Von Miller and Kirk Cousins among players who could be free agents
Tuesday 16 February 2016 12:46, UK
Some of the NFL’s most valuable stars are coming to the end of their contracts, which could spark a bidding war of eye-watering numbers.
But Tuesday marks the opening of a window where teams can place a franchise or transition tag on players that are soon to become free agents. March 1 is the deadline, meaning owners will be forced to get the cheque book out to keep their star men.
Here's a list of valuable commodities whose contracts are nearing their end…
Von Miller, Denver Broncos
No player in the NFL has the bargaining power that the aggressive pass rusher currently has at the negotiating table. A stunning Super Bowl 50 performance resulted in the MVP award and helped the Broncos defeat Carolina Panthers. No individual was more influential in that result than Miller.
Understanding his own worth as the lynchpin of the league's best defence, Miller has been vocal about his demands to become the NFL's highest paid defensive player. The Broncos have no intention of losing him, meaning they might apply a franchise tag then negotiate a long-term deal, which will see Miller laugh all the way to the bank.
Brock Osweiler, Denver Broncos
The young quarterback briefly usurped the legendary Peyton Manning as the Broncos' main man before relinquishing the position as the team won Super Bowl 50. With Manning's future in doubt, Osweiler would be the leading contender to replace him as Denver's starter, but he must first work out his contract.
The elephant in the room is Miller, the Broncos' star defensive player, whose contract also runs out and who will be their priority. Osweiler may have to be sacrificed.
Kirk Cousins, Washington Redskins
A franchise tag on the Redskins quarterback would cost them $19.6 million, according to NFL.com. Worth the money? Cousins just set a Redskins single-season record for passing yards (4,166) and total touchdowns (34). His rapid development into one of the NFL's rising quarterbacks has perhaps caught his employers off guard and retaining him will be their biggest concern this off-season.
Eric Berry, Kansas City Chiefs
The return of Berry to the field after being after being diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in December of 2014 was the most uplifting story in the NFL in 2015. To return at a Pro Bowl was truly remarkable and he was crowned AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year as well as being named First-team All-Pro.
Berry headlines a host of impact Chiefs defenders scheduled to hit free agency with cornerback Sean Smith, linebacker Derrick Johnson, edge rusher Tamba Hali and defensive tackle Jaye Howard also free agents. The Chiefs defense is one of the best in the NFL and general manager John Dorsey will be keen to keep together a unit that propelled Kansas City into the playoffs.
The market for safeties has been set by recent deals for Earl Thomas, who received a four-year, $40m deal from the Seattle Seahawks and Devin McCourty who signed a five-year, $47.5m contract with the New England Patriots. This is what Berry will aim for and the two sides have already begun negotiations according to NFL.com's Ian Rapaport.
If the sides cannot reach an agreement, franchising Berry will not be cheap. The tag cost $9.6m to apply to a safety in 2015 and that figure is projected to rise well above $10m for 2015.
Reggie Nelson, Cincinnati Bengals
Age can inevitably affect a player's worth, as Nelson could find out this off-season. The safety will soon be 33, which isn't an attractive proposition, but in the 2015 season, he made eight interceptions, which was the joint-highest in the NFL. The Bengals won't want to let him walk away but would be loath to hand him a long-term, big-money deal. Spending $10.6 million on a franchise tag is the obvious option, keeping Nelson for another season before they can reassess.
Alshon Jeffery, Chicago Bears
There's a Daniel Sturridge-at-Liverpool situation developing in the Windy City. Jeffery, when fully fit and firing, is a wide receiver who posts the kind of numbers that the Bears would be looking for. But he missed most of 2015 and with his contract winding down, is it worth shelling out for another year when his fitness isn't guaranteed? The Bears must consider if the outlay is better spent elsewhere.
Muhammad Wilkerson, New York Jets
The Jets unsuccessfully tried to negotiate a contract extension with Wilkerson prior to last season and his value has only gone up after a career year in 2015. Wilkerson racked up a career-best 12 sacks, which was the most by a Jets player since 2003.
The 26-year-old was asked to play more off the edge on passing downs following the addition of number six overall pick Leonard Williams in the 2015 draft and flourished in that role. Williams has been as good as advertised and that means the Jets will likely choose between extending Wilkerson or Sheldon Richardson, who is a free agent after the 2016 season and also likely to command a huge pay day.
Outstanding against the run and the pass, Wilkerson's scheme versatility - he can excel in both a 3-4 and a 4-3 - and his position flexibility would make him an extremely coveted player on the open market.
The starting point for any negotiations would be the five-year, $55m contract ($11m per season average) signed by New Orleans Saints defensive lineman Cameron Jordan last June. Wilkerson is likely to argue he deserves something closer to the six-year, $95.1m deal ($15.85m per season average) signed by Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Marcell Dareus in September.
The franchise tag for defensive ends was $14.8m in 2015 and that figure will go up next season. That is a big hit for a Jets team that will be operating with limited cap space following the high-priced acquisitions of Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie and Brandon Marshall last offseason.
The Jets appear likely to franchise Wilkerson but may be willing to listen to trade offers for him if they cannot hammer out a deal before the deadline to agree extensions for franchised players in July.
Doug Martin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The 2015 All-Pro is already mid-way through contract renewal talks with the Bucaneers but pen hasn't yet been put to paper. The finest year of his career so far means he can play hardball in the boardroom, but a franchise tag for the running-back is expected to be $11.5 million, a figure that is easily affordable for his employers.
Cordy Glenn, Buffalo Bills
Cordy Glenn has been a mainstay at left tackle for the Buffalo Bills since being taking in the second round of the 2012 round, starting 61 of 64 games during that period.
The Bills' rushing attack was the best in the NFL last season as they finished number one in yards (2,432) and joint first in yards per attempt (4.8) and Glenn was a huge part of that. Buffalo were most successful running to the left behind Glenn, who is a dominating run blocker, and left guard Richie Incognito - who is also a free agent.
Glenn has also shown himself to be very solid in pass protection during his four seasons in the NFL and that well-rounded skillset, combined with his age - he is 26-years-old - and the fact he plays a premium position has set him up to cash in this offseason.
The 2015 franchise tag for an offensive lineman was $12.9m and that figure will climb north of $13m for next season. That is going to be a difficult number for the cash-strapped Bills to meet but they can create $12.9m in cap space by cutting defensive end Mario Williams, a move which is expected to happen.
Trent Williams of the Washington Redskins is currently the NFL's best-paid offensive tackle after signing a five-year deal last season averaging $13.6m per year. Dallas' Tyron Smith ($12.2m), Cleveland's Joe Thomas ($11.5m), Indianapolis' Anthony Castonzo ($10.9m) and Denver's Ryan Clady ($10.5m) round out the top five.
Glenn is likely to demand more than Castonzo at the very least.
Josh Norman, Carolina Panthers
The 28-year-old was one of the league's most impressive cornerbacks this season and Carolina must pay $13.7 million to put a franchise tag on him. In the context of the NFL, that could easily be seen as a no-brainer for the Super Bowl runners-up. The Panthers are not shy to spend the cash to keep their top players. Two years ago they got another season out of Greg Hardy using a franchise tag.
Russell Okung, Seattle Seahawks
The defensive player is a perfect example of how a player can fetch a salary well above his worth if another area of his team is under-performing. The Seahawks' offence has misfired, meaning the last thing they want to do is lose a starting pass protector. Time for Okung to buy himself a congratulatory gift? Not quite. A dislocated shoulder on the last day of the season means a five-month recovery period, which he has informed all 32 teams about. Suddenly the ball is back in the Seahawks' court.
