The Worst NFL Signings Of The 2021 Season

Every offseason, NFL general managers try to build their teams through the easy albeit most expensive way: Free agency.

The idea is simple. Rather than have to trade away key pieces, and rather than spend valuable draft capital, you just have to throw money around at certain players and hope they produce. If it works, you look like a genius. If not, well, then it's a different story.

It has only been one year, but several of the most lucrative signings of 2021 already look like mistakes. Here are the 10 most regrettable of last year's free agent market.

10 Will Fuller V

Looking to rebuild the offense around young quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, the Miami Dolphins signed speedy wideout Will Fuller V to a one-year pact worth $10.6 million. They subsequently traded for Jaylen Waddle with the No. 6 selection, giving Tagovailoa a pair of playmaking wideouts to complement DeVante Parker.

The oft-injured Fuller, however, was limited to two games last season because of a broken finger. In the two contests he played, Fuller caught only four passes for 26 yards without finding the end zone.

Sure, it was only a one-year deal, but the $10.6 million price tag was a lot for a guy who has yet to play 16 games a season and yet to cross 900 receiving yards in a season.

9 Kyle Fuller

The Chicago Bears decided to release their Pro Bowl cornerback in a cap-saving move, and the Denver Broncos wasted no time making a move for Fuller.

The Broncos and Fuller agreed to a one-year pact worth $9.5 million, reuniting him with head coach Vic Fangio — who had served as Chicago's defensive coordinator during Fuller's prime years. Fuller inexplicably failed to find his form in Mile High City, however. Pro Football Focus graded him at a woeful 47.2 on the year. Fuller's struggles were surprising considering that Denver fielded the No. 3 scoring defense last year.

8 Kyle Rudolph

The longtime Minnesota Vikings' tight end and fan favorite was well past his playing prime when the New York Giants curiously handed him a two-year deal worth $12 million. New York already had Sterling Shepard, Darius Slayton, Saquon Barkley and Evan Engram in the fold.

They would land Kenny Golladay in free agency. Why commit that much money to an aging tight end who was going to be used in a depth role? Rudolph, as predicted, was a non-factor. He caught only 26 passes for 257 yards and one touchdown. The Giants released him after the 2021 season.

7 Jalen Mills

The New England Patriots' decision to hand Jalen Mills a four-year, $24 million contract seemed overly generous at first. Sure enough, the contract looks like a mistake after one year.

Even the great Bill Belichick couldn't get much out of Mills in 2021. He had zero picks and allowed 406 yards and seven touchdowns in coverage. With J.C. Jackson likely to leave in free agency, Belichick and company can only hope that an expanded role will help Mills live up to his contract in 2022.

6 William Jackson III

Coming off a stellar season with the Cincinnati Bengals, William Jackson was one of the most coveted free agents of the 2021 offseason. The Washington Football Team (now Commanders), were looking to further strengthen their already dominant defense. With top corner Ronald Darby departing in free agency, Washington replaced him by signing Jackson to a hefty three-year deal worth $40.5 million.

Jackson struggled to find his star-like form in Washington, however. Though he registered two picks and eight pass defenses, Jackson allowed 498 yards in coverage as well as six touchdowns, per Pro Football Reference. Washington's defense got better as the season went along, so there is hope here that Jackson can bounce back in 2022.

5 Jonnu Smith

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After missing the postseason for the first time in 12 years, the New England Patriots decided to go on a massive free agent shopping spree. Bill Belichick's giant haul of pickups included Tennessee Titans standout tight end Jonnu Smith, who was coming off a career year that saw him rack up eight touchdowns.

The Pats handed Smith a four-year pact worth $50 million, but it didn't take long for the Patriots to feel buyer's remorse. Smith caught just 28 passes for 294 yards and only one touchdown. At least Belichick's other pricey signings in Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne, Matthew Judon and Hunter Henry paid off?

4 Andy Dalton

The Bears' decision to hand Andy Dalton a mammoth $10 million contract for one season never once seemed like a good idea. Nobody could understand why Chicago would commit so much money to a past-his-prime veteran, and it's not as if there was going to be a bidding war for his services.

Chicago named Dalton their Week 1 starter, but it was only a matter of time until rookie Justin Fields took over the snaps. Sure enough, Fields finished the season as the main starter. Dalton went 3-3 in games he started and had just eight touchdowns against nine interceptions.

The Bears could have done so much better with $10 million...

3 J.J. Watt

The Arizona Cardinals signed the future Hall of Famer to a two-year pact worth $28 million, hoping the three-time Defensive Player of the Year would take this star-studded defense to a whole new level.

Arizona should have known that the injury-prone and past-his-prime J.J. Watt would have a tough time living up to the contract. He was limited to seven games last season, and even when on the field, Watt was hardly productive. He registered just one sack, 16 pressures and seven hurries in 2021.

2 Kenny Golladay

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It's never a good idea to pay huge dollars to a star receiver if your starting quarterback is mediocre. Take the New York Giants, for example. They handed Kenny Golladay a four-year pact worth $72 million, even though much of the latter's success in Detroit stemmed from playing with Matthew Stafford. And going from Stafford to Daniel Jones is quite the QB downgrade.

The anemic Giants' offense couldn't find a way to get the ball out to Golladay. In 14 games, the former Lions star was limited to 37 catches for 521 yards and zero TDs. This isn't Golladay's fault by any means. Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, who was fired late in the season, didn't do much to get Golladay involved in the offensive playbook.

1 Bud Dupree

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The Tennessee Titans were looking to upgrade a lackluster pass rushing group in 2021. Bud Dupree was the type of player who could have addressed that, but the Titans curiously paid him like a superstar: A five-year pact worth $82.5 million.

Dupree's advanced stats at Pro Football Focus weren't great to start with. Sure, he was coming off an eight-sack season with Pittsburgh, but he didn't offer much in the way of run defense. And those high sack totals were largely thanks to opposing defenders in Pittsburgh having to account for T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward.

In 11 games last season, Dupree recorded just three sacks while garnering a mediocre PFF grade of 54.3. Tennessee can only hope that he stays healthy and regains his Steeler-like form in year two.