No. 1 worst: Kicker Mike Vanderjagt.

The deal: Three years, $4.5 million, with a $2.5-million signing bonus.

Reason he was a bad signing: In the final exhibition game of 2006, Mike Vanderjagt missed two field-goal tries of less than 34 yards. Just the preseason, the cocksure Vanderjagt said. Nothing to worry about.

"Somebody tell the kicker that the coach is worried," Bill Parcells growled in response.

After years of getting by on minimum-wage kickers, the Cowboys splurged on Vanderjagt. He seemed the right choice. Vanderjagt had the highest conversion rate (87.5) all-time among kickers with at least 100 tries. He had missed only seven kicks in the previous three seasons with Indianapolis.

That Vanderjagt never showed. The Vanderjagt who kicked for the Cowboys was a pale imitation.

He got on Parcells’ bad side from the beginning by balking at handling kickoff duties followed by a groin injury that limited him throughout training camp. The injury forced the Cowboys to open the season with two kickers: Vanderjagt and Shaun Suisham.

Vanderjagt made 13-of-18 attempts and had limited range. He was only 2-of-5 on attempts of 35-plus yards. The combination of two bad misses against Indianapolis and an ugly 22-yarder against Tampa Bay convinced Parcells to make a move. The Cowboys released Vanderjagt after 11 games, replacing him with Martin Grammatica.

Postscript: Vanderjagt’s ugly-duckling 22-yarder against Tampa Bay turned into his final NFL kick. After sitting out the 2007 season, he worked out in 2008 for Denver and Kansas City but was not signed. Vanderjagt returned to his roots that year, signing with Toronto of the Canadian League. He made 39-of-51 field goals for the Argonauts and was released upon his request after the season.