Biggest Potential Busts of the 2022 NFL Free-Agency Class

Before NFL teams splurge on notable free agents, suitors should reconsider offers for some of the bigger names.

While we cannot always predict a poor scheme fit for certain veterans, other free agents disappoint after new deals because they're often overvalued on the open market. 

A three-time Pro Bowler or recent All-Pro may have already played through his best years, but the flashy names, especially at key positions, will get the benefit of the doubt.

A player's agent will try to negotiate the best deal possible for their client, but we're going to give teams the warning signs to keep an eye on this offseason. 

Which veterans could command top-dollar salaries but may have a tough time delivering the production to match those deals? Based on recent performances, injury history and age, we'd avoid several free agents with strong bust potential.

Because of his resume, Anthony Barr may draw high-paying offers. He's a four-time Pro Bowler who played a vital three-down role within the Minnesota Vikings defense for most of eight seasons, logging 495 tackles, 39 for loss, 17.5 sacks, 31 pass breakups and five interceptions.

However, Barr's impact has trended down with age as he's dealt with injuries over the past few years. Since 2018, the versatile linebacker has missed 25 outings—20 in the last two terms.

Though Barr had a decent 2021 campaign, recording 72 tackles, three for loss, 2.5 sacks, 10 quarterback pressures, five pass breakups and a career-high three interceptions, he's probably headed for a steady decline going into his age-30 season.

Teams should be wary of signing a linebacker with a ton of wear and tear on his body (6,166 career defensive snaps) while coming off consecutive injury-riddled seasons. At a non-premium position, Barr isn't worth a lucrative short- or long-term deal.

Front offices will aggressively pursue players at premium positions, especially a Pro Bowl-caliber talent. Trent Brown has the ability to perform at a high level when he's healthy, but his availability or lack thereof should ward off potential suitors willing to pay the big bucks for a quick fix at tackle.

In seven pro seasons, Brown has played through two full campaigns. Since 2019, he's missed 24 contests while suiting up for the Las Vegas Raiders and New England Patriots. 

With the Silver and Black, Brown earned his first Pro Bowl nod, but even in that term, he sat out five outings. Though the 28-year-old dealt with health issues out of his control, the 6'8", 380-pounder has also had to keep his weight under control. According to The Athletic's Vic Tafur, Brown tipped the scale at 400 pounds while in Vegas.

Despite Brown's mammoth size and ability to line up at both tackle positions, he's played for three teams with two stints in New England, which should raise a red flag for any club that might want to sign him on a long-term deal.

An average pass-rusher will get looks from several clubs while on the open market because of the importance of taking down the quarterback. However, context is important.

After a breakout 2019 campaign with the Los Angeles Rams, logging 11.5 sacks and 35 quarterback pressures, Dante Fowler Jr.'s production went on the decline. Over the past two terms with the Atlanta Falcons, he's recorded 7.5 sacks and 40 quarterback pressures. 

In Los Angeles, Fowler flourished with three-time Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald on the front line. He didn't play behind anyone close to that level in Atlanta. Defensive tackle Grady Jarrett has two Pro Bowls on his resume, but he's not an elite interior defender. 

Fowler tied with Jarrett to lead the Falcons in quarterback pressures (17) and logged a team-high 4.5 sacks for the season, but Atlanta's defense still ranked last in pressure rate (16.7) and sacks (18). 

At 27 years old, with a double-digit sack campaign on his resume, Fowler has enough production to land a multiyear deal, but he's a second- or third-tier edge defender who needs a strong defensive line or at least one top-notch interior playmaker to perform at his best. Don't expect him to dominate at the line of scrimmage all by himself.

Quarterback-needy teams will take a chance on a player at the position and sometimes pay him more than what he's worth. During the 2020 offseason, the Carolina Panthers signed Teddy Bridgewater to a three-year, $63 million deal and then traded him to the Denver Broncos for a sixth-round pick in the following year.

Before Bridgewater's arrival in Carolina, he played mostly as a backup after suffering a devastating knee injury in August 2016. In 2022, Marcus Mariota could make the leap from a reserve to a starter.

Over the past two seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders, Mariota completed 18 of 30 pass attempts for 230 yards, a touchdown and an interception. This past season, he added another layer to the Silver and Black's offensive attack in run-pass option designs. The dual-threat signal-caller rushed for 87 yards, which included six first downs, and a touchdown in 2021. 

While Mariota's dynamic skill set will appeal to teams in need of some offensive sizzle, he's not a reliable player in terms of availability. 

During his five-year tenure with the Tennessee Titans, Mariota played through various injuries and missed eight contests in his first four campaigns, which included a crucial play-in game against the Indianapolis Colts for a postseason spot in 2018. 

Mariota went into the 2020 term on injured reserve with a pectoral strain. In Week 1 of the 2021 campaign, he suffered a quad injury in the first quarter and sat out the following five outings. The 28-year-old missed seven contests in total this past season.

As the most intriguing quarterback on the open market, Mariota will garner some interest, but teams should offer him a modest one-year deal because of his extensive injury history and recent inactivity. He's started in just six games since 2019.

In 2021, Cordarrelle Patterson landed with the Atlanta Falcons where head coach Arthur Smith fully utilized his skill set. The multitalented playmaker accumulated 1,166 yards from scrimmage with 11 total touchdowns. 

Patterson led the Falcons in rushing (618 yards), racked up 548 receiving yards and hauled in a team-leading five touchdown passes.

Coming off his best campaign as an offensive playmaker, other teams may see him as a high-ceiling pickup who can provide significant contributions on the ground and in the passing game. However, potential suitors should offer him deals with the understanding that the 30-year-old bounced around to five clubs before he found the coach to optimize his capabilities. Before this past season, the ninth-year pro hadn't eclipsed 627 yards from scrimmage in a single term.

Furthermore, Patterson took advantage of opportunities within a depleted offense. The Falcons turned over the running back group between 2020 and 2021, leaving him a chance to battle Mike Davis for a majority of the carries. Atlanta traded Julio Jones to the Tennessee Titans, and wideout Calvin Ridley missed 12 games while taking care of his mental well-being. 

Patterson linked up with the right coach at an opportune time, which is something that's hard to duplicate in consecutive seasons on another squad. He should re-sign with the Falcons and continue to play his best football under Smith. Going elsewhere, his value could take a tremendous hit.

Between his age and recent production, one can make the argument that Jarran Reed deserves the top spot among the 2022 class of free-agent defensive tackles. While that's a fair assessment, teams shouldn't break the bank for him on a multiyear deal. 

In 2018, with the Seattle Seahawks, Reed recorded 10.5 sacks and 31 quarterback pressures, bursting through offensive lines as a complement to defensive end Frank Clark, who had 13 sacks and 48 quarterback pressures that year. The former hasn't come close to matching those numbers—even when he reunited with the latter in Kansas City this past season.

Reed had a quiet run through Week 9 of the 2021 term, logging 17 tackles (eight solo) without a sack. He finished the campaign with 43 tackles (23 solo), two for loss, 2.5 sacks and 19 quarterback pressures.

Though solid, Reed didn't play at the level of a high-end defensive tackle for most of the 2021 season. Following a campaign with a low number of sacks, tackles for loss and an average number of pressures for a player at his position, he's a second-tier interior defender, but teams may pay him in hopes to see the 2018 or 2020 version (6.5 sacks and 22 quarterback pressures) of him.

Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter, @MoeMoton.