Potential NFL Contract Extension Candidates

Michael Ginnitti
Michael Ginnitti, Managing Editor & NFL/MLB ExpertDecember 10, 2020
© USA TODAY Sports
Now in the final homestretch of the 2020 regular season, our focus begins to turn toward future roster construction, starting here with a notable potential contract extension candidates from each organization.
Team Player POS 2020 Cash Projected Avg. Salary Thoughts
ARI Haason Reddick (26) OLB $2.3M $9.1M Reddick is having his most productive year since the Cardinals declined his 5th year option 6 months ago. There's likely a Shaq Lawson type deal in his future, be it in Arizona - or on the open market. Patrick Peterson is also a name to watch here...
ATL Calvin Ridley (25) WR $1.4M $15M Ridley has WR1 potential, & has proven to be one of the best young WR2s in the game for 3 seasons. Atlanta has a serious cap problem for 2021, so this extension may need to wait - but it's on the horizon.
BAL Jimmy Smith (32) CB $3.5M $3.5M Smith & Richard Sherman will be 32 year old cornerbacks looking for new contracts this offseason. Smith has outplayed his current price, but with age and late injury now factored in, may need to accept something similar to stay in Baltimore. Both sides should be interested. Note: Lamar Jackson will be extension eligible after the 2020 season, but it's not apparent that the Ravens will make this a priority just yet.
BUF Josh Allen (24) QB $2.5M $39M Allen needed to take a step forward to put himself into a real conversation about a 2021 extensions - and he's done so. While he may never be the best QB in the league, he's been consistently above average for the better part of two years now. Luckily for him, being a Tier 2 QB right now should bag him close to $38M per year.
CAR Taylor Moton (26) RT $1.3M $15M Moton has entered himself into Tier 1 of RTs in the NFL, and will need to be paid as such. He'll follow in the footsteps of Jack Conklin, who recently locked in $14M with the Browns. WR Curtis Samuel  is also a candidate for a new deal.
CHI Allen Robinson (27) WR $13M $19M While the Bears haven't been, A-Rob has been consistently above average. His lack of an extension to date is less about his production, & more about Chicago trying to understand where they are in terms of contention. He's in the Amari Cooper/Keenan Allen money conversation.
CIN Jessie Bates III (23) FS $929k $14M The top-rated safety in the league according to PFF becomes extension-eligible after 2020. He'll be entering a contract year in 2021, so locking him up for the next few seasons probably makes sense. Bates may want to wait for Jamal Adams, Justin Simmons, & Minkah Fitzpatrick to sign new deals as the safety ceiling is sure to lift.
CLE Denzel Ward (23) CB $3.2M $18.5M

The Browns have had a lot of 1st round busts, but Ward isn't one of them. The CB market ceiling was shattered this offseason, & players like Ward will now benefit. He'll be eyeing Marlon Humphrey's $19.5M target.
DAL Dak Prescott (27) QB $31.4M $37.5M There's likely another franchise tag coming for Dak, but a multi-year extension shouldn't be far behind. Now a year older, and coming off of a severe injury, a deal in the 4/150 range probably makes sense. Dak can't be extended until after the 2020 regular season.
DEN Justin Simmons (26) FS $11.4M $14.5M The Broncos as a whole took a step back in 2020, and there could be wholesale changes coming to the defensive side of the ball. Simmons is still one of the best safeties in all of football, and he'll be highly coveted on the open market.
DET Kenny Golladay (26) WR $2.3M $19M Golladay's seen limited action in 2020 due to injury, and the Lions are now setup for new front office/coach going forward, meaning the notion of throwing $100M at a WR may not be in the immediate plans. A franchise tag seems extremely likely here.
GB Corey Linsley (29) OC $8.5M $9M The top centers in the game make $12M now, and Linsley was having a great year (#1 ranked according to PFF) before a knee injury pause his season. He'll likely garner a raise, but i'm not sure it'll be drastic. RB Aaron Jones is also in need of a new contract.
HOU Will Fuller  (26) WR $10.1M $17M It's complicated. Fuller will miss the remainder of 2020 & the first game of 2021 per his recent PED suspension. Factor that in with a string of injuries and there's a red flag hanging over his pending free agency. With that said, there's clearly a connection between he &Deshaun Watson.
IND Xavier Rhodes (30) CB $3.25M $6M The Colts took a flyer on Rhodes after he posted back to back tough seasons in Minnesota. It's paid off nicely, and a continued marriage between these two makes sense. Darius Leonard (25) also becomes extension eligible after 2020.
JAC Cam Robinson (24) OT $1.4M $11M Robinson has been consistently average in four years with the Jaguars. He projects to an extension literally half the cost of Laremy Tunsil's top tackle pay.
KC Tyrann Mathieu (28) FS $11.4M $12M Mathieu has 1 year $14.8M left on his current deal with the Chiefs, but carries a $19.7M cap figure for 2021. A restructured extension should be beneficial to both sides, guaranteed him about $30M while spreading out the cap charges.
LV Maurice Hurst (25) DT $750k $6M The former 5th round pick has been solid & improving each of this first 3 seasons. He's not a break the bank player, but his value to the team is worth a multi-year extension.
LAC Melvin Ingram (31) OLB $14M $12M He's still a heck of a player, but no longer the top option with Joey Bosa locked up for the foreseeable future. It's possible a Justin Houston type contract is his next move, taking a bit of a reduction to either stick with LA, or land with a contender.
LAR John Johnson  S $2.1M $8.5M Johnson has quietly been a gem in the secondary for the Rams over the past 3 1/2 seasons. The former 3rd round pick is inline for a nice raise, especially if he hits the open market.
MIA Ted Karras  OC $3M $10M Karras was brought over from New England to solidify the interior of the Miami line, and he's been an impact player. The center ceiling has soared of late, so keeping him around may be pricey.
MIN Brian O'Neill (24) RT $880k $7M The Vikings 2nd round pick a few years ago has progressed every year since, and becomes extension eligible for the first time this spring. His metrics don't jump off the page, but a Top 10 right tackle would mean nearly $8M per year.
NE David Andrews (28) OC $3M $7M A healthy Andrews means a better Patriots - it's that easy. Unfortunately with centers now paid $12M at the top, New England will need to at least double his current compensation. Cam Newton certainly has a chance to get himself in this conversation with a big finish.
NO Ryan Ramczyk (26) RT $1.6M $15M Ramcyzk has an $11M 5th year option in 2021, but the Saints need cap help & an extension here can lower that figure. He's been one of the best RTs in the game, valuing close to $16M
NYG Leonard Williams (26) DE $16M $12M

Not sure anyone has taken a bigger step forward than Williams has in this new Giants defense. He made outstanding money on the tag this year, but a long-term deal likely means less per year - more guaranteed. Dalvin Tomlinson  & Logan Ryan are definitely in the conversation here as well.
NYJ Marcus Maye (26) FS $1.3M $7.5M Maye has been above average for three years now, and one of the lone bright spots on the current Jets' roster. With the top safeties in the league earning almost $15M, a $7.5M valuation is merely a floor for his next contract.
PHI Brandon Graham (32) DE $11M $10M Even well into his 30s, Graham is grading out as a Top 10 edge defender in the game. He carries a $17M cap figure in 2021, so Philly could stand to restructure/extend him to help themselves, and keep him in the mix for another year or two.
PIT Cameron Sutton (25) CB $825k $7.5M The Steelers have a bounty of players on expiring contracts, but striking early with Sutton seems to make the most sense. Getting him under contract will allow Pittsburgh some leverage with other decisions (Joe Haden, Minkah Fitzpatrick). A lot will depend on what Ben Roethlisberger decides this spring.
SF Trent Williams (32) LT $12.5M $18M It seems like an absurd price for a 32 year old, but Williams has proven this year that he's still worth it. Oh and the left tackle market jumped up about $6M in the past few months. SF may be changing QBs in 2021, so locking in a sure-thing left tackle makes a ton of sense.
SEA Christopher Carson (25) RB $2.1M $7.5M Carson's biggest red flag is his ability to stay on the field - but what RB in the league doesn't have that going for them. The simple truth is that Russell Wilson's offense is better when Carson is in it. He comps almost identically to Todd Gurley's final two seasons in LA, so his $5.5M becomes Carson's floor. K.J. Wright is also in the conversation here, though upgrading the defense through the draft is likely a huge need for Seattle.
TB Lavonte David (30) LB $10.75M $13.5M I know, Bobby Wagner just scored $18M per year with almost identical comparables. But at some point, GMs are going to collectively admit that the non-pass rushing LB market is way too high. I'll bet on that being this year, and autocorrect the price point back to a modest raise with strong guarantees for David.
TEN Corey Davis (25) WR $4M $10M 6 months ago this would've seemed impossible, but Davis & Tannehill have clearly found something in the final year of his rookie contract. If Tennessee considers him a viable WR2 going forward, the $10M price tag seems about right.
WAS Chase Roullier (27) OC $2.1M $9.5M He's gotten better every year, & especially since veteran QB Alex Smith took over the reigns. It'll be difficult to pay both Roullier & OG Brandon Scherff this offseason, but there are worse ways to spend your money in the NFL.

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