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Invoice Barnwell
It is time to bestow a brand new honor on a handful of NFL legends. Whereas many of those gamers do nice work on the sector, I am joyful to lastly give them the credit score they deserve for what they’ve performed in combating among the most penurious individuals on the planet: NFL crew homeowners. It is time to induct the inaugural class of gamers into the Bag Corridor of Fame (BHOF).
Now, I have to be very clear right here. This is not an try to honor gamers who had been overpaid or did not deserve the cash they made throughout their time within the NFL. I might reject that idea in precept: Nearly each participant, previous or current, was or is underpaid relative to the dangers they take by taking part in skilled soccer. There is no enjoyable in poking at backup quarterbacks who had been in a position to accumulate checks whereas hardly ever stepping on the sector.
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As an alternative, I need to reward the gamers who did one of the best job of maximizing their leverage and getting paid for his or her capacity. Gamers who pushed holdouts to the following degree. Gamers who wager on themselves and had been handsomely rewarded for doing so. Gamers who even managed to signify themselves in negotiations and pocket thousands and thousands of {dollars} that will have in any other case gone to an agent.
For this primary class, the choice committee (me) is inducting eight gamers into what is going to absolutely in the future be a bodily Corridor of Fame. Many of the gamers are nonetheless energetic, however they’ve already performed sufficient to earn their manner into the BHOF with out a five-year ready interval. Lots of them have gained Tremendous Bowls, and a handful are both within the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame or ought to find yourself in Canton in the future. That Corridor of Fame, although, will not be the one establishment honoring them for his or her work. This is our first-class of gamers:
Leap to a Bag Corridor of Famer:
Kirk Cousins | Joe Flacco
Dak Prescott | Jalen Ramsey
Darrelle Revis | Deion Sanders
Matthew Stafford | Laremy Tunsil
Calling card: Making the entrance workplace so mad it refused to name him “Kirk”
When you defined this idea to an NFL fan and requested them who they thought was worthy of induction, they might most likely title Cousins first. About to turn into the most expensive backup quarterback in NFL historical past, Cousins has earned more than $294 million in his career and has one other $37.5 million in assured cash coming from the Falcons earlier than the 2026 season begins. He has been underrated as a dependable passer for many of his profession, however it’s additionally honest to say he has by no means been one of the best quarterback in soccer, both.
From 2016 to 2024, no person took residence more money from NFL groups than Cousins, whose $291.3 million earned was $21 million forward of the second-placed passer (extra on that participant later). Partially, that is as a result of Cousins did not emerge as early as most quarterbacks. Taken 100 picks after fellow Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III within the 2014 draft, he wasn’t far more than an harm fill-in early in his profession. He threw 10 picks on 203 go makes an attempt over his first two seasons. Whereas he was higher over an prolonged stretch beginning early in 2016, he completed his third season with a beneath league-average 50.4 Whole QBR.
With the Commanders benching Griffin in 2015 to keep away from triggering his $16.2 million fifth-year choice (when these choices had been solely assured for harm), Cousins’ path to the beginning job was cleared. Within the closing yr of his rookie deal, he posted a league-best 69.8 completion share, lower his interception charge from 4.7% to 2% and led the Commanders to an unexpected division title. The run ended with a home loss within the playoffs to the Packers, however he had abruptly confirmed he was an NFL-caliber quarterback.
Crew proprietor Daniel Snyder & Co. weren’t as satisfied. After briefly negotiating with Cousins earlier than the 2016 season, Washington broke off talks when their supply of a multiyear deal price $16 million per season was rebuffed. As an alternative, it used the franchise tag, paying Cousins just below $20 million. It was an affordable determination on condition that he had been a stable quarterback for just one yr, however it could not have helped the connection between the crew and their signal-caller.
Cousins responded with a Professional Bowl marketing campaign, throwing for 4,917 yards with 25 touchdowns whereas ending sixth in QBR. Now, one yr away from what would have been unrestricted free company given the outlandish value of a possible third franchise tag, the 2 sides appeared to entrench themselves even additional. Washington tried to negotiate in public, suggesting that its greatest supply assured Cousins $53 million. In sharing that data, government Bruce Allen repeatedly referred to his crew’s beginning quarterback as “Kurt,” a slight that will have been inexplicable for each different group however this one.
Cousins signed a second franchise tag for just below $24 million. After the yr, Washington traded for Alex Smith, signaling the top of the Cousins period. It netted a third-round compensatory decide and turned that into operating again Bryce Love and guard Wes Martin, who began a mixed 10 NFL video games. 13 completely different quarterbacks began at the least one recreation for Washington between Cousins’ departure and the arrival of Jayden Daniels final season, a stretch wherein it went 36-62-1.
Quarterbacks of their 20s with a monitor document of above-average play and no vital harm historical past virtually by no means hit free company, which gave Cousins the flexibility to dictate phrases on the open market. With vital curiosity from a number of groups, he selected the Vikings over the Jets on what was a massive deal on the time — three years and $84 million, $82.5 million of which was fully guaranteed. Cousins additionally landed a no-trade clause and a no-transition tag clause, permitting him to hit free company once more until the Vikings franchised or prolonged him.
The Vikings chose to extend Cousins in 2020, giving him one other $31 million in ensures for an extra season in 2021. The next yr noticed the brand new Kwesi Adofo-Mensah-led regime pay him $35 million for another year, utilizing the brand new deal to cut back what had turn into an onerous cap hit for the signal-caller. Solely after 2023, when Cousins tore his Achilles throughout the most effective seasons of his profession, did the Vikings lastly extricate themselves, changing Cousins with Sam Darnold and first-round decide J.J. McCarthy.
Given yet another shot at unrestricted free company as a viable starter, Cousins shortly inked a four-year, $180 million deal with the Falcons. Atlanta’s aggressive determination appeared weird when it used its first-round decide on Michael Penix Jr. the next month, however Cousins was well-protected. His deal was primarily a one-year pact for $90 million, a two-year deal for $100 million or a three-year contract for $135 million.
With the Falcons promoting Penix to the beginning job amid Cousins’ struggles last season, it appears seemingly they’re going to select the two-year choice. I would not be shocked if Cousins landed some assured cash from one other crew in 2026 if he returns for one more season, however even when he retires, he has turn into the best-compensated free agent in league historical past. Many of the highest-paid gamers ever — reminiscent of Aaron Rodgers, Matt Ryan and Russell Wilson — earned nearly all of their cash from extensions with the groups who drafted them or signed new offers after being traded elsewhere. Cousins, at present the sixth-highest paid participant in league historical past, will end this Falcons deal having earned greater than $285 million from groups who signed him as an unrestricted free agent.
Whereas the wage cap will finally develop to the purpose the place that determine is topped, the one different participant in the identical stratosphere by way of incomes cash as a free agent (and the extensions that adopted) is Drew Brees, who made greater than $256 million after signing with the Saints. The one different gamers who topped $100 million in earnings from groups who signed them as free brokers are Ryan Tannehill ($123.4 million) and Ndamukong Suh ($104 million). Is Cousins going to be a Corridor of Famer like Brees or Rodgers in the future? No. Does he belong within the Bag Corridor of Fame? There might be little doubt.
Calling card: Getting one or two over on Jerry Jones
Like Cousins, Prescott is a former fourth-round decide who wasn’t his crew’s first selection as their quarterback of the long run. Through the 2016 draft, the Cowboys had been reportedly interested in drafting Paxton Lynch or Connor Cook, solely to be crushed to the punch by the Broncos and Raiders, respectively. Crew proprietor Jerry Jones & Co. settled for Prescott with the one hundred and thirty fifth decide, and after Tony Romo went down in preseason with a back injury, the door was opened for the rookie.
Whereas Prescott proceeded to go 13-3 and lead the Cowboys to 2 division titles in his first three seasons, the entrance workplace wasn’t precisely desperate to pay him when he turned eligible for an extension in 2019. The Cowboys prioritized Ezekiel Elliott, who signed a six-year, $90 million contract. Prescott performed out the ultimate yr of his rookie deal and waited.
That call has most likely value Jones 9 figures by way of misplaced leverage and more money for Prescott. In 2019, the Cowboys reportedly supplied him a median of $33 million per yr on a brand new deal, albeit with no actual particulars on the assure construction. He requested for $40 million, and the Cowboys balked. He performed out the ultimate yr of his rookie deal, and after being one of many greatest bargains in soccer between 2016 and 2019, he obtained the franchise tag for $31.4 million in 2020.
Whereas that season was shortened by a critical ankle harm, a disappointing yr meant little by way of his negotiating leverage. As an alternative, the ticking clock on Prescott’s path to free agency was extra significant. With the Cowboys having little selection however to supply him a second franchise tag for $37.7 million and run the danger of dropping him the next season for nothing in free company, the time for coy negotiating was up.
Prescott obtained all the things he needed and extra. He acquired a four-year, $160 million deal with that $40 million common annual wage. By by no means signing the tag and limiting his new deal to 4 years, he obtained an opportunity to hit free company once more after his age-31 season, nonetheless firmly within the peak years for quarterbacks. And crucially, his new deal had no-tag and no-trade clauses, that means he would doubtlessly have much more leverage on the finish of this contract.
Certain sufficient, after Prescott completed second in MVP balloting in 2023, the Cowboys had little selection however to offer their long-term starter a record-setting deal. Prescott’s subsequent four-year deal was for a whopping $240 million, with data for common annual wage ($60 million), most single-season money ($86.3 million), money over the primary three years ($174.1 million) and the biggest signing bonus ever ($80 million). Once more, he was in a position to negotiate no-trade and no-tag clauses, giving him added leverage on the finish of this pact.
It appears telling that different groups have not even been keen to match this Prescott deal for their very own quarterbacks and, at the least thus far, have handled it like an outlier. Josh Allen‘s 2025 extension with the Payments, whereas it consists solely of latest cash and erases his outdated contract, averages $55 million per season, although he has been a extra productive and profitable quarterback than his Cowboys counterpart. The 49ers’ Brock Purdy, who was equally underpaid as a late-round decide, signed a take care of an average salary of $53 million. In the mean time, Prescott’s deal stands alone because the richest in all of soccer.
Between 2021 and 2024, Prescott took residence a staggering $212.3 million, almost $47 million greater than some other participant. We are able to (and sometimes do) debate whether or not he is that caliber of participant, however it’s solely a small issue into how and why he has gotten paid. The Cowboys have not been keen to face a future without him, and after taking part in the franchise tag recreation with their quarterback on the finish of his rookie deal, they have been working from a place of desperation throughout their negotiations. After being an afterthought and the league’s greatest cut price for 4 years, Prescott has turned the tables on Jones and the Cowboys.
Calling card: The final of the good previous-CBA quarterbacks
Probably the most vital modifications within the NFL over the previous 25 years got here in 2011, when the league locked out its players earlier than finally agreeing to a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) in late July. As a part of the deal, the league instituted a rookie scale for draft picks, primarily locking in every participant’s compensation at a below-market charge for the primary 4 (or 5) years of their profession. That transfer created what shortly turned a brand new philosophy of constructing round rookie-contract quarterbacks whereas virtually solely eliminating rookie holdouts within the course of. (By no means doubt the Bengals’ capacity to make one thing outdated new again!)
In a single day, first general picks took a major monetary pay lower. Sam Bradford, the final No. 1 general decide earlier than the CBA modified, inked a six-year deal for $78 million with $50 million assured. Cam Newton, the highest decide in 2011, signed a four-year deal price just over $22 million, all of which was assured at signing. Even now, with the cap greater than double what it was in 2011, first general decide Cam Ward did not get as a lot assured cash ($48.8 million) as Bradford did in 2010.
Bradford wasn’t in a position to parlay his rookie riches into a major second contract, though he did take residence a really respectable $130 million for his 9 NFL seasons. However no person might need benefited extra from the league’s open-ended contracts earlier than the rookie scale than Stafford, who will high the $400 million mark in profession earnings after coming again to the Rams for the 2025 marketing campaign.
Taken with the primary general decide in 2009, Stafford’s rookie deal was significantly eye-opening. When he agreed to phrases on a six-year, $72 million deal with the Lions, the $41.7 million in ensures was the biggest determine for any participant in league historical past, topping the $41 million defensive deal with Albert Haynesworth had been guaranteed by Washington earlier that offseason. You possibly can perceive why NFL homeowners did not love the concept of guaranteeing an inexperienced unknown amount like Stafford greater than the skilled, confirmed veteran Haynesworth.
In fact, the Stafford deal turned out to be a significantly better than the Haynesworth pact. In truth, the Lions ended up being victims of their very own success within the draft. Detroit landed a giant three of top-five picks earlier than huge threes had been a factor. In 2007, they used the second general decide on Calvin Johnson. Two years later, after their 0-16 season, the brand new Martin Mayhew-led regime drafted Stafford. The next yr, the Lions took defensive deal with Ndamukong Suh with the No. 2 choice.
Within the trendy NFL, the Lions would have put themselves in place to thrive by being blessed with three superstars on rookie-value offers. Underneath the outdated CBA, they had been paying three (very proficient) gamers about $34 million per season — about 28% of the wage cap again then. It will be the equal of paying these three gamers roughly $79 million as we speak. And beneath the league’s outdated CBA, these contracts had been massive sufficient to primarily forestall the Lions from franchise-tagging Stafford or Johnson on the finish of their offers, limiting their leverage in negotiating new offers.
In a troublesome cap bind due to the offers and their spending elsewhere, the Lions repeatedly restructured Stafford’s and Suh’s offers to create short-term cap area. After Stafford’s fourth season, he signed a comparatively player-friendly extension (three years, $53 million deal). Most groups lock their quarterbacks as much as longer offers, usually with significant quantities of unguaranteed cash and years on the finish of the contract, which serves to each lock in safety at a very powerful place in soccer and supply negotiating leverage down the road. Simply over $41 million of Stafford’s deal was virtually assured when he signed his first extension.
4 years later, with Stafford one yr away from free company, he obtained one other record-setting deal. Regardless of only one Professional Bowl look and 0 playoff wins over his first eight seasons, his leverage pushed Detroit to offer him a five-year, $135 million contract, making him the highest-paid participant in league historical past on the time. The deal paid him $93 million over three years, $12 million greater than what some other participant was set to earn over the primary three years of their contract on the time, and his $50 million signing bonus was additionally a league document.
However after the 2020 season, the Lions moved ahead with out their quarterback and made a fateful trade. In sending Stafford to the Rams for 2 first-round picks and benched signal-caller Jared Goff, each side can really feel joyful in regards to the outcome. Stafford won a Super Bowl in his first season with Los Angeles. Goff rebuilt his career in Detroit and have become a constructing block.
After his postseason breakthrough and successful a title with Los Angeles, Stafford was paid accordingly. He signed a four-year, $160 million extension with the Rams, together with what was the third-largest signing bonus ($60 million) in league historical past on the time. He might need truly left some cash on the desk with this transfer to assist hold the Rams aggressive, though a disappointing season led the group to go on a extra aggressive retooling.
What obtained Stafford over the hump as a Bag Corridor of Famer, although, was his work over the previous 12 months. Earlier than the 2024 season, the Rams moved most of his ensures ahead by one yr. Having already earned greater than $364 million in his profession and $27 million in (largely) unguaranteed cash coming within the 2025 season, he determined the Rams wanted to pay up for him return at age 37.
It is one factor for a veteran to justify that he wants a sure amount of cash to play in any respect late in his profession, however Stafford was reportedly open to a trade to the Giants or Raiders in the event that they had been keen to pay him what the Rams wouldn’t. Overlook attempting to play for a winner to eke out yet another ring: He threatened leaving for one of many worst groups within the league, whereas downgrading his offensive coordinator and offensive line, if the Rams weren’t keen to offer him a increase. That’s Corridor of Fame dedication to the underside line.
Ultimately, the Rams and Stafford discovered frequent floor. Whereas Stafford did not get a multiyear assure, he caught round in Los Angeles for $40 million in 2025. Would he have actually gone to play for the Giants? Some individuals would name {that a} bluff. Bag Corridor of Famers would name that sensible negotiating.
Calling card: Turning one playoff run into two contracts
No participant might need performed a greater job of parlaying his leverage into an unexpectedly massive contract than Flacco, who turned one playoff run into two contracts with the Ravens. In his case, timing was all the things.
Like the opposite quarterbacks within the Corridor, Flacco wager on himself. With 4 consecutive playoff appearances and two journeys to AFC Championship Video games throughout his first 4 seasons, he had performed nearly all the things in need of taking the Ravens to the Tremendous Bowl. Provided that they ranked third in scoring protection in every of these 4 years, although, it was honest to say loads of NFL followers believed he was being carried to these deep playoff runs. Whereas Flacco had simply produced a stable efficiency and are available inside a Lee Evans drop of beating the Patriots within the 2011 AFC Championship Game, he had thrown a mixed seven interceptions within the 4 losses that had ended Baltimore’s 4 seasons with him on the helm.
With that in thoughts, perhaps it should not have been a shock that there was a disconnect between how the Ravens seen Flacco and the way the 27-year-old seen himself. Heading into the 2012 season, he and the Ravens got here shut on a contract extension earlier than these talks fell apart. ESPN’s Adam Schefter described Flacco’s perspective towards a long-term deal as “indifference,” a time period hardly ever utilized in regards to anybody procuring life-changing cash. Schefter famous that Flacco was extra involved with maintaining his degree of play from Week 1, when he threw for 299 yards and two scores in a blowout win over the Bengals.
Flacco wasn’t that good for a lot of the season, however he obtained white-hot when issues mattered most. With the Ravens battling defensive accidents, they finally landed the 4-seed within the AFC. From there, he went nuclear. Working off the most effective playoff stretches in league historical past, the 6-foot-6 quarterback threw for 1,140 yards with 11 touchdowns and no picks. After a home win over the Colts, the Ravens gained in double overtime within the Rahim Moore game over the Broncos, then beat the Patriots at residence in Foxborough earlier than winning a shootout over the 49ers within the Tremendous Bowl.
As a quarterback coming into the prime of his profession with a Tremendous Bowl ring in his pocket, Flacco was abruptly within the driver’s seat. After their prior Tremendous Bowl win in 2000, the Ravens had let beginning quarterback Trent Dilfer leave, changing him with Elvis Grbac. They cycled by means of future starters over a lot of the subsequent decade earlier than finally touchdown on Flacco. Even with franchise icon Ed Reed concurrently hitting free company, the Ravens wanted to prioritize Flacco.
Flacco and his illustration had been in a position to extract what was, on the time, the richest deal in NFL historical past. The Ravens signed Flacco to a six-year, $120.6 million contract. Earlier than the season, the ceiling for Flacco’s negotiations was two franchise tags, which might have paid him about $33 million for 2 years. As an alternative, after his Tremendous Bowl success, they paid him $51 million over two seasons and virtually assured one other $11 million.
Even that undersells how nice of a deal this was for Flacco. As a result of the Ravens had been in tough cap form, the construction of the contract saved the cap figures low earlier than the accounting jumped from $14.6 million in 12 months 3 to $28.6 million in 12 months 4. In consequence, Baltimore was all the time more likely to be able wherein it could want handy him a second contract after three seasons. And certainly, earlier than the 2016 season, Flacco signed a three-year, $66 million extension, guaranteeing him one other $44 million.
Between 2013 and 2018, Flacco ended up taking residence $124 million in money, the fourth-most cash of any participant over that time-frame. (That is the equal of about $240 million relative to the present wage cap.) Over that run, he made only one run again to the postseason, successful a complete of two playoff video games and going 42-41 in the course of the common season. His 53.6 QBR ranked twentieth out of the 26 quarterbacks who threw at the least 1,500 passes over that six-year stretch. Coach John Harbaugh nearly lost his job after the 2017 season and was on the recent seat in 2018 earlier than Flacco went down with a hip harm and the Ravens had been pressured to show to first-round decide Lamar Jackson. You understand what occurred subsequent.
Calling card: The perfect cowl nook — and market-setter — of his technology
I am undecided any participant was in a position to focus extra vital contracts in a shorter time period than Revis, who was primarily completed as a professional participant earlier than turning 32 years outdated. After spending the primary three years of his profession on a rookie deal, he managed to signal 4 vital offers in a six-year span, together with three multiyear pacts and a one-year contract for what amounted to a franchise tag with the Patriots in 2014.
Revis was in a position to push the envelope due to his audacious capacity at cornerback. After an uneven rookie season, he made the Professional Bowl in his second season in 2008 and was arguably one of the best cornerback in soccer by his third. With the Jets constructed upon Rex Ryan’s blitz-happy, hyper-aggressive protection, Revis turned an integral part on the again finish. Quarterbacks knew they shouldn’t throw at him, however with restricted time and Revis perpetually in one-on-one protection, there merely weren’t any alternate options. He turned the 96 targets thrown his manner into six picks in 2009. Utilizing protection metrics produced by Soccer Outsiders, I discovered that Revis was a historic outlier at cornerback that season, each bit pretty much as good at his place as one of the best quarterbacks had been at theirs.
Understandably, Revis needed to receives a commission. As was famously depicted on that yr’s “Laborious Knocks,” he held out and drove a tough cut price with then-Jets common supervisor Mike Tannenbaum. The 2 sides finally agreed on a four-year, $46 million deal, with Revis making a mixed $32.5 million for the 2010 and 2011 seasons. Whereas there was no salary cap in 2010, that is roughly the equal of a cornerback taking residence about $75 million in money as we speak. No nook within the league comes near that on their present deal.
The opposite key concession Revis acquired within the deal was a assure that the Jets would not franchise-tag him after the 2013 season, when his contract was set to void. The contract had a clause that will add a number of seasons to the top of the deal if he held out throughout coaching camp, however he was keen to wager that he may cut price his manner by means of these considerations. After the primary two years of the brand new deal, Revis hinted at a holdout before the 2012 season. As soon as that marketing campaign was shortened by a torn ACL, a Jets crew with little leverage responded to the specter of dropping their franchise cornerback for nothing by trading him to the Buccaneers for a first-round decide. (New York used that decide on defensive deal with Sheldon Richardson, who gained Defensive Rookie of the 12 months however was traded away after 4 seasons.)
With the Bucs, Revis obtained the kind of deal we have not seen from a star participant since. Eager to reset the market with a standout wage on the time, he signed a six-year, $96 million deal with the Buccaneers. It was a large wage on the time (and the equal of a $36.3 million annual wage for a cornerback as we speak), however the deal contained no assured cash. Whereas that gave him the flexibility to doubtlessly renegotiate if he exceeded expectations, it additionally gave Tampa Bay full flexibility to maneuver on from him.
After one yr, it did, releasing Revis with 5 (unguaranteed) years remaining on his present deal. It was a uncommon misstep from the legendary defensive again, however issues labored out positive for him. He signed a one-year, $12 million deal with the Patriots, inserting the most effective man-to-man cornerbacks of his technology on a Invoice Belichick protection that relied closely on man protection. This was primarily a one-year franchise tag, on condition that the nook tag in 2014 was $11.8 million.
Revis proceeded to win the Super Bowl and was named a first-team All-Professional. With the construction of the deal stopping the Patriots from franchise-tagging him, the four-time first-team All-Professional obtained yet another likelihood to hit free company earlier than turning 30. He returned to the Jets, with a five-year deal making him the highest-paid cornerback within the league and guaranteeing him $39 million. The contract paid him $16 million per season over the primary three seasons on paper.
As an alternative, the Jets paid Revis $39 million for 2 years, because the group determined to maneuver on after a wonderful return in 2015 gave approach to a disappointing second season. He parted ways together with his brokers in Might 2016 and signed with the Chiefs late within the 2017 season, however after an underwhelming efficiency in a playoff loss to the Titans, he was cut. He retired in July 2018.
In all, between signing that first extension with the Jets in 2010 and ending his profession with the Chiefs in 2017, Revis took residence greater than $101 million — almost $26 million greater than some other cornerback within the league over that span. The one non-quarterback who made more cash over that stretch is Ndamukong Suh, who could be a part of the 2026 BHOF class subsequent offseason. Nearly as good as Revis was as a participant, he might need been an even better negotiator.
Calling card: Backing up the truck
Whereas Ramsey hasn’t been fairly as aggressive as Revis by way of pushing for brand new contracts, there is a sure model and panache to his negotiations that must be rewarded. It is one factor to carry out and one other, as Terrell Owens famously confirmed, to do sit-ups in your driveway for the media.
After rising as an upper-echelon cornerback throughout his first three seasons in Jacksonville, Ramsey was eligible for a brand new deal in the summertime of 2019. The man on the opposite aspect of the negotiating desk? Veteran coach Tom Coughlin, whose old-school method because the lead government in Jacksonville finally led to the Jaguars being answerable for more than 25% of the grievances filed by players with the union in 2019. The Jags had a exceptional behavior of taking cash out of their players’ pockets with fines; how was Ramsey going to get that cash again from the group?
He might need felt a must push the proverbial envelope. That June, Ramsey revealed that the Jaguars didn’t intend to offer him an extension, a stunning transfer given how aggressive groups often are with locking up their younger superstars. Whereas he publicly stated he wasn’t indignant or upset with the choice, what occurred subsequent recommended that he was keen to prod the entrance workplace to do one thing.
Audaciously, Ramsey confirmed as much as coaching camp in an armored truck with a hype man, who completed his introduction by saying that it was time for Ramsey to get his cash. One of many methods you recognize I am not a member of the Bag Corridor of Fame: I’d have fortunately paid $1,000 to expertise Coughlin’s response to this video for the primary time.
That transfer did not work, however Ramsey’s subsequent play did. Two weeks into the season, a dialog with an unnamed member of the group that Ramsey characterised as “disrespectful” led the star nook to request a trade. He then performed yet another recreation with the Jaguars earlier than he started to overlook time with a nagging back injury.
I do not like suggesting {that a} participant was faking an harm, as each NFL participant offers with significant aches and pains all through the season. Within the annals of drugs, although, few medical doctors and scientists have explored what seems to be a salve for again accidents: going to Los Angeles. Ramsey missed three video games with a back injury that wasn’t “debilitating” earlier than the Jags gave into his request and traded him to the Rams for 2 first-round picks. He stepped proper into the lineup and performed eight consecutive video games earlier than lacking a meaningless Week 17 recreation with a knee harm.
Ramsey wasn’t shy about his happiness in Los Angeles; he known as the day of the commerce “probably one of the best days of my life.” The Rams had been extra motivated to maintain their new addition round. Ramsey waited to barter his extension with the Rams till after his fourth season was accomplished. Simply earlier than the 2020 season started, he inked a five-year deal price $100 million, making him the highest-paid cornerback in league historical past. The Jags turned the first-rounders they obtained for him into go rusher K’Lavon Chaisson and operating again Travis Etienne Jr.
After taking part in out three years of the brand new deal and winning a Super Bowl in Los Angeles, Ramsey was desperate to get one other deal performed. With simply $12.5 million in ensures remaining on his present contract, he prayed for another trade and got his wish, with the Rams sending him to the Dolphins for a third-round pick and backup tight finish Hunter Long. As a part of the deal, the Dolphins assured the remainder of his $17 million wage in 2023 and $14.5 million in 2024, including $19 million in ensures to his present deal.
Whereas Ramsey missed half of his debut season in Miami with a knee injury, the Dolphins protection soared after his return to the lineup. One yr after adjusting his deal as a part of the commerce, the Dolphins locked him up on a bigger contract: his three-year, $72.4 million extension made him the league’s highest-paid cornerback for a second time, topping the deal that Pat Surtain II had signed days earlier. The deal got here with greater than $50 million in sensible ensures for Ramsey, who was locked in to earn simply over $25 million in 2025.
Ramsey’s going to get his cash, however it will not be in Miami. Only one yr after giving him his second contract in two years, the Dolphins and their star cornerback determined that it could be greatest to half methods. They made this determination in mid-April, lengthy after the Dolphins had paid him $4 million and the remainder of the league had spent the overwhelming majority of their funds in free company. Even when they did, with Ramsey turning 31 in October, there weren’t many groups that noticed a $21 million funding in a veteran cornerback as nice worth.
In consequence, the Dolphins dealt Ramsey to the Steelers earlier this week in an enchanting problem commerce for veteran security Minkah Fitzpatrick. Given what occurred in Jacksonville, the Dolphins most likely did not need to face a regular-season situation wherein they had been counting on Ramsey to be part of the lineup with a commerce request on the playing cards. And Ramsey, to his credit score, reportedly landed a $1.5 million bonus to sweeten the deal.
Ramsey has performed his playing cards properly. He has been in a position to repeatedly maneuver to completely different organizations and get vital ensures within the course of. He signed two offers to be the highest-paid cornerback in soccer. He has repeatedly left struggling groups for extra aggressive ones, which is even true about his transfer this offseason. And I do not suppose any NFL participant has ever made an government extra indignant with a novelty automobile rental. He is an amazing participant and a spectacular negotiator.
Deion Sanders, CB
Calling card: The last word free agent addition
Trying just a little additional into the previous, now we have to honor one of many biggest gamers — and negotiators — in league historical past. Sanders clearly discovered a approach to do one thing nearly no person else within the NFL (in need of Bo Jackson and Brian Jordan) did throughout his athletic prime: play baseball. Along with his earnings from the gridiron, Sanders took residence just over $13 million for his work with the Braves, Giants and Reds between 1991 and 2000, a sum which required each supreme athletic items and the flexibility to leverage his success as a soccer participant into the kind of association no NFL group would like their star cornerback to get pleasure from.
Early in his profession, Sanders did not should journey far to play each sports activities, on condition that he was a cornerback for the Falcons and an outfielder for the Braves. Earlier than the 1992 season, he held out earlier than signing a one-year deal for $2 million, making him the highest-paid defender in league historical past on the time. The contract additionally allowed him to go away the Falcons in the course of the MLB postseason earlier than returning to the crew, though he would have been fined recreation checks if he missed regular-season NFL video games to play within the World Collection.
After taking part in out an choice yr, Sanders left the Falcons in free company. He spent 1994 taking part in baseball and going on an extended free agent tour, conducting “impromptu press conferences” at numerous stops. After the baseball season was waylaid by the gamers strike, he turned down a multiyear deal from the Saints and signed a one-year deal with the 49ers in mid-September, two weeks into the season. He promptly picked off six passes, returned three for touchdowns, gained Defensive Participant of the 12 months and added two extra interceptions throughout San Francisco’s Tremendous Bowl playoff run. Not dangerous for $1.3 million.
In keeping with Sanders, the 49ers by no means supplied him a deal to stay in San Francisco. He was as an alternative pressured to accept their archrivals, who made him the highest-paid defender in league historical past. Once more, he waited till after the season began to signal with the Cowboys. His seven-year, $35 million deal included a document $12.99 million signing bonus. For reference, the wage cap in 1995 was simply $37.1 million; that is one thing like an elite cornerback signing a seven-year, $263.4 million take care of a $97 million signing bonus beneath the present cap.
The transfer impressed reverberations across the league. Groups complained to the league that Sanders’ deal and its massive bonus circumvented the wage cap. Jerry Rice went on a tirade about how Sanders hadn’t gained the Tremendous Bowl for the 49ers. Emmitt Smith‘s agent tried to use the Sanders contract to forestall the Cowboys from utilizing the franchise tag to maintain their star again. And Sanders delivered the products. Whereas he was restricted to 9 video games in his debut season with the Cowboys, he suited up within the postseason and helped carry the Cowboys a Tremendous Bowl title, his second in two years.
4 years later, Sanders signed one other huge take care of the Cowboys; this time, a five-year pact for $51.4 million. This deal did not final fairly as lengthy, with the Cowboys chopping Sanders after one yr to keep away from triggering $23 million in ensures for the 2000 and 2001 seasons. He then signed a seven-year, $56.1 million deal with Washington. However after earning $8.5 million for his first yr in Washington (trendy equal: $38.1 million), he selected to retire from soccer, returning $2.5 million of his signing bonus within the course of.
Whereas Sanders later returned to the NFL and made $1.5 million per yr with the Ravens in 2004 and 2005, the overwhelming majority of his incomes was performed. We do not have exhaustive knowledge on salaries for gamers within the mid-Nineteen Nineties, however he was seemingly the highest-paid defender of his technology or someplace very shut. He was in a position to bend homeowners who might need scoffed on the notion of their star cornerback taking part in baseball to his will. (Sanders additionally satisfied the Cowboys to let him play vast receiver, catching 36 passes in 1996.) He was arguably one of the best one-year addition as a free agent in NFL historical past for the 49ers after which signed a market-altering take care of the Cowboys to carry them one other ring. He is a simple Corridor of Famer on and off the sector.
Calling card: Doing it his rattling self
One of many few energetic gamers who has already performed sufficient to earn consideration for the Bag Corridor of Fame, Tunsil deserves further credit score for doing all the work off the sector on his personal. He has served as his own agent for every of his negotiations, and albeit, different gamers ought to rent him for their very own offers. After proving himself to be an excellent left deal with, the 30-year-old has been in a position to parlay one crew’s desperation right into a sequence of player-friendly contracts. I would not be shocked if one other one was on the best way.
Tunsil famously fell within the 2016 NFL draft when a leaked video revealed him smoking marijuana out of a fuel masks, which seemingly value him thousands and thousands of {dollars} given his anticipated touchdown spot within the high 10 picks. Whereas he went to the Dolphins with the thirteenth decide, that very particular touchdown spot paid off in the long term.
Three years later, the Dolphins had been making ready to tank for his or her quarterback of the long run. In a matter of weeks, they traded their two younger cornerstones in Tunsil and Minkah Fitzpatrick, who went to the Steelers for a first-rounder. As I documented back in 2022, a sequence of unrelated selections that began with stories of then-owner Bob McNair likening gamers to “inmates” and the promotion of coach Invoice O’Brien to take over the crew’s personnel division left the Texans in a susceptible place.
The group traded away veteran left deal with Duane Brown after he held out early within the yr and pushed again in opposition to McNair’s commentary. After the season, they tried to fill the place by signing oft-injured deal with Matt Kalil earlier than making an attempt to draft Washington State left deal with Andre Dillard within the first spherical, just for the Eagles to commerce up and beat them to the punch. With Kalil struggling in camp and no different viable different on the roster, O’Brien went all-in to attempt to defend younger quarterback Deshaun Watson.
The Texans traded two first-round picks and a second-rounder to the Dolphins as a part of a package deal to accumulate Tunsil. A type of picks turned the third general choice within the 2021 draft, which the Dolphins used to accumulate three extra first-round picks from the 49ers within the Trey Lance deal. Miami ended up touchdown Jevon Holland, Jaylen Waddle, Tyreek Hill, and Bradley Chubb with among the picks from the Tunsil commerce.
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Riddick praises Commanders offseason: ‘This offense is rolling’
Louis Riddick and Dan Orlovsky break down how Laremy Tunsil’s transfer to the Commanders positively impacts Jayden Daniels.
Crucially, Tunsil did not signal a contract extension as a part of the commerce deal. By the point the 2 sides sat down after his first yr in Houston, he was already by means of his fourth season within the league and one yr away from unrestricted free company. O’Brien struggled with overpaying gamers throughout his time accountable for participant personnel, and after paying a lot to accumulate Tunsil, he wasn’t going to be working from a place of power in negotiating his left deal with’s new deal.
Tunsil signed the most effective offers I’ve seen for a participant’s second contract. His three-year, $66 million extension pushed the highest of the offensive line market ahead from $18 million per yr to a median annual wage of $22 million. Going year-to-year, paying him his fifth-year choice and utilizing two franchise tags, would have value $47 million over three years with none long-term assure. As an alternative, the Texans paid him almost $58 million over that time-frame with out many unguaranteed years on the again finish to make use of as leverage.
Crucially, as a 25-year-old on the time, the brief size of Tunsil’s extension ensured that he would get one other crack at free company within the absolute prime of his profession. With one yr left on his present deal within the 2023 season and the Texans wanting to guard their new long-term QB in C.J. Stroud, Tunsil negotiated one other player-friendly deal. This time, it was a three-year, $75 million extension that virtually assured $60 million on the time of signing. And once more, he put himself in place to hit free company at age 32, which continues to be throughout the peak time-frame for NFL tackles.
After two years, the Texans traded Tunsil to the Commanders for a pair of draft picks, clearly concentrating on him as a long-term left deal with to guard their very own sensational younger quarterback in Jayden Daniels. Now, with two years and $42.7 million left on his present deal, guess what he is in place to do once more? He can signal one other extension from a crew that implicitly dedicated to him with a commerce. Will probably be his third vital extension by advantage of the improbable deal he negotiated with the Texans a number of regimes in the past.