A year ago the Miami Dolphins handed Ndamukong Suh a contract with upwards of $60 million in guaranteed money. They finished this past season at 6-10. Not exactly a great return on their investment.
Two years before that, Miami handed out nearly $70 million in guaranteed contracts to just three players. Did any of this spending translate into wins? No. In fact, the Dolphins haven't enjoyed a winning season since 2008. Ouch.
I don't mean to pick on Miami. Heck, I'm a Washington Redskins fan. If anyone should know the dangers of unchecked spending, it's me. I'm just trying to get one important point across: winning the offseason rarely means winning when it counts.
Smart teams use free agency to plug holes from time to time, not add foundational pieces to build on. It's not often that a franchise-altering player - Peyton Manning, Drew Brees - hits free agency. So here is how the good teams seem to crush free agency year after year.
1. No Bidding Wars
As many as five teams were in contention for Suh's services last offseason. As the marquee defensive player on the market - not to mention, one of the top defensive players in the league - it's only natural that he would command that type of attention. But outside of Houston's J.J. Watt, there are few franchise defensive players who can actually, you know, carry a franchise.
Suh under whelmed this year with 61 tackles and just 6.0 sacks. More importantly, his presence did not improve Miami's run defense as expected. The Dolphins surrendered the fifth-most rushing yards per game (126.2) in the league.
The same thing happened when the Buffalo Bills tried to make a statement and signed Mario Williams to a $100 million contract in 2012. Though he's mostly played very well for them, he hasn't elevated the defense in a way that makes them annual contenders or attracts other big-name free agents.
The sexy pickups may grab the most headlines, but they don't mean much if they can't add anything to the win column (I bet the Saints wish they had a mulligan on Brandon Browner's contract). Typically, it's safer to save your money (and your cap sheet) and stay away from these big-name guys.
2. Age range
Don't pay a player for what he's done; pay him for what you think he's going to do. It's not like you let a waiter slide for poor service just because they attended your table once upon a time long ago.
When it comes to signing veterans in free agency, you can't assume that the numbers they posted during their prime are going to continue. Frank Gore posted four straight seasons with at least 1,000 rushing yards before hitting free agency at age 32. Does that mean the Colts should naturally assume that production to keep up? No!
When adding free agents, you want young guys with upside. Teams that consistently do well in free agency (Patriots, Packers, Steelers, etc.) target guys 25-28 years old who can grow and develop within the organization. Targeting players in that area minimizes risk and maximizes reward.
3. Future planning
Four of Green Bay's top six offensive linemen will be entering free agency after the 2016 season. As I said before, imports from other teams generally shouldn't compose the backbone of your roster. But adding depth to positions that may become thin in the future is a valuable exercise.
The Packers, never ones for big spending, could identify a backup utility offensive lineman this offseas that they believe could help ease the transition when current O-linemen start departing the roster next year. The same applies to any other area of a team. Free agency can help you solve a problem before it arises.
You don't need to break the bank to add depth. You'd be surprised what kind of deals you can get for capable contributors (see: Terrance Knighton, Tyrod Taylor, Pernell McPhee, Michael Crabtree, etc.).
