Best & Worst FA signings

[infantrycak]

Stolen concept from ITB.com expanded upon:

Name the best and worst FA signings - not expansion draft, not trades (RFA compensation does not count as a trade) - for the Texans. For refinement, two pairs - best and worst on the day of the signing and in hindsight.

Mine:

At the time: Mark Bruener & Robaire Smith

After the fact: Vonte Leach (Kevin Walter in 1a) & Todd Wade

[Goldensilence]

To bad you had to go with the RFA comment. I think Kris Brown would've taken that one.

At the time Steve McKinney looked like the best FA signing. Worst FA signing Matt Stevens.

Hindsight I agree on Vonta Leach, guy has been a monster at FB. Much as i hated seeing Matt Stevens roaming the secondary, Anthony Weaver goes down as the biggest waste of a contract ever.

[m5kwatts]

best - antonio smith

worst - ahman green

Best - Kevin Walter
Worst - Todd Wade (sorry to steal yours icak but the guy was a major bust for us)

[Grams]

At the time - best - A Green
worst - J Reeves



Now - best - K Walter
worst - A Weaver (Mr. Invisible)

[Hervoyel]

The free agent signing that had me most excited about the possibilities at the time was Eric Moulds. I had visions of AJ and Moulds just going wild on the rest of the division. The one I was most unhappy about was Ahman Green. I just never believed from the day it happened.

In hindsight I'd have to say that the best free agent signing had to be Kevin Walter. I had no idea why we wanted this guy and now he's a force. The worst was (unfortunately) Ahman Green who basically held our running game hostage for the better part of three seasons. Anthony Weaver is a close second.

Todd Wade was (IMO) more a victim of circumstance than anything else. The guy starts 61 games for Miami in four years and is perfectly adequate before coming here and seeing his career wither and die. Houston before Kubiak got here was like some kind of offensive lineman burial ground or something. Rookies didn't develop and veterans regressed. It was like the third circle of offensive lineman hell playing here.

[Maddict5]

Originally Posted by Hervoyel

In hindsight I'd have to say that the best free agent signing had to be Kevin Walter. I had no idea why we wanted this guy and now he's a force. The worst was (unfortunately) Ahman Green who basically held our running game hostage for the better part of three seasons. Anthony Weaver is a close second.

idk how anyone can say green was worse than weaver, especially given the money each signed for. green played well the few games a season he was healthy. weaver was crap from game 1 to game 48.


just to spice things up il mention deljuan, briesel & eugene wilson as pretty solid pick ups

[dalemurphy]

Originally Posted by m5kwatts

best - antonio smith

worst - ahman green

Perhaps you are new to Texan fandom because Ahman Green doesn't even make the top 5 worst signing list:

1. Robaire Smith
2. Todd Wade
3. Anthony Weaver
4. Morlon Greenwood
5 (tie). Victor Riley/ Matt Stevens



Best:

1. Mike Briesel
2. Kevin Walter (RFA)
3. Eugene Wilson
4. Jacques Reeves
5. Jeff Posey

[dalemurphy]

Originally Posted by Hervoyel

The free agent signing that had me most excited about the possibilities at the time was Eric Moulds. I had visions of AJ and Moulds just going wild on the rest of the division. The one I was most unhappy about was Ahman Green. I just never believed from the day it happened.

In hindsight I'd have to say that the best free agent signing had to be Kevin Walter. I had no idea why we wanted this guy and now he's a force. The worst was (unfortunately) Ahman Green who basically held our running game hostage for the better part of three seasons. Anthony Weaver is a close second.

Todd Wade was (IMO) more a victim of circumstance than anything else. The guy starts 61 games for Miami in four years and is perfectly adequate before coming here and seeing his career wither and die. Houston before Kubiak got here was like some kind of offensive lineman burial ground or something. Rookies didn't develop and veterans regressed. It was like the third circle of offensive lineman hell playing here.

He was even worse when he went to Washington. Considering he got a big signing bonus and about $25 million contract, I'd say it was a pretty darn bad contract. More than that, his dead money and lack of productivity were two of many factors that forced the organization to sign Ahman Green- he was all that we could afford and we needed 2 tackles- both of which we acquired in the draft instead of going after a RB on the 1st day.

[buddyboy]

Originally Posted by dalemurphy

Perhaps you are new to Texan fandom because Ahman Green doesn't even make the top 5 worst signing list:

1. Robaire Smith
2. Todd Wade
3. Anthony Weaver
4. Morlon Greenwood
5 (tie). Victor Riley/ Matt Stevens



Best:

1. Mike Briesel
2. Kevin Walter (RFA)
3. Eugene Wilson
4. Jacques Reeves
5. Jeff Posey

I disagree with him too, but hey, it's his opinion.

Best at the time: Weaver; I was really excited about getting a DE after the year of dismal pass rush...of course, that leads us to...
Worst after the fact: Weaver

Best after the fact: Walter
Worst at the time: Victor Riley

[infantrycak]

Originally Posted by buddyboy

Worst at the time: Victor Riley

I thought about Riley but for after the fact. At the time I thought it was a blah signing of a backup. I think that is what Casserly brought him in to be. Then the dunder headed coaches started his turnstyle butt giving a new definition to swing tackle.

After the fact he loses in my mind because of the money factor. Sure he sucked, but he didn't also eat $10 mil in cap space.

[V3rm0nt3r]

Originally Posted by dalemurphy

1. Robaire Smith
2. Todd Wade
3. Anthony Weaver
4. Morlon Greenwood
5 (tie). Victor Riley/ Matt Stevens

i'm not sure i'd have Greenwood on my list. i mean he did get replaced by a rook this year but he was borderline solid for the rest of the time he was here. you're probably counting his contract into your analysis and granted, it was a fat one, its still third on the list of our largest cap casualties behind Weaver and Green.

probably my biggest disappointment was the signing of Jeb Putzier. first off the guy looks like the guy from Remember the Titans so that got me excited and then you look at his numbers and it looked like he was an up and comer having 36 and 37 catches for the Broncos the two years before signing here and by the end of TC he had dropped from our number 1 TE to 3 behind a rook and a relic. very disappointed.

[Texan4Ever]

How is Robaire Smith a "worst" FA signee, I thought he had a solid two seasons with us when we were running our 3-4 defense. Sure he didn't get a lot of sacks but he did make 68 tackles his last season with us and was solid on our defensive line.



Old School -

Best: Jeff Posey

Worst: Todd Wade


New School -

Best: Kevin Walter

Worst: Ahman Green

[dalemurphy]

Originally Posted by Texan4Ever

How is Robaire Smith a "worst" FA signee, I thought he had a solid two seasons with us when we were running our 3-4 defense. Sure he didn't get a lot of sacks but he did make 68 tackles his last season with us and was solid on our defensive line.



Old School -

Best: Jeff Posey

Worst: Todd Wade


New School -

Best: Kevin Walter

Worst: Ahman Green

Robaire Smith was an unmotivated, fat, lazy turd who spent two years here before destroying our cap. We signed him for over $30 million and ended up with about $9 million dead money on our '06 books.

[dc_txtech]

Best: Kevin Walter

Worst: Anthony Weaver

Best runner up: Vonta Leach

Worst runner up: Morlon Greenwood

[dalemurphy]

Originally Posted by V3rm0nt3r

i'm not sure i'd have Greenwood on my list. i mean he did get replaced by a rook this year but he was borderline solid for the rest of the time he was here. you're probably counting his contract into your analysis and granted, it was a fat one, its still third on the list of our largest cap casualties behind Weaver and Green.

probably my biggest disappointment was the signing of Jeb Putzier. first off the guy looks like the guy from Remember the Titans so that got me excited and then you look at his numbers and it looked like he was an up and comer having 36 and 37 catches for the Broncos the two years before signing here and by the end of TC he had dropped from our number 1 TE to 3 behind a rook and a relic. very disappointed.

The quality of a FA signing in the salary cap era is all about the cost of the contract. Every move made has an impact on the next move. Guys on my list like Wade, Robaire Smith had enormous impact on the team's ability to sign players- even 2 years after they were no longer on the team.

Jacques Reeves certainly isn't the CB that Nate Clements is... but, he was a much better signing than Clements' $80 million contract.

[ChampionTexan]

Originally Posted by Hervoyel

The free agent signing that had me most excited about the possibilities at the time was Eric Moulds. I had visions of AJ and Moulds just going wild on the rest of the division. The one I was most unhappy about was Ahman Green. I just never believed from the day it happened.

In hindsight I'd have to say that the best free agent signing had to be Kevin Walter. I had no idea why we wanted this guy and now he's a force. The worst was (unfortunately) Ahman Green who basically held our running game hostage for the better part of three seasons. Anthony Weaver is a close second.

Todd Wade was (IMO) more a victim of circumstance than anything else. The guy starts 61 games for Miami in four years and is perfectly adequate before coming here and seeing his career wither and die. Houston before Kubiak got here was like some kind of offensive lineman burial ground or something. Rookies didn't develop and veterans regressed. It was like the third circle of offensive lineman hell playing here.

Agreed that the Moulds looked good when it occurred, but he was acquired via trade (5th round pick), not free agency.

[beerlover]

Best - Kevin Walter

Worst - Ahman Green

[m5kwatts]

Originally Posted by dalemurphy

Perhaps you are new to Texan fandom because Ahman Green doesn't even make the top 5 worst signing list:

1. Robaire Smith
2. Todd Wade
3. Anthony Weaver
4. Morlon Greenwood
5 (tie). Victor Riley/ Matt Stevens



Best:

1. Mike Briesel
2. Kevin Walter (RFA)
3. Eugene Wilson
4. Jacques Reeves
5. Jeff Posey

Too many bad signings with the old regime to count....Ahman Green is the worst FA signing from the new regime whom appears to know what they're doing so I guess thats why its extra notable in my mind. I can agree with your Best list though

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by dalemurphy

He was even worse when he went to Washington. Considering he got a big signing bonus and about $25 million contract, I'd say it was a pretty darn bad contract. More than that, his dead money and lack of productivity were two of many factors that forced the organization to sign Ahman Green- he was all that we could afford and we needed 2 tackles- both of which we acquired in the draft instead of going after a RB on the 1st day.

Casserly gave him OLT money. He was signed to be a OLT. But one problem, Casserly had the worse pro scouting department ever. And Wade was not capable of playing OLT. He was at best a washed up ORT in a power scheme. Bad signing because the GM did not know the player did not have the skills to play the position he was signed to play.

BTW they already had sign their ORT in Weigert, they had to move him to RG when Wade did not fit the LT.