Former Patriot Asante Samuel is one of the headliners in a highly regarded defensive backfield in Philadelphia, leading to lofty expectations for the Eagles this season. (AP)

The recent frenzy of NFL free agency has yielded a bevy of high-profile signings, with a good portion of the spoils going to the Eagles. Some are calling them the “all-hype team,” and with several big-name players being added to the Eagles roster, the name certainly fits. Since 2000, many teams have gone all-in during the offseason and attracted a fair amount of attention in the process. With that in mind, we’ll take a look at some of the most hyped teams in recent years, including some that lived up to expectations and others that didn’t.

10. 2010 Cincinnati Bengals

Looking back on last season’s Bengals, it’s hard to believe there was any hype at all over this 4-12, self-destructive Cincinnati squad. However, following a 2009 season in which the Bengals won the AFC North with a 10-6 record, the team paired Terrell Owens with Chad Ochocinco to create one of the most outspoken and talented receiving corps in the NFL. Unfortunately for Bengals fans, the receivers’ full potential was never realized, due in small part to Carson Palmer‘s 20 interceptions and 82.4 passer rating. Ochocinco started the season by asking, “How in the world are you going to stop this duo?” Cornerbacks around the league answered, “Easily.”

9. 2005-06 Miami Heat

The Heat have been the subject of significant hype in the past, even before LeBron James took his talents to South Beach. Amidst the ongoing drama between Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal in the 2004 offseason, the big man was traded to Miami for Caron Butler, Lamar Odom, Brian Grant and a first-round draft pick. Dwyane Wade had already dazzled NBA fans as a rookie, and the Heat dreamed of creating a Lakers-like dynasty on the East Coast. Miami fell short in the Eastern Conference finals that year but added more talent (and hype) in 2005-06 with Antoine Walker, Jason Williams, James Posey and Gary Payton. The Heat, under Pat Riley, took down the Mavericks in six games for the title.

8. 2011 Philadelphia Eagles

The relentless offseason activity of the much-improved, high-flying Eagles is turning heads around the league, for better or worse. With the addition of Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Jason Babin, Vince Young, Ronnie Brown and top free agent Nnamdi Asomugha, the Eagles are starting to see themselves as a “dream team.” Such (over)confidence has brought a snide reaction from a certain coach in Dallas and a hasty realty check from Eagles coach Andy Reid. Regardless, with an offense full of playmakers like Michael Vick, DeSean Jackson and Brown paired with a secondary featuring Asomugha, Rodgers-Cromartie and Asante Samuel, the Eagles roster stands to strike at least some degree of fear into opponents’ hearts.

7. 2011 Boston Red Sox

The 2010 season was one to forget in Boston, as the injury bug dropped the Red Sox into third place in the American League East by year’s end. The Sox missed the playoffs for the first time since 2006. Determined to avoid a repeat performance, Theo Epstein went after long-coveted Padres first basemen Adrian Gonzalez. The move cost Boston a solid package of prospects, but Gonzalez’ 18 home runs, 90 RBIs and .350 average have made names like Casey Kelly and Anthony Rizzo easy to forget. The Gonzalez trade, combined with the signings of Carl Crawford, Bobby Jenks, Dan Wheeler and Matt Albers, made Boston an instant favorite to win the American League pennant. It remains to be seen whether or not the Red Sox will fully live up to expectations, but the team’s ability to recover from a 2-10 start certainly speaks volumes for Boston’s playoff potential.

6. 2003-04 Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers were on the last leg of the Bryant-O’Neal dynasty, and two future Hall of Famers wanted to hop on for one last ride. Karl Malone and Gary Payton joined the roster, forming the league’s most legendary lineup, at least on paper (Malone and Payton were well past their primes, and O’Neal’s bickering with Bryant would soon near its breaking point). The Lakers won 56 games during the regular season, but the team-oriented Piston’s exposed L.A.’s lack of depth in the finals. If the aging Malone or Payton needed a blow, Phil Jackson had only Rick Fox, Kareem Rush or Stanislav Medvedenko to turn to on the bench. Detroit won in five games, and Malone retired without a ring.

5. 2009 New York Yankees

The 2008 season was a major disappointment for the Yankees, as the Bronx Bombers failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 1993, a deflating way to leave the old Yankee Stadium. The following Winter, the Steinbrenners whipped out their wallets and signed three of the biggest free agents on the market: CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Mark Teixeira. The last signing was a costly blow to the Red Sox, as it seemed Teixeira was on his way to Boston. New York got its money’s worth in 2009, and opened the new stadium in style. Sabathia went 19-8, Burnett won a key World Series Game 2 over the Phillies and Teixeira drove in 122 runs to lead the Yankees to their 27th title.

4. 2007 New England Patriots

In his first five seasons, Tom Brady led the Patriots to three Super Bowl titles with a cast of receivers including Troy Brown, Deion Branch and David Givens. Fans began to wonder just how good Brady could be if teamed up with a big-name receiver, and that scenario soon came to life with record-breaking results. Before the 2007 season, the Pats added receivers Randy Moss, Wes Welker and Donte’ Stallworth. Welker led the league in receptions while Moss set an NFL record with 23 touchdown catches. Both were named to the Pro Bowl as the Patriots blocked out the “Spygate” controversy and rolled to a 16-0 regular-season record. Thanks to midseason scores such as 52-7 and 56-10, New England set an NFL record for points in a season with 589. The Patriots are still the only team to go undefeated in a 16-game campaign, but they fell just short of perfection in Super Bowl XLII.

3. 2007-08 Boston Celtics

General manager Danny Ainge orchestrated one of the most remarkable turnarounds in NBA history, trading for Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett in the summer of 2007 and improving the Celtics’ record from 24-58 to a league-best 66-16. Garnett won Defensive Player of the Year and brought Allen and Paul Pierce up with him as the Big Three lived up to every bit of the hype. Allen shot 40 percent from downtown in the regular season and playoffs, and Pierce scored 20 points per game. Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins chipped in as the Celtics got past the Hawks, Cavaliers, Pistons and Lakers on their way to championship No. 17.

2. 2004 New York Yankees

After losing the 2003 World Series to Josh Beckett and the Marlins, the Yankees went all out to better their chances the following season. General manager Brian Cashman famously traded Alfonso Soriano to Texas for Alex Rodriguez, and he was far from done. The Yankees also added two of the best pitchers in the National League in Kevin Brown and Javier Vazquez, one of the best hitters on the market in Gary Sheffield and a new cast of veterans including Tony Clark, Tom Gordon, Paul Quantrill and Orlando Hernandez. The team rolled to 101 wins in 2004 and hit 242 home runs (including 23 from Derek Jeter). The Yankees looked destined for another World Series appearance, but they ran into a major roadblock in the ALCS: the Red Sox.

1. 2010-11 Miami Heat

It was the most anticipated summer in NBA history. The legendary 2003 draft class was finally set to hit free agency, and three of the top five picks — LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Wade — were up for grabs. New York, Chicago or a return to Cleveland seemed the most likely destinations for King James, but the lure of joining Bosh and Wade in Miami proved too much to resist. After breaking hearts and making enemies across the league with “The Decision,” James and the Heat rubbed salt in the wound with a premature celebration (“not one … not two …”). Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said the new Big Three were more talented than Michael Jordan’s 72-win Bulls. And then there was this Nike ad. Millions of NBA fans instantly had a new least favorite team, and although they came awfully close, the Heat were turned away at the gates of basketball heaven by the Mavericks and Dirk Nowitzki, who quietly chose to stay on board with his team during the summer of 2010.

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