Agent’s Take: 2021 Contract Awards, starring Matthew Stafford amongst NFL’s greatest and worst signings of the 12 months


The NFL’s monetary panorama is being assessed via awards for the ninth straight 12 months on CBSSports.com now that the Tremendous Bowl LVI matchup is about. These awards differ from the standard NFL honors as a result of they’re from an financial perspective emphasizing 2021 veteran acquisitions.

Gamers acquired by trades or in free company can have an amazing influence on an NFL workforce‘s fortunes. Rookies weren’t given any consideration as a result of their salaries are a perform of draft place and the rookie wage scale. The identical applies to gamers who signed restricted free agent tenders for the reason that quantities are set by the NFL‘s Collective Bargaining Settlement. A runner up is known as when warranted.

Most Beneficial Acquisition

Rams head coach Sean McVay needed an improve at quarterback after souring on 2016 first total decide Jared Goff final season regardless of him signing a four-year contract extension averaging $33.5 million per 12 months with the Rams shortly earlier than the 2019 common season began. Matthew Stafford is in Los Angeles as a result of the Lions accommodated his request to be traded to a contending workforce. Goff was included on this commerce the place the Lions acquired a 2022 first spherical decide, a 2023 first spherical decide and a 2021 third spherical decide from the Rams. Stafford was considered because the lacking piece for a Rams workforce that misplaced to the Packers within the divisional playoffs final season with the NFL’s greatest protection after beating the Seahawks within the wild card spherical.

Stafford’s sturdy begin to the season made him a number one candidate for NFL MVP whereas the Rams went 7-1. A brutal November by which the Rams misplaced all three of their video games and Stafford threw a pick-six in every contest ended his MVP candidacy.

Stafford, who by no means received a playoff recreation in three tries with the Lions, has risen to the event by getting the Rams to the Tremendous Bowl. In three playoff video games, Stafford has accomplished 72% of his passes (72 of 100 makes an attempt) for 905 yards with six touchdowns and one interception to put up a 115.6 passer ranking.

After Stafford was instrumental within the Rams overcoming a ten level fourth quarter deficit to defeat the 49ers within the NFC Championship Recreation, McVay’s feedback about him spoke volumes. 

“We went out and acquired him as a result of we thought it was an opportunity to have the ability to get an awesome participant of his magnitude. These issues do not come round typically,” McVay stated. “What he is completed, he is elevated everyone round. He is made me a greater coach. He is made teammates higher.”

Extensive receiver Cooper Kupp had a season for the ages with Stafford throwing to him. He turned the primary participant since Steve Smith with the Panthers in 2005 to win the receiving triple crown by main the NFL in receptions, receiving, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. Kupp practically broke the only season report for catches and yards. Kupp’s 145 receptions and 1,947 receiving yards are each second on the only season record. He had 16 receiving touchdowns.

2022 is a contract 12 months for Stafford. He ought to be capable of just about identify his personal worth in a contract extension with a Tremendous Bowl victory. It is conceivable that Stafford may grow to be the league’s highest participant, which is presently Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes at $45 million per 12 months, even when the Rams’ quest for a championship falls quick. The five-year, $135 million contract extension Stafford signed in 2017 put him on the high of the NFL’s pay scale regardless of an absence of postseason success.

Least Beneficial Acquisition

Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry exceeded most affordable contract projections when the Patriots signed the tight ends to a few and 4 12 months offers averaging $12.5 million per 12 months. The offers made the duo the NFL’s third highest paid tight ends. Smith set a report for essentially the most cash totally assured in a decent finish contract with $31.25 million. The Patriots had been seemingly attempting to duplicate the 2 tight finish success of the early 2010s when Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez had been the league’s two highest paid tight ends.

Smith did not come near residing as much as the outdated saying of “to whom a lot is given, a lot is anticipated.” Smith solely had 28 catches for 294 yards and one landing in 16 video games this season whereas taking 47.64% of New England’s offensive snaps (525 of 1,102 performs). Amongst tight ends, Smith was thirty fourth within the NFL in receptions and thirty first in receiving yards.

Runners Up: Sam Darnold, QB, Panthers; Kenny Golladay WR, Giants; Julio Jones, WR, Titans

Offensive Signing of the Yr

No person envisioned Cordarrelle Patterson changing into an indispensable offensive weapon for the Falcons when he signed a one-year, $3 million take care of $1.7 million totally assured final April. Patterson led the Falcons with 618 dashing yards and 11 touchdowns. He was third on the workforce with 52 receptions. Patterson was named the Professional Soccer Writers of America’s Co-Most Improved Participant with Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs. 306 of Patterson’s 472 offensive snaps had been within the backfield at working again whereas 164 had been at large receiver in response to Professional Soccer Focus.

Patterson set a profession excessive with 1,166 yards from scrimmage (mixed dashing and receiving yards) this season. A member of the 2010s All-Decade workforce as a kick returner, Patterson’s 1,609 all goal yards (mixed dashing, receiving and return yards) had been sixth most within the league.

Runner Up: Corey Linsley, C, Chargers

Defensive Signing of the Yr

Trey Hendrickson was introduced in to assist tackle an anemic Bengals cross rush. The Bengals ranked final within the NFL through the 2020 season with 17 sacks. He was signed to a three-year, $45 million contract averaging $15 million per 12 months.

Hendrickson was a traditional purchaser beware free agent signing as a result of he got here out of nowhere final season to tie three-time NFL Defensive Participant of the Yr Aaron Donald for second within the NFL with 13.5 sacks. In his three earlier NFL seasons, Hendrickson had a complete of 6.5 sacks.

Hendrickson proved his 2020 season wasn’t a fluke. He earned his first Professional Bowl berth with 14 sacks, which had been the fifth most within the NFL. Per PFF, Hendrickson’s 85 quarterback pressures (mixed sacks, quarterback hurries and quarterback hits) had been additionally fifth within the NFL. Cincinnati’s sack whole greater than doubled with Hendrickson, growing from 17 to 42.

Runners Up: De’Vondre Campbell, LB, Packers; Matthew Judon, EDGE, Patriots

Largest Steal

De’Vondre Campbell did not signal a one-year, $2 million take care of an extra $500,000 in playtime incentives till final June as a result of no one was prepared to satisfy his goal worth, which was initially within the $10 million per 12 months vary in response to my sources. It was the second 12 months in a row Campbell signed a one-year “show it” deal in free company. The bottom worth of the Packers contract was for one-third of the cash he made in 2020.

Campbell thrived in Inexperienced Bay as an each down linebacker. He was on the sphere for 91.56% of Inexperienced Bay’s defensive performs (987 of 1,078 snaps). Campbell was named NFC Defensive Participant of the Month for October. It was a precursor to Campbell incomes 1st workforce All-Professional honors.

Darius Leonard and Fred Warner took off ball linebacker compensation to new heights in 2021. Warner was the primary to hit the $19 million mark with the five-year extension he acquired from the 49ers simply earlier than the beginning of coaching camp. Leonard subsequently eclipsed Warner on the five-year, $98.5 million extension he signed with the Colts in early August,

Campbell will not strategy this wage stratosphere on the open market though he had a greater season than Leonard and Warner. He’ll want the off-ball linebacker market in free company to be extra like 2020 than 2021. Matt Milano was the one such linebacker to hit the $10 million per 12 months mark in 2021 with the four-year, $41.5 million contract (value as much as $42.8 million via incentives) he signed to stay with the Payments. 5 off-ball linebackers did in 2020 (Jamie Collins, Cory Littleton, Blake Martinez, Joe Schobert and Kyle Van Noy).

Runner Up: Rasul Douglas, CB, Packers

Greatest Use of a Contract Yr

J.C. Jackson put to relaxation any questions on whether or not he may assume primary cornerback duties in New England raised by Stephon Gilmore’s early season departure to the Panthers in a commerce. The 2018 undrafted free agent was second in league this season with eight interceptions. Jackson’s 22 interceptions are the NFL’s most for the reason that begin of the 2019 season. He additionally had a league main 23 passes defensed. Jackson was named to his first Professional Bowl and November’s AFC Defensive Participant of the Month.

Jackson is a first-rate franchise tag candidate though wage cap area will likely be at far more of a premium for the Patriots than through the 2021 free company spending spree. His franchise tag initiatives to $17.287 million (8.303% of the anticipated $208.2 million 2022 wage cap). Utilizing NFLPA information, the Patriots preliminarily are $12.25 million below this quantity primarily based on offseason accounting guidelines. Solely the highest 51 salaries (i.e.; cap numbers) matter with these guidelines. The Patriots have 56 gamers below contract for the 2022 league 12 months.

A cornerback in his prime with a whole talent set, like Jackson, could be a sizzling commodity in free company. Byron Jones briefly turned the NFL’s highest paid cornerback in 2020 free company when signed a five-year, $82.5 million contract averaging $16.5 million per 12 months with the Dolphins. The deal incorporates $54.375 million of ensures the place $40 million was totally assured at signing.

Runner Up: De’Vondre Campbell, LB, Packers; Harold Landry, EDGE, Titans

Worst Use of a Contract Yr

Ronald Jones was a part of one of many NFL’s higher working again mixtures with Leonard Fournette final season when he practically had 1,000 dashing yards in 14 video games whereas averaging 5.1 yards per carry. He took a backseat to Fournette this season. Jones acquired in head coach Bruce Arians’ doghouse by fumbling within the season opener in opposition to the Cowboys and making psychological errors in cross safety. Fournette’s late season hamstring damage opened the door for Jones to salvage his season. Jones did not benefit from Fournette’s absence. An ankle damage stored Jones out of the common season finale and the playoffs. Jones had 4 100 yard dashing video games in 2020. He did not rush for greater than 65 yards in any of his 16 video games this season.

Runners Up: Evan Engram, TE, Giants; Kevin King, CB, Packers; Allen Robinson, WR, Bears; JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Steelers

Greatest Contract Extension (for a workforce)

The Eagles signed Jordan Mailata, a rugby participant who had by no means performed American soccer when taken in 2018’s seventh spherical, to a four-year, $64 million extension (value as much as $80 million via wage escalators) with $40.85 million of ensures. Mailata performed at a Professional Bowl stage in his first season as a full-time starter. He solely gave up 20 quarterback pressures this season in response to PFF.

With out the extension, the Eagles would have been pressured to designate Mailata as a franchise participant or danger shedding him in free company. Since Mailata is simply scratching the floor of his expertise, he would have been in excessive demand on the open market. Mailata becoming a member of the $20 million per 12 months offensive lineman membership, which presently has three members, would have been a certainty. Left tackles Trent Williams, David Bakhtiari and Laremy Tunsil have offers with the 49ers, Packers and Texans averaging $23.01 million, $23 million and $22 million per 12 months respectively. Turning into the NFL’s highest paid offensive lineman, like Trent Brown did with the Raiders in 2019 free company, would not have been out of the query since Mailata does not flip 25 till the tip of March.

Worst Contract Extension (for a workforce)

The Saints surprisingly gave Taysom Hill a four-year, $40 million extension with $21.5 million of ensures in late November. The deal is value as a lot as $94 million via base wage escalators and incentives contingent on Hill being a extremely productive beginning quarterback. Hill did not do something to reveal he could possibly be the long run reply at quarterback for the Saints in his 5 begins.

$10 million per 12 months is the present going charge for a bridge quarterback. Andy Dalton and Ryan Fitzpatrick signed one-year, $10 million contracts to be cease hole or quick time period quarterback options for the Bears and Washington Soccer Group. Incentives made Fitzpatrick and Dalton’s offers value as a lot as $12 million and $13 million respectively. The bottom worth of Hill contract is the equal of him being a bridge quarterback for a number of seasons.

Hill has been only as a jack of all trades contributor lining up at working again, large receiver and tight finish in addition to taking snaps below middle in wildcat formations. He would have been laborious pressed to signal a contract averaging $10 million per 12 months, whether or not as a quarterback or multi-faceted participant, in 2022 free company. Groups would not have been clamoring to make him a bridge quarterback after shedding a contest with Jameis Winston, who tore the ACL in his left knee seven video games into the season, to begin. Jacoby Brissett’s $5 million for one 12 months with an extra $2.5 million in incentives from the Dolphins was one of the best pure backup quarterback deal in 2021 free company.

Hill could possibly be greatest categorised as a decent finish or slot large receiver when he is not taking part in quarterback in response to PFF’s monitoring of the place he has lined up on offense since 2018. As a decent finish, Hill is presently the NFL’s eighth highest paid on the place with $10 million per 12 months.

The extension makes Hill one of many NFL’s higher paid slot large receivers. It is in the identical neighborhood as Tyler Boyd and Sterling Shepard’s contracts. Shepard and Boyd signed four-year extensions averaging $10.25 million and $10.75 million per 12 months with the Giants and Bengals respectively in 2019. Boyd had back-to-back 1,000 receiving yard seasons in 2018 and 2019. For his whole profession, Hill has 34 catches for 388 yards with seven touchdowns.

Runner Up: Jamal Adams, S, Seahawks



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