{"id":512928,"date":"2026-03-09T12:14:10","date_gmt":"2026-03-09T12:14:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/512928\/"},"modified":"2026-03-09T12:14:10","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T12:14:10","slug":"why-linemen-could-receive-wow-contracts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/512928\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Linemen Could Receive \u2018Wow\u2019 Contracts"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jump to a topicMaxx Crosby trade<\/a>Buffalo Bills<\/a>Tyler Linderbaum<\/a>Offensive linemen demand<\/a>Alec Pierce<\/a>Daniel Jones<\/a>Running backs<\/a>Philadelphia Eagles<\/a>A.J. Brown<\/a>Quick-hitters<\/a><\/p>\n

Projected Contracts, Landing Spots for the NFL\u2019s 50 Best Free Agents in 2026<\/a> | NFL Free Agency Guide for All 32 Teams<\/a><\/p>\n

Trade grades: Maxx Crosby<\/a> | Zaire Franklin<\/a> | Garrett Bradbury<\/a> | DJ Moore<\/a> | David Montgomery<\/a> | Tytus Howard<\/a><\/p>\n

Free agency is here, and so are the takeaways. Here\u2019s what we\u2019ve got on what will be a very, very busy Monday across the NFL \u2026<\/p>\n

Maxx Crosby trade<\/p>\n

The Maxx Crosby blockbuster has been a long time coming. In case you missed it, the Raiders traded their best player<\/a>, and one of the NFL\u2019s elite pass rushers, to the Ravens on Friday night for the 14th pick in April\u2019s draft and a first-rounder in what\u2019s expected to be a loaded 2027 draft.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s risk on both sides. Over the weekend, ESPN\u2019s Adam Schefter tweeted a list of players, going back to the 1980s, who were traded for two first-round picks. There were 10 nonquarterbacks preceding Crosby, and the former Raiders\u2019 star, closing in on his 29th birthday, was older than all of them. So, the Ravens are swinging in a way few have swung. And for Vegas, there\u2019s an inherent risk dealing away a player of Crosby\u2019s magnitude.<\/p>\n

As such, it\u2019ll be a while before we can declare winners and losers of the deal<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But we can dig a little deeper into the deal. So here goes:<\/p>\n

\u2022 We\u2019ve covered, over the past couple of months, how all this stemmed from the knee injury that Crosby sustained against the Chiefs in October. He and the team managed the injury from that point forward, knowing he\u2019d need surgery after the season. Crosby was working through the pain. On Dec. 23, they had the scans repeated. The Raiders decided to shut him down for the last two weeks of the season. So, Crosby sought two second opinions, and both doctors told him he could play. However, the team stuck to its guns.<\/p>\n

At that point, after conversations with wellness coordinator Alex Guerrero, Crosby felt the team ended his season to pursue the first pick, which fractured trust and led Crosby to storm out of the facility on Dec. 26, setting the stage for the two-month saga to follow.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Quietly, after the season, Crosby requested a trade, intimating to owner Mark Davis, with whom he shares a very close relationship, and GM John Spytek that he wanted to work with the team and find a solution that worked for everyone. He even told Davis that he wanted to help the team win, \u201ceven if I\u2019m not here.\u201d Crosby said he didn\u2019t want things to get hostile or play out in the media.<\/p>\n

\u2022 The arrival of Klint Kubiak didn\u2019t move the needle much. Crosby had a good meeting with the Raiders\u2019 new coach on the day he was introduced to the media, and was happy for his position coach, Rob Leonard, when Kubiak promoted him to defensive coordinator. But by then, it would have been hard to get Crosby to want to stay. He never wanted to leave Vegas, but that line was crossed in December, and the idea of going through another regime change (Kubiak would\u2019ve been his sixth head coach) became far less appealing, even as much as he loved Davis.<\/p>\n

\u2022 At the same time, the Raiders would’ve been fine keeping Crosby and working the issue out if the right offer didn’t come along. Last year, they made Crosby the highest-paid nonquarterback in NFL history and crafted a contract that could be traded if need be.<\/p>\n

Crosby’s due $30.8 million cash this year, $29.8 million in \u201927, $27.3 million in \u201928 and $28.2 million in \u201929, with the last two years de facto team options.<\/p>\n

That deal now becomes a value for the Ravens. As it stands, Crosby’s likely to wait until after this year for any sort of adjustment, wanting to prove himself with his new team. If that happens, with Aidan Hutchinson and Parsons now over $45 million per year, and Will Anderson Jr. potentially getting $50 million per year from Houston this offseason, Crosby will be well-positioned.<\/p>\n

\u2022 At the combine, the Raiders found a robust market for Crosby, as you\u2019d expect.<\/p>\n

The framework of Vegas\u2019s ask at that point was built off the Dallas\u2013Green Bay blockbuster in August, which brought Micah Parsons to the Packers for two first-round picks and DT Kenny Clark. Because of Crosby\u2019s age (he will be 29 in August), the Raiders knew it might be tough to find that kind of haul. But with the Bills, Bears, Cowboys and Ravens among those lined up as the league descended on Indianapolis, the Raiders had leverage to drive the price up.<\/p>\n

\u2022 The Eagles did check in after those four teams and piqued Crosby\u2019s interest, but Philly was never a factor with its focus on retaining Jaelan Phillips. The Bengals, on the verge of losing Trey Hendrickson in free agency, were another latecomer to the party. By then, over a quarter of the league\u2019s 32 teams had shown some level of interest in Crosby, with a few others that he had less interest in going to throwing their hats in the ring as well.<\/p>\n

\u2022 A dividing line for the Raiders was where the picks being discussed landed in the first round. The Cowboys held the 12th pick, while the Ravens had the 14th selection. And it led to teams bowing out. The Bills were the most prominent example, holding the 26th pick, which was 500 points on the Jimmy Johnson draft chart, less valuable than Dallas\u2019s pick, and 400 points less valuable than Baltimore\u2019s pick. For reference, 500 points is the value of the 40th pick in the draft, and 400 points is the value of the 50th pick.<\/p>\n

That meant Buffalo would essentially have to add a second-round pick to whatever Dallas or Baltimore offered, which is why, in the end, the Bills bowed out of the bidding.<\/p>\n

\"Baltimore<\/p>\n

The Ravens traded two first-round picks to acquire defensive end Maxx Crosby from the Raiders. | Illustration by Bryce Wood. Chris Unger\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u2022 The Ravens\u2019 willingness to go to two first-round picks and do it without any back-end complications wound up winning the day. Dallas would only go to first- and second-round picks and, like Baltimore, didn\u2019t want to add a player to the package. From Baltimore\u2019s perspective, the opportunity to add Crosby to a defense with stars Roquan Smith, Kyle Hamilton, Nate Wiggins, Marlon Humphrey and (if healthy) Nnamdi Madubuike, and give the team a better shot to win it all with Lamar Jackson, was too much to pass up.<\/p>\n

Several people, including some who\u2019ve worked in Baltimore, were stunned by the result because the deal was so un-Raven-like\u2014the organization had never traded even one first-round pick, let alone two, for a veteran player. But Crosby fits GM Eric DeCosta\u2019s profile in going after players well after they\u2019ve gotten their first big contract, because there\u2019s more certainty with those kinds of guys. And he fits what new coach Jesse Minter will look to build (to be fair, Crosby pretty much fits what any new coach would be looking to build).<\/p>\n

A fascinating piece to this trade came into place at the very end, when Crosby told Kubiak, again, that he wanted to do whatever he could to help the Raiders win. He said he still loves the organization and loves Davis, and, cognizant of his legacy with the team, wanted everyone to come out of what\u2019s been a messy few months in the best place possible.<\/p>\n

Of course, by then, Crosby knew he was probably going to a really good one.<\/p>\n

And Friday certainly confirmed that.<\/p>\n

Buffalo Bills<\/p>\n

The Bills\u2019 moves over the past week set the stage for a defensive-focused approach in the next few days. And that\u2019ll be necessary because new DC Jim Leonhard\u2019s scheme is markedly different from what Sean McDermott and Bob Babich ran last year\u2014some edge guys, like Joey Bosa and A.J. Epenesa, for example, aren\u2019t quite the fits for Buffalo that they were previously.<\/p>\n

Yes, Buffalo could still add to its offense. But trading for DJ Moore<\/a> and re-signing Connor McGovern absolutely takes some of the pressure off that side of the ball. So here\u2019s a little more on how those two deals came together for the Bills:<\/p>\n

\u2022 The first piece of the Moore acquisition is how Joe Brady\u2019s institutional knowledge on the 28-year-old\u2014the two were together in Carolina for the better part of two years\u2014played into the acquisition. As the Bills saw it, Moore was better than any free-agent receiver and would be their best receiver coming in without the team having to guess how he\u2019d fit in Brady\u2019s offense. Brady also knew that Moore was a top-shelf teammate and could be a torchbearer and even a captain for him in his first year.<\/p>\n

Moore was privately over the moon when the news of the trade came down, and the Bills were O.K. paying the freight (a 2026 second-round pick, with a fifth-rounder coming back with Moore) to get him at a rate of $23.5 million per year<\/a> for the next four seasons.<\/p>\n

As a versatile piece that Brady can move around and play inside and out, Moore gives the Bills another receiver, adding to Khalil Shakir, who can be a force after the catch. No, he\u2019s not a traditional No. 1, and he plays more like a hybrid than a pure wideout, but his presence should change the dynamic for guys such as Shakir, Dalton Kincaid and James Cook.<\/p>\n

\u2022 McGovern was, indeed, a player the Bills weren\u2019t sure they\u2019d be able to keep.<\/p>\n

Over the past couple of weeks, there\u2019d been concern among many teams in need that the center market was about to explode, as the guard market did in 2025 (more on that in a minute). With that in mind, some believed that McGovern was going to get between $15 million and $18 million per year, which might\u2019ve made it tough for Buffalo to keep him.<\/p>\n

But over the past few days, McGovern showed a genuine desire to stay with the team, Josh Allen did a little recruiting, and the team was able to hammer out a four-year, $52 million deal to keep him in Buffalo.<\/p>\n

So, now, the Bills have a pretty good idea of what the offense is going to look like, and that\u2019s even with the likely departure of a solid starter at guard in David Edwards.<\/p>\n

As for what they\u2019ll look for on defense, as we said, the Bills did have their toe in the Maxx Crosby sweepstakes, so the edge is a logical place to look first. John Franklin-Myers would make some sense, too, as an inside\/outside piece for Leonhard\u2019s front, but the bidding there could wind up pricing the Bills out. What seems certain is that Buffalo still has some remodeling to do on defense, with Allen\u2019s unit in good shape.<\/p>\n

\"Center<\/p>\n

Center Tyler Linderbaum is well-positioned to land a contract at $25 million per year after playing with Lamar Jackson for the past four years. | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Tyler Linderbaum<\/p>\n

Perhaps the most talked about name in league circles over the past week has been none other than Tyler Linderbaum. The Ravens\u2019 center isn\u2019t a perfect player\u2014he can get pushed around a little bit as an undersized athlete for his position, and last year wasn\u2019t his best year.<\/p>\n

But he\u2019s also a player among the very best in the league at what he does, reaching the free-agent market. The fact that he\u2019s hitting the market is primarily circumstantial. All offensive linemen are grouped together in the formula that determines the numbers for the fifth-year option for former first-round picks, and for franchise and transition tags. That means guards and centers have their options and tags at tackle numbers, which is why the Ravens declined to pick up Linderbaum\u2019s option and chose not to tag him.<\/p>\n

My understanding is Linderbaum\u2019s camp is shooting for $25 million per year, which would be a whopping 38% increase on the $18 million per year that the Chiefs\u2019 Creed Humphrey got in 2024 to become the NFL\u2019s highest-paid center.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not sure if Linderbaum will get there. However, I\u2019d expect the Commanders, Raiders and Browns all to be in the bidding, and the tenor of it would affect a bunch of other teams, as well.<\/p>\n

One example was the Chargers, whose GM Joe Hortiz was in Baltimore when Linderbaum was drafted, signing Commanders C Tyler Biadasz to a three-year, $30 million deal after Bradley Bozeman retired. That\u2019s more, on a per-year basis, than Biadasz was making in Washington. Another example was the Bears trading for Patriots center Garrett Bradbury after the surprise retirement of Drew Dalman.<\/p>\n

In both cases, the teams forecasted an explosion in the center market and jumped on more affordable options before it happened. Most believed McGovern was going to be part of it before he decided that he\u2019d rather stay in Buffalo. And now, we\u2019ll see how far Linderbaum pushes the financial envelope, with guys such as Carolina\u2019s Cade Mays standing as the potential beneficiaries after he finds a new home.<\/p>\n

Offensive linemen demand<\/p>\n

The other linemen won\u2019t come cheap, either. This is Bill Parcells\u2019s old planet theory coming to life: Parcells\u2019s premise being that there are only so many big people who can move a certain way on earth, so when they become available, you better go get them.<\/p>\n

Front and center on Monday will be Chargers guard Zion Johnson, a good-not-great player who\u2019s positioned to take home a monster deal at more than $18 million per year. The expectation is that David Edwards will go for between $16 million and $18 million. Other guys that have flaws\u2014Jets guard Alijah Vera-Tucker can\u2019t stay healthy, Houston\u2019s Ed Ingram and Vegas\u2019s Dylan Parham aren\u2019t exactly All-Pros\u2014might not be far off from Johnson\u2019s number.<\/p>\n

Maybe the most interesting one is Commanders guard Chris Paul (no, not that Chris Paul), who appears to have priced himself out of Washington with teams like Cleveland in hot pursuit. Paul became a full-time starter for the first time three weeks into his fourth pro season and is trending to one of those \u201cHe got what?!\u201d sorts of deals.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, at tackle, Packers free agent Rasheed Walker could reach $20 million per year. Walker is a former seventh-round pick who\u2019s become a solid left tackle, having started the past three years at the position for Matt LaFleur. What he\u2019s not is Trent Williams. But he is a rarity in that he\u2019s a starting-level player at left tackle, a position where young starters don\u2019t make it to free agency, and that\u2019s enough.<\/p>\n

Anyway, expect a lot of the \u201cWow!\u201d contracts over the next couple of days to go to big men.<\/p>\n

Alec Pierce<\/p>\n

If I had to guess on the \u0192ree agent who makes the most, give me Alec Pierce. This, to me, is another contract where the expected price tag has already led to other teams seeking alternate paths, with Buffalo\u2019s acquisition of Moore an example.<\/p>\n

My guess would be that Pierce\u2019s deal will fall between $28 million and $30 million per year.<\/p>\n

The Patriots, Raiders and 49ers are all teams to watch. Each is also expected to be in on other receivers. New England\u2019s been in contact with Philly on A.J. Brown (more on that coming). Vegas is a logical destination for Seahawks free agent Rashid Shaheed, who was with Kubiak the second half of last year in Seattle (and in New Orleans the season before that). San Francisco, meanwhile, would be a fit for Packers free agent Romeo Doubs, as the Niners consider post\u2013Brandon Aiyuk plans.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the Colts would love to have Pierce back and appear willing to pay the freight to keep him. The issue is that Pierce wants to know who his quarterback will be. While the Colts will likely keep Daniel Jones<\/a>, he can enter into negotiations with other teams (we\u2019ll have more on him, too).<\/p>\n

Either way, Pierce is at the front of the line of a group of receivers expected to cash in. Shaheed and Doubs could get close to $20 million per year. And Giants free agent Wan\u2019Dale Robinson could get $15 million per year, with Tennessee among the teams expected to check on him\u2014Titans OC Brian Daboll had Robinson with the Giants and is said to really like him, and the slot position is very valuable in Daboll\u2019s Patriots-style offense.<\/p>\n

Another receiver likely to get more than people expect is Vikings free agent Jalen \u201cSpeedy\u201d Nailor, who did a lot with the limited opportunities he had playing alongside Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison in Minnesota.<\/p>\n

Daniel Jones<\/p>\n

I do think Daniel Jones will stay in Indianapolis, but there\u2019s a big gap that needs to be made up in the coming days. The Colts\u2019 initial offer to Jones was in the range of Sam Darnold\u2019s three-year, $100.5 million deal last offseason. Jones\u2019s camp countered that, based on the leverage a franchise tag would have given him, a deal worth $50 million per year would be more in the ballpark of what he\u2019d take if he did a deal before this week.<\/p>\n

So rather than franchise Jones, the Colts put the transition tag on him. And here we are.<\/p>\n

I do believe Jones wants to be in Indianapolis. He\u2019s rehabbing from a torn Achilles that is going to cost him most, if not all, of his offseason. Given that, it seems obvious that his best chance to have a great 2026 would be in a familiar place, where he doesn\u2019t have to learn a new offense or new teammates. That, of course, is Indianapolis.<\/p>\n

What, then, would motivate the Colts to do a deal, rather than have Jones play on the $37.833 million tender? Here\u2019s what: If Jones plays great in 2026, then the team would either transition tag him again in \u201927 at $45.4 million or franchise him, and at that point, he\u2019d have the leverage to ask for top-of-the-market money, since a third tag is prohibitively expensive. That doesn\u2019t mean the Colts have to pay him $50 million per year now. However, it does mean that it\u2019d behoove them to explore a longer-term deal.<\/p>\n

The benefit for Jones would be having a chance to really build something with his teammates in Indianapolis and, if they can get a deal done fast enough, giving the Colts a chance to bring Pierce back into a skill group that has Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman Jr., Tyler Warren and Josh Downs on hand.<\/p>\n

So, the best thing for everyone is to hammer out a deal on Monday morning. We\u2019ll see.<\/p>\n

\"Running<\/p>\n

Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III will hit the open market at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, when players can officially sign with teams. | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Running backs<\/p>\n

I think some smart, experienced general managers are going to throw their hats in the ring on the running back market. That includes Kansas City\u2019s Brett Veach, Denver\u2019s George Paton and New Orleans\u2019s Mickey Loomis.<\/p>\n

Two years ago, three of the smartest organizations in the league\u2014Philadelphia, Green Bay and Baltimore\u2014signed top-of-the-market backs in free agency. It got my attention then, and those teams wound up hitting on Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs and Derrick Henry, respectively.<\/p>\n

As I see it, those teams looked at the landscape and saw a position that had been devalued by the league to the point where signing a great player was actually a good value.<\/p>\n

So, there might be a similar opportunity this year with Seattle\u2019s Kenneth Walker III available at perhaps $14 million per year, Jacksonville\u2019s Travis Etienne Jr. shooting to get around $10 million per, and down-the-line guys such as Tampa\u2019s Rachaad White and Carolina\u2019s Rico Dowdle potentially being nice values after that.<\/p>\n

I think Denver and Kansas City will give Seattle competition for Walker. My guess would be that New Orleans will make a run at Etienne. And I think if Denver doesn\u2019t land Walker, Dowdle could make sense as a more physical back to pair with RJ Harvey.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the other thing: The position is a little like center in that there aren\u2019t a ton of great options in the draft, which generally will lead to teams being a little more aggressive in free agency. Notre Dame\u2019s Jeremiyah Love should go inside the top 10, and his teammate Jadarian Price will probably go in the second round. After that, there may not be another back taken until the fourth round.<\/p>\n

To be sure, that\u2019s part of why Houston, which would\u2019ve been in this fray, traded for David Montgomery<\/a> last week. And it\u2019s why I do think teams like Chiefs, Broncos and Saints, and maybe a little further down the line the Giants, will work to fill their depth charts at the position now.<\/p>\n

Philadelphia Eagles<\/p>\n

Where the Eagles\u2019 negotiation with Phillips goes could set the course for the edge rushers. Philly traded a third-rounder to get Vic Fangio\u2019s old friend from Miami in midseason, and got enough from him to be aggressive in trying to keep him around.<\/p>\n

The question is at what cost, with the expectation being Phillips\u2014a good player with a long injury history for a 26-year-old\u2014will look to land around $25 million per year.<\/p>\n

Whether Phillips gets there could, in some way, be affected by what happens with soon-to-be-ex-Bengal Trey Hendrickson. The Colts made a trade offer for Hendrickson during the summer and have his former Cincinnati coordinator, Lou Anarumo, to recruit him. The Cowboys are another team lurking for Hendrickson after their run at Crosby failed.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Chargers free agent Odafe Oweh turned down in-season overtures to do a deal with the team that traded for him before the deadline, then had 7.5 sacks in 12 games for Los Angeles, and is set up to be next up after Hendrickson and Phillips.<\/p>\n

Also, while we\u2019re there, Khalil Mack\u2019s one-year, $18 million deal with the Chargers probably will help older vets like Joey Bosa, who are positioned to do one-year deals in eight figures.<\/p>\n

A.J. Brown<\/p>\n

While we\u2019re on the Eagles, the A.J. Brown situation feels like it\u2019s at a standstill. The comp I\u2019ve heard for Philly\u2019s ask is the 2022 Davante Adams trade between the Raiders and Packers.. Adams was 29 when that deal was done, and he went for Vegas\u2019s first- and second-round picks in \u201922. I\u2019m not sure anyone will go that far to get him, since I\u2019ve heard other teams used the Bills-Texans\u2019 2024 Stefon Diggs trade as a comp. Diggs went for a Day 3 pick swap in \u201924 and a \u201925 second-round pick, a far cry from what Green Bay got for Adams.<\/p>\n

Only further complicating all this is Moore, who certainly hasn\u2019t been what Brown\u2019s been the past two years, bringing back a second-rounder for Chicago, and Trent McDuffie netting first-, fifth- and sixth-round selections this year, and a third-rounder next year for Kansas City.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why I\u2019m starting to get skeptical about the aforementioned gap being bridged.<\/p>\n

Brown\u2019s camp has certainly done its homework on interested teams, and I\u2019ve heard that the Bills, Chargers, Chiefs and Patriots were on his wish list. Buffalo, having done the deal for Moore, is no longer involved. I don\u2019t think the Chargers are either, with their focus on the offensive line and the edge positions (with a big chunk of money\/cap now gone to Mack). And ditto on the Chiefs, who are zeroed in on the running back spot, and have a desire to replenish the roster with the picks they got in the McDuffie trade.<\/p>\n

Obviously, Brown and Mike Vrabel have an established relationship, and the Patriots have a need, post-Diggs, so that would be a natural landing spot. But how far is New England willing to go to get Brown? Would Pierce be more appealing, given that he\u2019s younger, and the Patriots wouldn\u2019t have to give up picks to get him? Is there another team that\u2019s going to emerge as a suitor? Would Philly hang onto him, with the hope that any underlying issues resolve themselves in the coming months?<\/p>\n

Stay tuned.<\/p>\n

Quick-hitters<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s jump in on some quick-hitters \u2026<\/p>\n

\u2022 Two older veterans that I think might leave their longtime homes: Buccaneers WR Mike Evans and Saints DE Cam Jordan. Evans\u2019s financial aspirations on a one-year deal are beyond where the Bucs are willing to go right now. Jordan, meanwhile, is frustrated with the Saints\u2019 negotiating position.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Two off-ball linebackers stand above the rest, those being Jacksonville\u2019s Devin Lloyd and Green Bay\u2019s Quay Walker. The Packers\u2019 trade for Zaire Franklin over the weekend was a tacit admission that they\u2019re losing Walker. Lloyd\u2019s camp is said to be looking for $20 million per year. At any rate, I do think both will get to at least $15 million per year.<\/p>\n

\u2022 At tight end, Tennessee\u2019s Chig Okonkwo and Baltimore\u2019s Isaiah Likely loom as move types, and both have connections to New England. Okonkwo played for Vrabel in Tennessee, and Likely is from Boston. Josh McDaniels\u2019s offense is one that can certainly feature those tight ends, too. So if the Patriots don\u2019t wind up signing Pierce or trading for Brown, then this might be one area to watch, particularly with Diggs gone as a slot receiver and Austin Hooper a free agent.<\/p>\n

\u2022 I could see a couple of other veteran tight ends\u2014Tampa\u2019s Cade Otton and Philly\u2019s Dallas Goedert\u2014staying put if the market doesn\u2019t get too out of whack. I see both teams as open to bringing their guys back to the position.<\/p>\n

\u2022 After a couple of years of piecing together their secondary and pushing investments toward the defensive front and offensive skill positions, the Rams are moving money back into the defensive backfield. They did a three-year, $38.25 million deal with Quentin Lake on New Year\u2019s Day, a three-year $36 million deal with Kam Curl last week, and, on Sunday, a four-year, $124 million deal with the newly-traded-for McDuffie.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Curl\u2019s deal should help frame prices at safety. Kansas City\u2019s Bryan Cook will almost certainly get more than Curl, but Arizona\u2019s Jalen Thompson, Seattle\u2019s Coby Bryant and Indianapolis\u2019s Nick Cross should be right around Curl\u2019s contract.<\/p>\n

\u2022 McDuffie\u2019s deal will be of great interest to Seattle\u2019s Devon Witherspoon and New England\u2019s Christian Gonzalez.<\/p>\n

\u2022 As for free agents at that position, I\u2019d bet Seattle\u2019s Tariq Woolen, New Orleans\u2019s Alontae Taylor and Kansas City\u2019s Jaylen Watson will top the market at between $15 million and $18 million per year. After that, my guess is guys such as the Rams\u2019 Cobie Durant and the Seahawks\u2019 Josh Jobe top $10 million per year, with one under-the-radar name likely to do a nice deal being the Giants\u2019 Cor’Dale Flott.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Maybe Arizona for Malik Willis (although Jimmy Garoppolo\u2019s in that mix, too), or maybe Miami. My guess would be he\u2019ll land between $20 million and $25 million per year.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Finally, expect Franklin-Myers to land around $20 million per year. We mentioned Buffalo for him as a logical landing spot. Tennessee\u2019s another team to watch, with Franklin-Myers\u2019s old coach, Robert Saleh, there. He has inside\/outside versatility as a defensive lineman, unique to this year\u2019s free-agent class, and would appeal to any team that plays an aggressive style up front, with the Niners another team that makes schematic sense.<\/p>\n

More NFL on Sports Illustrated<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Jump to a topicMaxx Crosby tradeBuffalo BillsTyler LinderbaumOffensive linemen demandAlec PierceDaniel JonesRunning backsPhiladelphia EaglesA.J. BrownQuick-hitters Projected Contracts, Landing…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":512929,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[63],"tags":[349,99],"class_list":["post-512928","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nfl","tag-nfl","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/512928","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=512928"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/512928\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/512929"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=512928"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=512928"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=512928"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}