10 worst Packers signings (Free Agency Period)

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

Posted: March 19, 2007
MONEY DOWN THE DRAIN

The Journal Sentinel's Bob McGinn ranks the Green Bay Packers' 10 worst signings since the start of unrestricted free agency in 1993. Players signed in 2006 weren't considered because their careers in Green Bay have been so brief.

1. Joe Johnson, DE, 2003-'04: Signed six-year, $33M (million) deal that included what essentially was a $6.5M SB (signing bonus) to leave New Orleans. Started first five games in '03 before rupturing triceps muscle and first six games in '04 before rupturing quadriceps muscle. Had two sacks, 25 tackles. Phlegmatic individual. One of the worst UFA signings in NFL history.

2. Raleigh McKenzie, G, 1999-'00: Signed four-year, $6M deal ($1.8M SB) to leave San Diego. Started seven games for ineffective Mike Wahle in late '99. Cut in August 2000, returned in September for three games and was released for good in mid-October. Twin brother of Packers pro scout Reggie McKenzie. An undersized battler who was over the hill when he arrived in Green Bay. Exuded professionalism and character.

3. Bill Maas, NT, 1993: Signed two-year, $2.2M deal ($400,000 SB) to leave Kansas City and become Packers' first-ever UFA signing. Started three of first four games before Achilles' tendon woes put him on the bench behind John Jurkovic. Finished with no sacks and nine tackles. Retired after season. GM Ron Wolf would have cut Maas at mid-season but regarded him as a positive locker-room influence.

4. Adrian Klemm, G, 2005: Signed two-year, $2.6M ($800,000 SB) to leave New England. Started first eight games before being benched. Soft player who never seemed sure of himself. Was to play left tackle in '06 but missed most of the off-season with a knee injury and then suffered a torn Achilles' tendon on second day of training camp. Waived off injured reserve Sept. 6.

5. Mark Roman, S, 2004-'05: Signed three-year, $2.75M deal ($700,000 SB) to leave Cincinnati. Started all but one game over two years. Had two interceptions, allowed nine TD passes. Worst starter on one of the franchise's worst defenses in '04 and then wasn't much better in '05. Waived July 27 and signed three days later by 49ers, for whom he started 11 games.

6. Ron Cox, LB, 1996: Signed three-year, $3.9M deal ($900,000 SB) to leave Chicago. Started in the middle until late in camp when Brian Williams moved into the lineup and George Koonce shifted to the middle. Started one of 16 games, then started NFC Championship Game and Super Bowl after Koonce blew out his knee. Cut June 2, 1997, then started 13 games for Bears that season.

6. Raymont Harris, RB, 1998: Signed one-year, $1.3M deal ($500,000 SB) to leave Chicago. Rushed for 1,033 yards for Bears in '97 before breaking fibula in Week 13. Was never the same back after that. Started three of eight games in '98, carrying 79 times for 228 yards (2.9). Broke the same fibula Nov. 15 and was cut Dec. 8.

8. Nick Luchey, FB, 2003-'04: Signed six-year, $6M deal ($1.1M SB) to leave Cincinnati as William Henderson's heir apparent. Played 17.9% of the snaps in '03, 22.6% in '04. Too up and down as a blocker and a rather crude receiver. Overweight and out of shape for much of his stay. Waived on the final roster reduction in September 2005.

9. Qadry Ismail, WR, '97: Signed one-year, $600,000 deal ($350,000 SB) to leave Minnesota. Traded by Wolf on final cutdown to Miami for conditional seventh-round pick that never materialized. Derrick Mayes, Don Beebe, Terry Mickens and Bill Schroeder were retained over him. Caught 235 passes for 3,281 yards (14.0) and 21 TD for Baltimore and Indianapolis from 1999-'02.

10. Reggie Cobb, RB, '94: Signed two-year, $2.2M deal ($700,000 SB) to leave Tampa Bay. Started 13 of 16 games, rushing 153 times for 579 yards (3.8) and three TDs. A former first-round pick, he left whatever speed he had in Tampa Bay. A class act and classic I-back miscast in a split-back system. Selected by Jacksonville as the 53rd pick in the 66-player expansion draft in February 1995.

[red]

yeah that Qadry Ismail signing was really horrible, the team is still feeling the effects of that one

[Guiness]

I think Roman's position is a little unfair. I didn't like him much either, but how can you say that a guy that started all but 1 game the entire time he was on the roster was a bust?

Says more about the state of our defense overall than it does about him.

I really don't remember Raleigh McKenzie, and that wasn't very long ago. Must be a mental block...

[Scott Campbell]

I think Manual deserves to crack that list.

[ND72]

1. Joe Johnson, DE, 2003-'04

This one is tough. We needed a DE, and Joe Johnson was considered the best DE in 2002, and then hit the free agent market, where everyone wanted him. MOST experts put this on the page of a Reggie White deal, to put the defense over the top. If he doesn't get hurt, there is a good chance he turns the defense around. But we'll never know.

3. Bill Maas, NT, 1993
Again...we're putting a guy on the list because he got injured, and was never able to fully come back? That's really not fair in my opinion.

4. Adrian Klemm, G, 2005
He was viewed as a chance signing to begin with.

5. Mark Roman, S, 2004-'05
Probably better than Manuel, and had an outstanding season in SF.

6. Ron Cox, LB, 1996
He wasnt' fully expected to be a starter when they signed him. He was signed as depth, and a person to push Koonce. He played very well in the Playoffs.

6. Raymont Harris, RB, 1998
Didn't we have Dorsey Levens?

9. Qadry Ismail, WR, '97
Wolf signed him because he lost Desmond Howard. I still to this day can't figure out why they traded him. He had a pretty decent preseason.

10. Reggie Cobb, RB, '94
Do you remember who our RB's were back then? Darrell Thompson, vince Workman.....Wolf and Holmgren were trying to find a "spark". Can't blame them for trying.

[pbmax]

Johnson had all the warning signs flashing (even before the marijuana bust). Over 30, played on a very good defensive line (who was the best player, sort of chicken and egg) and had been seriously hurt before. If you need a DE and that was the year, then the logic is apparent.

But that is why that logic is dangerous. Limited number of players, large amounts of cash being spent.

I admit, with his soft tissue injuries, I wondere about steroids with this guy. But never heard anything about it.

1. Joe Johnson, DE, 2003-'04

This one is tough. We needed a DE, and Joe Johnson was considered the best DE in 2002, and then hit the free agent market, where everyone wanted him. MOST experts put this on the page of a Reggie White deal, to put the defense over the top. If he doesn't get hurt, there is a good chance he turns the defense around. But we'll never know.

3. Bill Maas, NT, 1993
Again...we're putting a guy on the list because he got injured, and was never able to fully come back? That's really not fair in my opinion.

4. Adrian Klemm, G, 2005
He was viewed as a chance signing to begin with.

5. Mark Roman, S, 2004-'05
Probably better than Manuel, and had an outstanding season in SF.

6. Ron Cox, LB, 1996
He wasnt' fully expected to be a starter when they signed him. He was signed as depth, and a person to push Koonce. He played very well in the Playoffs.

6. Raymont Harris, RB, 1998
Didn't we have Dorsey Levens?

9. Qadry Ismail, WR, '97
Wolf signed him because he lost Desmond Howard. I still to this day can't figure out why they traded him. He had a pretty decent preseason.

10. Reggie Cobb, RB, '94
Do you remember who our RB's were back then? Darrell Thompson, vince Workman.....Wolf and Holmgren were trying to find a "spark". Can't blame them for trying.

[cheesner]

1. Joe Johnson, DE, 2003-'04

This one is tough. We needed a DE, and Joe Johnson was considered the best DE in 2002, and then hit the free agent market, where everyone wanted him. MOST experts put this on the page of a Reggie White deal, to put the defense over the top. If he doesn't get hurt, there is a good chance he turns the defense around. But we'll never know.

I think this guy is looking at bottom line in hindsight. Most signings make sense at the time. But even the wisest of signings can go bad. If Reggie White (the best FA signing of any team) blew out his knee in his first game as a Packer and never played another down for them, that would have been a bad signing.

[Noodle]

I agree with ND and the other posters here about Johnson. That's BS to sit here in hindsight and say that was a stupid signing. I remember the signing, and while there were some concerns about the money, nobody questioned Johnson as a force.

I thought at the time the Johnson deal was a bold move with big potential upside. We were playing to win NOW, which is a good strategy with a QB like Favre and the other offensive tools we had at the time. It wasn't a headscratcher then, and it shouldn't be now.

The Johnson deal is often pointed to as a reason for saying Sherman sucked as a GM. Couldn't be further from the truth. Sherman did suck as a GM, but it was his drafting and habit of hanging on to guys too long that brought him down.

[pbmax]

How about a vote for Matt O'Dwyer?

[Guiness]

Agreed that JJ was not a bad signing at the time - I know I happy when we landed him.

There may have been warning signs, but no alarm bells, if you know what I mean. If things had gone every so slightly differently, he could've played for us the way Bryce Paup did in Buffalo.