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Top 10 NFL Players Teams Gave Up On Too Soon

By Erik Lambert

Nov 22, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Indianapolis Colts place kicker Adam Vinatieri (4) kicks the game winning field goal from the hold of punter Pat McAfee (1) against the Atlanta Falcons during the fourth quarter at the Georgia Dome. The Colts defeated the Falcons 24-21. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 22, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Indianapolis Colts place kicker Adam Vinatieri (4) kicks the game winning field goal from the hold of punter Pat McAfee (1) against the Atlanta Falcons during the fourth quarter at the Georgia Dome. The Colts defeated the Falcons 24-21. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 31, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Minnesota Vikings former wide receiver Cris Carter on the red carpet prior to the NFL Honors award ceremony at Symphony Hall. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 31, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Minnesota Vikings former wide receiver Cris Carter on the red carpet prior to the NFL Honors award ceremony at Symphony Hall. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

#7:  Cris Carter

There was no doubt that the Philadelphia Eagles had something special in wide receiver Cris Carter during the late 1980s. He’d caught 17 touchdowns over the final two season with the team and looked like he was starting to become a force. The problem was he had number of substance abuse issues that were becoming a big problem. So head coach Buddy Ryan made the difficult, even surprising decision to cut him.

It’s fair to wonder if Ryan acted to rashly. Maybe the Eagles could’ve found other ways to get through to him. As it stands, the Minnesota Vikings were ready to offer him a last chance to save himself. Carter got his act together and proceeded to become a star in purple. He would reach eight Pro Bowls and catch 118 touchdowns over that span (138 total). The Vikings were a playoff team almost every year he was with them. Philadelphia slowly regressed into an irrelevant team during that same span.

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