19 Good Reasons To Avoid Signing Free Agents

Every year, and in years like this one in particular, there are teams that feel they need to make a splash when it comes to free agency.  And in a year with a shallow talent pool, those few impact players that are available will cash in big time because there aren’t many alternatives and the teams that need to make a splash overpay.  Does it work out sometimes?  Of course it does, but the risk/reward is often leaning against the team making the bigger deals.

Apr 27, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Rangers defenseman

(5) trips over New Jersey Devils center

(23) during the third period at Madison Square Garden. Rangers won 4-0. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

Here are 19  reasons over the last 5 years, why you don’t want to get into the situation where you blow up your salary structure not because the player fits, but because you feel you need to.  This list just looks at players changing teams, not teams re-signing their own free agents.