Ian Allan
In the past week, we’ve seen teams cut Jerry Porter and Drew Bennett. Javon Walker won’t be far behind. Franchise receivers like Anquan Boldin, Chad Johnson and Plaxico Burress could be traded. And the bidding can start on T.J. Houshmandzadeh tonight.
With that in mind, it’s a good time to take another look at the pros and cons of adding a high-profile receiver in the offseason (either by free agency or trade). These guys can definitely help you. Randy Moss was awesome for the Patriots in 2008, and Plaxico Burress helped the Giants win a Super Bowl. But there are also plenty of busts – most notably last year Porter and Walker.
Below, see my own list of the top 50 receivers who have changed teams in the last 10 years. I choose the guys who went into the season with some sizzle – guys who were expected to start and perhaps put up viable fantasy numbers. And for each guy, based on how he played in that first year, I assigned a boom or bust grade – a subjective pass-fail mark, based solely on how he performed in that initial season.
Results are about 50-50. Of the 50 receivers, I would say 24 met expectations and did what they were paid to do. I would say that 21 of these top 50 came up short, and on the remaining five, I thought they could go either way.
HOW TOP FREE AGENT RECEIVERS FARED, 1998-2008
Includes receivers obtained in trades.
No Yd TD And? Year Player
15 196 1 miss 2008 Javon Walker (Den to Oak)
45 546 3 miss 2008 Bryant Johnson (Ari to SF)
61 835 7 hit 2008 Isaac Bruce (StL to SF)
48 964 8 hit 2008 Bernard Berrian (Chi to Min)
77 1110 8 hit 2007 Kevin Curtis (StL to Phi)
98 1493 23 hit 2007 Randy Moss (Oak to NE)
8 104 0 miss 2006 David Givens (NE to Ten)
23 365 0 miss 2006 Brandon Lloyd (SF to Was)
18 192 3 miss 2006 Nate Burleson (Min to Sea)
40 495 3 miss 2006 Joe Jurevicius (Sea to Cle)
40 733 3 miss 2006 Antonio Bryant (Cle to SF)
32 351 4 miss 2006 Antwaan Randle El (Pit to Was)
53 725 4 miss 2006 Deion Branch (NE to Sea)
38 725 5 so so 2006 Donte Stallworth (NO to Phi)
70 815 5 so so 2006 Keyshawn Johnson (Dall to Car)
69 1084 9 hit 2006 Javon Walker (GB to Den)
85 1180 13 hit 2006 Terrell Owens (Phil to Dall)
86 1073 3 hit 2005 Derrick Mason (Ten to Bal)
64 750 4 miss 2005 Muhsin Muhammad (Car to Chi)
73 845 5 so so 2005 Laveranues Coles (Was to NYJ)
76 1214 7 hit 2005 Plaxico Burress (Pit to NYG)
60 1005 8 hit 2005 Randy Moss (Min to Oak)
84 1483 9 hit 2005 Santana Moss (NYJ to Was)
0 0 0 miss 2004 David Boston (SD to Mia)
56 770 4 so so 2004 Justin McCareins (Ten to NYJ)
33 416 6 so so 2004 Joey Galloway (Dall to TB)
70 981 6 hit 2004 Keyshawn Johnson (TB to Dall)
47 657 8 hit 2004 Marcus Robinson (Bal to Minn)
77 1200 14 hit 2004 Terrell Owens (SF to Phil)
64 838 3 miss 2003 Peerless Price (Buf to Atl)
82 1204 6 hit 2003 Laveranues Coles (NYJ to Was)
70 880 7 hit 2003 David Boston (Ari to SD)
29 397 1 miss 2002 Johnnie Morton (Det to KC)
44 462 3 miss 2002 Qadry Ismail (Bal to Ind)
61 670 6 hit 2002 Keenan McCardell (Jac to TB)
12 191 2 miss 2001 Albert Connell (Was to NO)
56 817 2 hit 2001 Terry Glenn (NE to GB)
63 833 8 hit 2001 James Thrash (Was to Phi)
83 1139 9 hit 2001 Jerry Rice (SF to Oak)
4 62 1 miss 2000 Joey Galloway (Sea to Dal)
10 242 0 miss 2000 Carl Pickens (Cin to Ten)
53 712 5 hit 2000 Curtis Conway (Chi to SD)
71 874 8 hit 2000 Keyshawn Johnson (NYJ to TB)
94 1340 8 hit 2000 Joe Horn (KC to NO)
34 414 1 miss 1999 Charles Johnson (Pit to Phi)
67 1037 5 hit 1999 Tony Martin (Atl to Mia)
80 1097 7 hit 1999 Rocket Ismail (Car to Dal)
41 636 2 miss 1998 Bert Emanuel (Atl to TB)
38 493 3 miss 1998 Yancey Thigpen (Pit to Ten)
54 992 4 miss 1998 Derrick Alexander (Bal to KC)
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