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San Francisco 49ers: Ranking the 10 worst free-agent signings in franchise history

By Peter Panacy

ST. LOUIS, MO - NOVEMBER 1: Reggie Bush #23 of the San Francisco 49ers is carted off the field after being injured in the second quarter against the St. Louis Rams at the Edward Jones Dome on November 1, 2015 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images)
ST. LOUIS, MO - NOVEMBER 1: Reggie Bush #23 of the San Francisco 49ers is carted off the field after being injured in the second quarter against the St. Louis Rams at the Edward Jones Dome on November 1, 2015 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images) /
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1 Nov 1998: Cornerback Antonio Langham #43 of the San Francisco 49ers in action during the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers defeated the 49ers 36-22. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bahr /Allsport
1 Nov 1998: Cornerback Antonio Langham #43 of the San Francisco 49ers in action during the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers defeated the 49ers 36-22. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bahr /Allsport /

No. 5: Cornerback Antonio Langham

Signed in 1998 to a five-year, $17 million contract

Back in the late 1990s, the 49ers seemed to suffer a regular issue of losing to the Green Bay Packers in the playoffs, namely quarterback Brett Favre.

Ironically, the 1998 season was the year the Niners managed to get by Green Bay in the postseason. But it wasn’t because of one of their prized free-agent additions, cornerback Antonio Langham.

Langham signed a lengthy five-year deal after posting two productive seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, previously. The thought was he’d wind up being a nice ballhawking addition to an under-powered San Francisco secondary.

Instead, Langham fluttered out over the course of the year, giving up five touchdowns and committing a whopping eight pass-interference penalties.

The 49ers then lost Langham to the 1999 expansion draft, which saw the Cleveland Browns revamped. That saved the Niners from being forced to pay out a massive cap hit, which is the only reason Langham doesn’t make it any higher on this list of free-agent busts.