment- heck Yahoo Sports almost gave him his own TAB!
Has Manning ever lead the league in Jersey Sales? I know he didn't his ROOKIE year- and DANG sure didn't do it before TRAINING CAMP
I'm not about to claim I want Tebow as my QB, but Manning took a CHUNCK of cap space- and Denver is a YOUNG team, over the next 2-3 years, there will be a run on all that talent they have been stockpiling. This will be a talent raid like the mid-90s Steelers.
Peyton Manning has to win. If he is 90% of what he was do they beat the Pats/Ravens/Pitt? Tebow had NO training camp, lost his best weapon, and helped a GREAT D take the weakest div in football.
For a FIFTH of what Manning will cost them to do the SAME.
Jacksonville at LEAST will findout if QB1 is worth it. Jax finally paid (overpaid) but he's not throwing to castoffs and 5th rounders. Plus its not like Jax is a free agents dream. A playoff push might help sell tickets in LA
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Comments (49) Add A Comment
It's difficult to judge which signing was the worst when none of them has even played a down for their new teams.
THE BISHOP!
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I can't say taking a risk on a HOF QB is the worst signing. It may not work out and Peyton might be done... but if he isn't it is a massive upgrade.
fvkasm2x
Edmonton, AB
Total Comments (2120)
Had to go left given the choices. I think Maning was a brilliant pick up. He doesn't need to last 5 seasons, only 2 or 3. He'll make the team better this year because ...that's what he does. Makes everyone around him better, but more importantly, when Denver settles on a qb for th future, there is no one I'd rather have teaching him the position.
Whosthere
Sand Springs , OK
Total Comments (43)
Agreed.
Mondo Jay
Total Comments (20026)
Exactly!
In Perspective
Total Comments (424)
"The buzz with Tebow at the helm was if they could make the playoffs; with Peyton, there have been people talking SB."
Did you watch any Broncos games last year? Why would anyone think that the 1-4 team that Tebow inherited when he took over as the starting qb is a Super Bowl contender? Even Manning in his prime produced a losing playoff record; how is his addition to a team that had gone 7-24 in the 31 games prior to Tebow's first start of 2011 supposed to change that trend? I think it would be wise to at least wait until after the season opener against Pittsburgh before proclaiming Denver to even be a playoff contender, let alone a Super Bowl contender.
In Perspective
Total Comments (424)
But if he is done, it was a colossal mistake and Denver plays out the season with no viable backup on the roster. Even if he isn't done, a 36-year-old qb who's recovering from four major neck surgeries probably doesn't have much time left.
In Perspective
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They do play in the AFC West, so playoffs are always an option.
Somehow I thought the mono man was back
Bloggers Needed
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Even in his breakout season Robinson had to miss two games.
No he didn't. He was signed off the street after the season started. It had nothing to do with injury.
Jacksonville coughed up $32.5 million to get him.
What you fail to mention is that's over 5 years. Just over $6m/yr for a guy who put up the numbers he did last year in limited playing time is not at all unreasonable for a #2 receiver which essentially is what Robinson is. Dallas wanted him back, but couldn't pay that kind of money for what would be a #3 receiver/#4 option for them.
You are right that he won't put up the same numbers though. He's going from a top passing team to possibly the worst. Jerry Rice himself couldn't repeat numbers under those circumstances.
C-C-C
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How did Curtis Painter work out last year?
In Perspective
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"Tebow had NO training camp, lost his best weapon, and helped a GREAT D take the weakest div in football."
Mostly agree, but that "great" D was ranked in the bottom third of the league and gave up 40 or more points an NFL-leading 5 times.
In Perspective
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"Denver improved a position of extreme importance, and drew in more fans."
Say what you want about Tebow's qb play, but I can tell you that the overwhelming majority of Denver fans were livid that Elway traded Tebow (yes, I live in Colorado). Of course, there are the local die-hard Tebow haters, but on average, Tebow attracted scores of new fans to the Broncos. The only way Manning will prove to be more popular in Denver is if he leads the Broncos to a Super Bowl victory. On the other hand, if the Broncos falter this year, Elway will likely be forced into early retirement.
In Perspective
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