Every year, teams hand out bad contracts to free agents. Last offseason, the Texans gave Cam Robinson $12 million just to play one game before trading him to Cleveland. The year before that, the Falcons handed Kirk Cousins $180 million coming off an Achilles tear. Everyone makes mistakes, but some are worse than others.

With free agency right around the corner, we got to thinking about the worst free agent contract in recent history. There were a lot of candidates, but I narrowed my long list down to 10. Here are the worst free agent contracts of the 21st century.

10. Earl Thomas to Baltimore Ravens

Contract: 4 years, $55 million, $32 million

Kicking off our list at No. 10 is Earl Thomas. The former Seahawk was regarded as one of the best safeties in the NFL during his time in Seattle, but after things turned sour with Pete Carroll, he left and signed a four-year, $55 million deal with the Baltimore Ravens. Thomas proved to be well past his prime, logging 49 tackles and two picks in 2019 before he was released before the 2020 season after getting in a fight in training camp.

9. Jarius Byrd to New Orleans Saints

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Contract: 6 years, $54 million, $28 million guaranteed

Jarius Byrd was a ballhawk for the Bills, logging 22 interceptions in just five seasons in Buffalo. After his rookie contract was up, he signed a six-year, $54 million deal with the New Orleans Saints, which made him one of the highest-paid safeties in the league. Unfortunately for New Orleans, Byrd never lived up to the hype, totaling three interceptions in three seasons before the Saints cut him before the 2017 season.

8. Demarco Murray to Philadelphia Eagles

Contract: 5 years, $42 million, $21 million guaranteed

Demarco Murray had a career year in 2014 when his contract was expiring, rushing for 1,845 yards and 13 touchdowns with 416 receiving yards. He entered free agency, and the Philadelphia Eagles offered him a five-year, $42 million contract to replace LeSean McCoy. Murray was unable to replicate the success he had in Dallas, though, rushing for 702 yards and six scores in just one season before the Eagles traded him to Tennessee.

7. Brock Osweiler to Houston Texans

Contract: 4 years, $72 million, $37 million guaranteed

When Peyton Manning got hurt in 2015, Brock Osweiler stepped in and played really well, throwing for 1,976 yards and 10 touchdowns in eight games. Manning came back and led the Broncos to the Super Bowl, and that offseason, the Houston Texans threw a bag at Brock Osweiler, offering him a four-year, $72 million contract. He obviously accepted, but played just one year for the Texans where he threw for 2,957 yards, 15 touchdowns and 16 interceptions before he was traded to Cleveland, who later released him.

6. Kenny Golladay to New York Giants

Contract: 4 years, $72 million, $40 million guaranteed

After Kenny Golladay posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in his second and third year, the New York Giants offered him a four-year, $72 million deal, making him one of the highest-paid receivers in the league. Unfortunately for New York, he didn’t amount to much, catching a total of 43 passes for 602 yards and a touchdown in two years. He hasn’t caught a pass in the NFL since.

5. Nick Foles to Jacksonville Jaguars

Contract: 4 years, $88 million, $50 million guaranteed

Nick Foles stepped in for an injured Carson Wentz in 2017 and led the Eagles to the Super Bowl. He would backup Wentz again in 2018, but in 2019, the Jacksonville Jaguars offered him a four-year, $88 million deal to be their starting quarterback. In his first start, Foles suffered a broken collarbone after just eight pass attempts. He would return in November, but finished the year with 736 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions before Jacksonville traded him to the Bears the following offseason.

4. JC Jackson to Los Angeles Chargers

Contract: 5 years, $82.5 million, $40 million guaranteed

JC Jackson was one of the best ball hawk corners in the league during his time in New England. After four years with the Patriots where he picked off 25 passes (17 in his last two years), the Los Angeles Chargers offered him a five-year, $82.5 million deal, making him one of the highest-paid corners in football. In two seasons with LA, Jackson played just seven games and picked off one pass before he was traded back to New England midway through the 2023 season.

3. Trey Flowers to Detroit Lions

Contract: 5 years, $90 million, $56 million guaranteed

Trey Flowers looked like a rising star with the Patriots, logging 6.5+ sacks in each of his first three seasons in the league. He hit the free agent market in 2019 and the Detroit Lions offered him a massive five-year, $90 million deal, making him one of the highest paid pass rushers in the league. As is the theme with all of these guys, that contract did not pay off. He logged seven sacks in 2019, but could only muster 3.5 more in his next two seasons before he was released in 2021.

2. Kirk Cousins to Atlanta Falcons

Contract: 4 years, $180 million, $100 million guaranteed

Kirk Cousins didn’t play nearly as bad as the others on this list, but he got an absolutely massive contract, making $45 million per year. In 24 games for Atlanta, Cousins has thrown for 5,229 yards, 28 touchdowns and 21 interceptions, which isn’t horrible, but it’s certainly not $180 million worthy. The whole situation was a little weird, though. Atlanta drafted his replacement in the first round before Cousins even took the field, and after some struggles in 2024, they benched him for Michael Penix. Giving a guy $180 million coming off an Achilles tear was always going to be bad business, but then drafting his replacement before he even played a snap just threw this whole thing off.

1. Albert Haynesworth to Washington Redskins

Contract: 7 years, $100 million, $41 million guaranteed

Finally, the worst contract given out this century has to be Albert Haynesworth. He played seven years with the Titans, and finally broke out in years six and seven, combining for 14.5 sacks and three forced fumbles over his final two years. The Redskins obviously thought he was poised to continue that trend, so they signed him to a seven-year, $100 million deal, making him the highest-paid defender in the league. He went on to post 6.5 sacks in two seasons with Washington before they traded him to New England in 2011. This has to be the worst contract given out since 2000.