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With the first wave of NFL free agency for the 2024 season over, players switched teams frantically, and football fans had to refresh their mobile devices to keep up with the news.
While some free agent signings adequately address a team’s needs, others do not make sense. Several factors come into play, like the contract signed, the player’s 2023 performance and other available players in the same position on the open market.
Five worst 2024 NFL free agency Week 1 signings
Consider the players you read below as lucky because either they didn't deserve the contract they signed or are not worthy of earning a contract at all. Still, an NFL team took a gamble on them to sustain their career.
On paper, these signings look terrible, but all will be forgiven if they can perform solidly during the 2024 NFL season.
#5 Gabriel Davis to the Jacksonville Jaguars
Everyone invested in football knew that Davis would be available in NFL free agency after posting what felt like a farewell video for the Buffalo Bills. He signed a three-year deal worth up to $39 million with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Davis had impressive moments like the 201-yard performance against the Kansas City Chiefs during the 2022 Divisional Round. But the Jaguars’ original plan was to pair him with Calvin Ridley. Instead, Davis will be their top wideout after Ridley joined the Tennessee Titans.
Will he perform as a WR1 like his former teammate Stefon Diggs? This deal could be disastrous for Jacksonville, with opposing defensive backs paying extra attention to him.
#4 Darnell Mooney to the Atlanta Falcons
Mooney had better numbers in 2022 (493 receiving yards, two touchdowns) than in 2023 (414 yards, one touchdown) despite playing three fewer games the previous year. However, the Falcons gave him a three-year contract worth up to $39 million, a questionable move during NFL free agency.
He will be a projected starter alongside Rondale Moore and Drake London. It’s interesting to see if he develops a connection with quarterback Kirk Cousins. But frankly, his contract is expensive for his production.
Mooney had one solid season (2021) and hasn’t replicated his 1,055 yards and four touchdowns from that year.
#3 Devin Duvernay to Jacksonville Jaguars
Duvernay’s two-year contract with the Jaguars, worth up to $8.5 million, is a bargain. But if the team had been patient, it could have taken better options like Tyler Boyd, Mike Williams or Josh Reynolds.
The numbers prove that the former Texas standout is one of the worst NFL free agency signings this season. In four seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, he never went over 407 yards and three touchdowns. In his final year with the team that drafted him in 2020, he had four receptions for 18 yards.
#2 Van Jefferson to the Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers released Allen Robinson and traded Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers. Those transactions made their wide receiver rotation shallow, with George Pickens as the only steady producer, so they acquired Van Jefferson on a one-year deal.
Football fans jested the Steelers for signing the “wrong Jefferson.” While he played six more games in 2023 than in the previous season, he ended up with lower numbers (209 yards, zero touchdowns).
The Steelers could have done slightly better than this NFL free agency acquisition by getting Michael Gallup or Hunter Renfrow.
#1 Jimmy Garoppolo to the Los Angeles Rams
Garoppolo’s one-year deal with the Rams doesn’t break the bank. But signing a backup quarterback with an extensive injury history defeats the purpose. Likewise, his seven-touchdown, nine-interception performance in 2023 makes this the worst NFL free agency signing in 2024.
The Rams would be better off if Matthew Stafford plays most, if not all, the regular season games in 2024. They saw the results last season when they ended strong and nearly beat the Detroit Lions in the Wild Card Round.
