Detroit Lions Review: The Worst Players in Each of the Past 5 Seasons

When I began to think about some of the worst players of the past 5 seasons a few names instantly came to mind.

I'm not just talking about big name draft busts here.

I’m talking about the players that when you see them even enter the game, all you can do is just shake your head. I’m talking about guys that you can’t even believe were even permitted to adorn the Honolulu blue and silver.

This list is made up of the players that where immediately released or traded in year one of your Detroit Lions franchise mode in Madden.

For me, it’s a guy that when the ball is in the air I am certain that hes not coming down with it. It's a quarterback that I know for absolute certainty will fail to drive the team down the field in the two minute offense.

This list is compiled of the Detroit Lions players, who in my opinion, where the worst players in each of the past 5 seasons.

Keep in mind, I had to choose only one player per season. Offensive lineman and special teams players were exempt from this list.

Position: Quarterback

How Acquired: Free Agency 2005

Seasons With Detroit: One (2005)

 In 2005, Jeff Garcia was signed to a one year contract to do what Joey Harrington couldn’t, win games.

What happened?

Garcia would go on to only win one out of six games that he quarterbacked.

In those six games he threw three more interceptions than he did touchdowns, with a season total of 937 yards passing.

In fact, Garcia played so terrible that Lions head coach Steve Mariucci was forced to re-institute Joey Harrington as the team’s starter for the remainder of the season.

The Lions didn’t offer Garcia a contract following the 2005 season.

Position: Wide Receiver

How Acquired: 2005 NFL Draft - Round 1, 10^th Overall

Seasons With Detroit: Two (2005-2006)

Former USC All-American wide receiver Mike Williams is considered by most to be one of the Detroit Lions’ all-time draft busts.

Mike Williams only started six games, and caught two touchdowns during his two year tenure with the Detroit Lions.

His career in Detroit can be summed up by one definitive moment in the 2006 season.

Not only did Mike Williams drop numerous passes in a Week 16 game versus the Chicago Bears, he failed to secure a potential game winning touchdown reception on what would be the game’s final play.

Mike's stat line for 2006, eight receptions, for 99 yards, and a touchdown. That's it.

Williams along with quarterback Josh McCown would be traded to the Oakland Raiders on the opening day of the 2007 NFL draft in exchange for Oakland’s fourth round selection.

Millen used the fourth round selection to pick NC State cornerback A.J. Davis. Only Matt Millen could blow two draft selections with one pick.

Position: Defensive End

How Acquired: 2003 NFL Draft - Round 3, 66^th Overall

Seasons With Detroit: Six (2003-2008)

The 2007 Detroit Lions showcased a plethora of terrible injury-prone running backs.  Kevin Jones, Tatum Bell, and T.J. Duckett are exempt from my list due to injury.

I could go with Kitna who threw two more interceptions than he did touchdowns. But I must respect a man who throws for over 4,000 yards in a season, regardless of who he is.

And believe me, it isn’t an easy task to find the worst player on the worst team.

Statistically speaking I would have to say that Cory Redding was Detroit’s worst player in 2007.

Redding started all 16 games for the Lions in 2007. Unfortunately he only recorded 37 tackles and one measly sack.

Conversely, defensive tackle Langston Moore didn’t start a game in 2007, but recorded two sacks and 22 tackles.

Position: Wide Receiver

How Acquired: Free Agency 2008 

Seasons With Detroit: One (2008) 

Let me begin by saying that 2008's worst player could have also been either Shaun Cody or Daunte Culpepper. I decided to choose brick handed wide receiver Keary Colbert.

Keary Colbert was one of the names that I mentioned in the introduction that immediately came to mind when I began to analyze some of Detroit’s worst players of the past five years.

If you’re anything like me, you cringe at the very mention of his name.

I was actually excited to read that Detroit had signed Colbert to a contract after Mike Furrey was placed on the injured reserve in 2008.

He was a former standout at the powerhouse USC program, you don’t see many of those guys come through Detroit.

Then, after seeing him play, I realized why he bounced from Denver, to Seattle, to Detroit all in one season.

Colbert couldn’t catch a hand-off, he is just plain terrible.

In addition, Colbert effectively sabotaged rookie Matthew Stafford’s debut for in Detroit Lions in 2009. In a preseason game versus Atlanta Colbert dropped a total of three easy receptions. Stafford ended that contest 7-14 for 114 yards and a touchdown.

He was cut by the Lions following the 2009 Preseason.

Since being cut by the Lions, Colbert was forced to ply his trade with the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League. It won’t be long and he’ll be cut by them.

Position: Cornerback

How Acquired: Free Agency 2009 

Seasons With Detroit: One (2009) 

Phillip Buchanon was signed to a one year contract on March 4^th, 2009, and played 13 games total for the Detroit Lions, starting only 11.

Lions brass thought as if they’d hit a gold mine in signing the former university of Miami standout. They couldn’t have been more wrong.

In 13 games Buchanon recorded zero interceptions, and only managed to deflect four passes.

The only thing that he could do consistently was miss tackles.

If you thought that Alphonso Smith was a liability in the secondary in 2010, then you never watched Phillip Buchanon.

Buchanon wasn’t offered a contract following the 2009 season, ultimately lasting only one year in Detroit.

Position: Running Back

How Acquired: 2008 NFL Draft—Third Round, 64th Overall

Seasons With Detroit: Three (2008-2010)

I feel it necessary to start off by saying that Kevin Smith had in my opinion an exceptional 2008 rookie season. You could say that 976 rushing yards and eight touchdowns are pretty significant numbers considering he competed in a weak Conference USA division at Central Florida University only a year prior.

But I have to be honest. I don’t know about you, but when it comes to his stint as a Lion, I was never excited. I knew that he wasn’t going to be the franchise running back for the Detroit.

I couldn’t believe that the Lions decided to trade up with the Dolphins in the 2008 NFL draft to select this guy.

I sat through two atrocious seasons (including a winless 2008) wondering when we would finally address the running back position.

Then finally in the 2010 NFL draft, the Detroit Lions traded themselves back into the first round and selected Cal running back Jahvid Best.

The combination of Smith’s hurried attempts at a major rehabilitation program after undergoing a serious surgical procedure to repair a torn ACL, and the selection of Jahvid Best proved fatal for him in 2010.

In 2010, Smith only saw time in six games, when he averaged 3.9 yards per carry on 34 carries for 133 yards.

You may say that those numbers aren’t entirely terrible, but they were bad enough that on March 3rd, 2011, the Lions declined to tender an offer to Smith. Essentially cutting ties with the former third-round selection after only three seasons with the team.

And making him the worst player on the 2010 Detroit Lions roster.