Fortunes can be made due to performance in a contract year. This is especially the case when a stellar postseason validates regular season performances.
The Super Bowl is an opportunity to make a strong closing statement. Offensive tackle Trent Brown can attest to that. Who would protect quarterback Tom Brady’s blindside was a big concern for the Patriots in the 2018 offseason after left tackle Nate Solder briefly became the NFL’s highest-paid offensive lineman with the Giants in free agency. .
Brown was acquired from the 49ers for what was essentially a mid-fourth-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft and Isaiah Wynn was selected 23rd overall to fill the void. Wynn ripping his Achilles in the preseason left the job to Brown, who primarily played right tackle with the 49ers. Brown was up to the task of replacing Solder.
After a strong regular season in 2018, he kept Pro Bowlers Melvin Ingram and Dee Ford in check this postseason. Brown left the Patriots in 2019 in free agency to become the NFL’s highest-paid offensive lineman. He was given a four-year, $66 million contract, with $36.25 million fully guaranteed by the Raiders, averaging $16.5 million a year.
Here are several Super Bowl participants whose contracts are expiring and who could benefit financially when free agency begins on March 16.
Bates admitted his contract status affected his play at the start of the season. He expressed his frustration with the lack of progress on a new contract during pre-season. The 2021 regular season fell short of the standard Bates set in 2020 when he earned second-team All-Pro honors.
He played more like an All-Pro in the playoffs. Bates is the perfect candidate for a franchise tag. The safety number projects at $12.911 million (6.201% of the projected salary cap of $208.2 million for 2022). Regardless, Bates will likely want more than the $61 million, four-year, $15.25 million-a-year average contract the Broncos gave franchise-winning Justin Simmons to dominate. the security market ahead of a reset by Jamal Adams with his four-year, $70 million deal. extension worth up to $72 million through Seahawks incentives and salary increases.
A trade that sent backup center Billy Price, a 2018 first-round pick, to the Giants for Hill at the end of the preseason drew very little attention. Hill had the most productive season of his career with 5.5 sacks and 29 quarterback rushes (combined sacks, quarterback rushes and quarterback hits), according to Pro Football Focus. The trade took on added importance with the loss of starting defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi to a foot injury in a playoff win over the Raiders.
Hill elevated his playoff game with increased playing time. He has eight quarterback pressures and 1.5 sacks in three playoff games as well as a timely interception against the Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game. Hill looking to hit the $10 million a year mark like inside defensive linemen Jordan Phillips (Cardinals) and Grover Stewart (Colts) wouldn’t be surprising.
This could be a return to Cincinnati proposal regarding Ogunjobi and Hill. Ogunjobi had a career-high seven sacks while taking 64.41% of Cincinnati’s defensive snaps (Hill’s defensive OG was 44.66%) in the regular season. Per PFF, his 40 quarterback pressures were also a career high.
Hill has benefited from Ogunjobi’s absence since injuring his right foot in Cincinnati’s first playoff game. Ogunjobi will surely be looking for a raise during the one-year, $6.2 million deal with an additional $1 million in incentives he signed to join the Bengals in free agency last March.
Uzomah seems determined to play in the Super Bowl despite the MCL left sprain he suffered against the Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game. He will certainly be looking to capitalize on his three-year contract extension which expires on average $6.1 million per year after a career year of 49 receptions for 493 yards with five touchdowns.
Although the Patriots awarded Jonnu Smith a four-year contract averaging $12.5 million a year and containing a close final record of $31.25 million fully guaranteed in 2021 free agency with statistics of Comparable contract year (41 catches for 448 yards with eight touchdowns), the three A $24.065 million ($8,021,667 per year) extension signed by Logan Thomas with Commanders at the start of training camp is a longer goal realistic for Uzomah.
0 Comments