When you get things done ahead of 31 other teams in the league, there’s always a reward.
For Howie Roseman and the Eagles, it’s a sigh of relief knowing your star players under contract for the next 2-6 years. And they’ve managed to save MILLIONS while doing so.
Back in April, the Eagles extended multiple players. Now that the ink has dried on those contracts. It was about time the rest of the league got around to paying some of the other superstars.
Eagles Remain Ahead
In April, the Eagles signed their star receivers to two massive extensions.
- April 15th, DeVonta Smith, 3-year, $75M + 5th year option
- April 25th, A.J. Brown, 3-year, $96M
These contracts don’t come without merit, below has been the duos stat line the last two seasons.
- DeVonta Smith – 33GP, 2,262Rec Yards, 14TD
- A.J. Brown – 34GP, 2,952Rec Yards, 18TD
While these may have been the first few receivers to be paid this off-season, they certainly weren’t the biggest paydays handed out in recent signings.
This Weeks Extensions
In the last few days. Multiple receivers have gotten contract extensions with their current team, including:
Let’s see how these recent contracts compare with base stats of the following two seasons in comparison to the Eagles duo
- Nico Collins – 24GP, 1,778Rec Yards, 10TD
- Jaylen Waddle – 31GP, 2,370Rec Yards, 12TD
When comparing to the Collins deal things might look great. Keep in mind that’s only 1 season with C.J. Stroud as the Texans Quarterback. Things might change in the upcoming season as well, with the addition of Stefon Diggs as well as the hopeful return for Tank Dell’s sophomore season.
The same goes for looking at Waddle’s deal. Similar to DeVonta Smith who’s in a WR2 role behind Brown/Tyreek Hill. DeVonta Smith has put up similar numbers (108 less yards) and will be getting paid nearly $10M less across the 3 years of his deal. With these new contracts for star studded teams, which receiver would you rather in this scenario?
Past Deals
Of course these weren’t the only Receivers to break the bank this off-season, in fact multiple have already seen their new deals come through, including:
- March 11th, Michael Pittman Jr, 3-year, $70M
- April 24th, Amon-Ra St. Brown, 4-year, $120.01M
- March 13th, Calvin Ridley, 4-year, $92M
Of course with their payday, comes the stats. How does this other batch of receivers hold up to the last 4?
- Michael Pittman Jr. – 32GP, 2,077Rec Yards, 8TD
- Amon-Ra St. Brown – 32GP, 2,676Rec Yards, 16TD
- Calvin Ridley – 17GP, 1,016Rec Yards, 8TD
Even if Calvin Ridley had played the 2022 season. His numbers would still be somewhere between Pittman and DeVonta Smith. Depending on what team he had gone to, Ridley could have surpassed the 1,200 mark with ease.
With all these receivers being under contract for the next 3-5 Years. You’d think that means the rest of the big names due in the upcoming year have seen new deals? For some, that’s not the case.
No Contract In Sight?
Also from the 2021 Draft class with Smith and Waddle, is Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase. Entering his 4th season, Chase has put up the following his last two years as a Bengal:
- Ja’Marr Chase – 28GP, 2,262Rec Yards, 16TD
Without a contract, the Bengals have exercised their $21.8M 5th year option for the following season. It will be hard to deny Chase of an extension. Even without Joe Burrow for lengthy periods, Chase has still been able to have success.
But in the NFC, there’s two more names struggling for a payday.
- CeeDee Lamb – 34GP, 3,108Rec Yards, 21TD
- Justin Jefferson – 27GP, 2,883Rec Yards, 13TD
Seeing every other team continue to lock up receivers might be good for the players, but certainly not the teams. A.J and Amon-Ra’s deals are going to be the closest comparison for this duo to get paid. And if they’re trying to takeover the #1 and #2 spot for highest paid receivers, teams will be looking to pay north of $30M to keep these players under contract.
After all the deals and carousel doors of acquiring younger receivers, what contracts would you offer these players who might be left still bargaining for a deal come next off-season?
Photo Credit: Rich Schultz / AP Photo
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