Overpaying underperforming free agents has been a common theme for the Saints front office over the past few seasons. First, there was David Hawthorne, then Jairus Byrd, then Brandon Browner, then C.J. Spiller.
Not everyone the Saints signed was a total bust. Look at Darren Sproles, Keenan Lewis, Benjamin Watson, and Curtis Lofton. Those signings panned out much better even though none of them remain on the Saints roster today.