10 worst free agent signings in Jacksonville Jaguars franchise history

4. Worst free agent in Jacksonville Jaguars history: Jerry Porter, WR

The Jaguars had a dynamic receiving duo in Keenan McCardell and Jimmy Smith in the late 1990s and early 2000s. They eventually moved on from the former and didn’t really replace him. With Smith still on the roster though, the Jags didn’t give it too much thought.

But Smith eventually retired and Jacksonville attempted to find his successor several times and failed. They went through a myriad of unknowns and busts in the mid-2000s, each as forgettable as the one that came before and the one after.

The only reason fans might remember Troy Williamson was probably because the Minnesota Vikings thought he was the heir apparent to Randy Moss. Matt Jones, the 21st overall pick in the 2005 draft, caught the spotlight because of his off-field troubles rather than his football heroics or lack thereof.

Then, there’s Jerry Porter, one of the most unremarkable players in team history. Had the Jaguars signed him and failed to pan out, he would have been just another player. The issue was that they gave him a six-year contract worth $30 million.

Porter was a decent receiver with the then-Oakland Raiders, posting 900-yards receiving seasons in 2004 -2005. However, the Jaguars paid him like an elite receiver even though he wasn’t. In 2007, his last season with the Silver and Black, he hauled in 44 receptions for 705 yards. That should have given Jacksonville pause but instead chose to see it as a sign of things to come.

Looking back, what did the Jaguars expect from Porter? To double his catch tally and log over 1,000 receiving yards even though he hadn’t reached the mark in his career? He came 819 yards short and finished the 2008 season with just 181 yards on 11 receptions. He was one and done after one season.