NFC Least
No Mam: Sure, I’m a mediocre football player, but you should see me run a 40!
We’ve apparently struck a nerve with our “biggest busts in NFC East history” premise, so let’s dig a little deeper and look at busted top draft picks since 1982.
Of particular note is the wasteland that is the D-end position, the Jints’ great luck with running backs, and the fact that the Deadskins didn’t have a No. 1 pick in 1982, 1984-1990, 1998, 2003 and 2006. Of course, with the propensity they’ve shown for busted picks, who can blame them?
Taking nominations now for biggest trade/free agent or coach/GM busts.
Quarterback:
Patrick Ramsey, Deadskins (2002)
Heath Shuler, Deadskins (1994)
Eli Manning, Jints (2004)*
Quincy Carter, Cowboys (2001)
Running Back:
Ron Dayne, Jints (2000)
Siran Stacy, Iggles (1992)
George Adams, Jints (1985)
Jarrod Bunch, Jints (1991)
Tyrone Wheatley, Jints (1995)
Michael Haddix, Iggles (1983)
Wide Receiver:
Freddie Mitchell, Iggles (2001)
Desmond Howard, Deadskins (1992)
Michael Westbrook, Deadskins (1995)
Rod Gardner, Deadskins (2001)
Kenny Jackson, Iggles (1984)
Thomas Lewis, Jints (1994)
Ike Hilliard, Jints (1997)
Kevin Williams, Cowboys (1993)
Offensive Line:
Antone Davis, Iggles (1991)
Andre Johnson, Deadskins (1996)
Kevin Allen, Iggles (1985)
Defensive End:
Mike Mamula, Iggles (1995)
Shante Carver, Cowboys (1994)
Jon Harris, Iggles (1997)
Marcus Koch, Deadskins (1986)
Kavika Pittman, Cowboys (1996)
Cedric Jones, Jints (1996)
Eric Dorsey, Jints (1986)
Kevin Brooks, Cowboys (1985)
Jerome McDougle, Iggles (2003)
Defensive Tackle:
Danny Noonan, Cowboys (1987)
Bobby Wilson, Deadskins (1991)
William Joseph, Jints (2003)
Tracy Rocker, Deadskins (1989)
Linebacker:
LaVar Arrington, Deadskins (2000)
Andre Collins, Deadskins (1990)
Billy Cannon, Cowboys (1984)
Defensive Back:
Tom Carter, Deadskins (1993)
Dwayne Goodrich, Cowboys (2000)
Shaun Williams, Jints (1998)
Tory Nixon, Deadskin (1985)
Ben Smith, Iggles (1990)
*Actual pick was Phillip Rivers, traded to San Diego.
Wide Receiver: Where is Mike Sherrard, Dallas broken leg and all?
Tight End: David LaFleur. Troy thought he was better than KC’s Gonzalez in that draft.
What about Kicker? Mike Vanderclank. Even utilized the gong in his performances. Hits the upright again.
Sherrard had a career, even if it was in San Francisco after the Boys released him. For the same reason, I didn’t include Kenard Lang as a DE bust, even though he did little for the Skins.
LaFleur’s a good point.
Vandershankt will be on the free agent busts list. Also look for a an all-time top 10 busts list by the end of the week.
Ok. Draft busts: Jacob Rogers.
Trade: Drew Henson, TO to Philly,
Coach: Steve Spurrier, Chan Gailey, Norv Turner, Marty Schottenheimer, Joe Gibbs, Bill Parcells. Campo does not qualify–must have expectations to be called a bust. Parcells because he set the expectations in his opening press conference. 4 years and no playoff wins does not get it.
Free Agent: Mike Vandershankit, Jason Fabini and any over the hill signing made by Danny Boy.
GM Busts: Jerry Jones, Danny Boy. Jerry made one personnel decision when Jimmy Johnson was there. He cut a WR named Smith because he had appendicitis and tied it to football and made Jerry pay for it. Jerry sent Jimmy Smith on his way.
Lavar Arrington went to three Pro Bowls for the Redskins. If your metric for busts includes Lavar Arrington, then I think you’ve left off a good number of players here.
Maybe bust is too strong. But of a second overall pick, I wonder if the Skins, with hindsight, might have been better served picking, oh, Urlacher or Shaun Alexander. Of course, Alexander should have been the Cowboys pick, but it went to the ‘hawks. Stupid Joey Galloway.
I wouldn’t call Lavar Arrington a absolute bust. In his first five years he was an absolute freak at his position and was feared by most of the leagues quaterbacks. It was after he had that first ACL injury that his career started to decline. Just because modern medicine can now get a player back on to the field from a “career ending” leg injury doesnt mean that player will play like he did before the injury because his leg will now prohibit him from doing some of things they did before the injury.
Okay, Zach, but that begs the question: “What is a bust?” Are you a bust if you turn out to be a lazy or bad player? Are you a great pick if you play lights-out for a year and then are knocked out of the game by injury?
I contend a bust is a high pick who falls short of expectations for any reason. Now, that’s wildly subjective. But I still think Arrington fell short of expectations.