15 worst free agent signings in Denver Broncos franchise history

9. Dale Carter, CB (1999)

Fresh off of back-to-back Super Bowl wins, Mike Shanahan and the Denver Broncos were basically bulletproof and rightfully awarded some leeway when it comes to the moves they made to build the roster. The Broncos had a need at cornerback in the 1999 offseason, fresh off of beating the Falcons, and they spent big to acquire former NFL defensive rookie of the year Dale Carter.

Carter played the first seven years of his NFL career with the Kansas City Chiefs, so the Broncos signing him to a four-year deal worth almost $23 million to make him the highest paid corner in the game was undoubtedly sweet for multiple reasons, at the time.

Unfortunately for the Denver Broncos, this move didn't work out at all.

Carter had 72 tackles in 1999 along with two interceptions and 12 passes defensed, but those numbers couldn't hide that Carter was not playing at the All-Pro level he'd once shown with the Chiefs. He was then suspended for the entire 2000 season because he violated the NFL's substance abuse policy, and the Broncos cut him in 2001.

Because he came over from Kansas City, because he was an All-Pro, because he signed what was -- at the time -- the richest deal for a cornerback in league history, this deal will undoubtedly always go down as one of the top-10 worst NFL free agency moves the Broncos have made.