With free agency starting to reach a slow point, now is a perfect time to reflect on how the NFC East fared in the open market. If you'll remember, the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles were separated by just two games last season and each team finished safely above .500. While the New York Giants and Washington Redskins may not have been so lucky, both teams have improved thus far through the offseason. The NFC East is positioned to be a very competitive division next season which makes this past free agency period all the more important.
So which team made the worst free-agent signing? This question was posed to each of the four reporters that cover an NFC East team for ESPN. Two of them gave Byron Maxwell's contract with the Philadelphia Eagles the distinction as the worst in the division.
"Yeah, $10.5 million a year, $25.5 million guaranteed for a cornerback who has never been a No. 1 and was a No. 3 as recently as 2014?" Dan Graziano wrote. "Sorry, Eagles fans. It's possible you might end up very happy with the player, but unless he suddenly morphs into a top-5 cornerback in the league there's no way he was worth this kind of financial outlay. This is the kind of move that has a chance to look very bad in two years, possibly even one."
Todd Archer agrees with that sentiment.
"I wanted to say Dwayne Harris because...[$7 million guaranteed] is too much money for a returner and I don't know how he fits in offensively, either. But I went with Maxwell because I've seen this play out here before with Brandon Carr. He was overpaid and Maxwell was overpaid. He was the 'other' guy in the 'Legion of Boom' and the Eagles are projecting him some. I don't think you should pay somebody $25.5 million as a projection. It's not Maxwell's fault. It's the market. As much as I liked the DeMarco Murray signing, I don't like the Maxwell signing because you're paying a 'special player' money for a player who is not special."
Yes, Philly definitely overpaid for Maxwell's services. But the Eagles finished 2014 ranked second-to-last in pass defense, allowing 264.9 yards per game through the air. Maxwell is a clear on-field improvement. He came on strong down the stretch and into the post-season, earning a +10.5 overall grade from Week 13 and on from Pro Football Focus. The big question is: will the Eagles be able to stomach his deal if his play comes back down to earth as many expect?
