3 NFL players who tanked after landing big-money contracts
The NFL is seeing a ton of big-money contracts being signed this offseason, but if history tells us anything, not all of them are going to work out swimmingly.
Some will look lackluster at best and perhaps downright erroneous at worst when the passage of time has its way with the next few NFL seasons.
These 3 NFL players tanked after landing their big-money contracts
#1 - Christian McCaffrey, Carolina Panthers
Upon signing his extension in 2020, Christian McCaffrey made grand promises to the Carolina Panthers faithful:
"We have a great thing going, a fresh start, and I'm more than excited. So to all the Panthers fans out there, I hope you're as excited as I am. We're going to go out there and win some games and give you everything we've got."
So far, those have not been delivered. The Panthers are just 10-23 in the last two years since McCaffrey's extension, which was signed during the COVID-19 pandemic in April of 2020.
The running back's injuries have mainly been the cause of Carolina's despair and his lack of production following the megadeal. His case lends credence to why investing in running backs is a dicey proposition.
There's still a chance that McCaffrey could be an asset to the rebuilding Panthers, but a more likely scenario is a parting of ways with the franchise during the 2023 offseason.
#2 - Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears
Jay Cutler's contract extension signed in January 2014 to keep him in Chicago through the year 2020 made little sense and is one of the pacts I was referring to when saying history sometimes looks back unlovingly at certain agreements.
The Bears had one winning season with Cutler under center in 2012 and even saw more production from his backup Josh McCown the year before. Despite being four years older than Cutler, McCown outlasted his career and lasted until the year 2020. Cutler retired in 2017 after a brief and unsuccessful stint with the Miami Dolphins.
He admitted in his retirement message that the league essentially forced his hand and all but completely robbed him of his desire to keep playing:
I don’t know if retirement is the right word; I don’t feel that anyone ever really retires from the NFL. You are either forced to leave, or you lose the desire to do what’s required to keep going. I’m in between those situations at this point in my life.
Cutler always had an extra target on his back because many felt he didn't deserve the gaudy contract the Bears gave him. Still, he was named to the Top 100 Bears of all-time list.
#1 - Nick Foles, Jacksonville Jaguars
To most fans, Nick Foles' enduring memory will always be his Philadelphia Eagles knocking off the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII. It's okay if most forget he was even a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars at all. The Jaguars front office likely never will, though.
Foles was handed a four-year deal worth $88 million from Jacksonville in March 2019 after the former third-round pick declined to void his contract with the Philadelphia Eagles due to the franchise prioritizing Carson Wentz despite Foles delivering a Super Bowl title.
He lasted one season with the Jaguars, being usurped by Gardner Minshew. Jacksonville traded Foles to the Chicago Bears, where he became a backup to Justin Fields and even Andy Dalton for a bit last season.
With Trevor Siemian now in tow, Chicago is looking to offload Foles. Here's what Bears GM Ryan Poles had to say about trade talks:
"We'll see. Nothing has popped up right now. But we're working on it. Hopefully something pops up."
Crazy how a guy who was on top of the world as a Super Bowl MVP just four years ago isn't even more desirable than Trevor Siemian.
Foles' fall was precipitous because of the big-money contract signed with the Jaguars back in 2019. Without that, he'd forever be the man wronged by the Eagles. Now he's just a guy that couldn't prove to be any more than a one-hit-wonder.