T.J. Lang

PFR’s 2017 Free Agent Power Rankings 2.0

January 31st, 2017 at 2:50pm CST by Zachary Links

For 30 of the NFL’s 32 teams, the offseason is already underway. Here is the latest installment of our 2017 NFL Free Agent Power Rankings, which is comprised only of upcoming unrestricted free agents, and is ranked by projected guaranteed money. In parentheses next to each player, you’ll find their position in the early January edition of the rankings. For more, check out our master list of all 2017 free agents.

1. Kirk Cousins, QB (1): Cousins may not be the best player on this list, but he will come away with the most guaranteed money of any free agent this offseason. Quarterbacks are perpetually in high demand and short supply and as a result Cousins could become one of the league’s three highest paid signal callers. Because Washington has already used the franchise tag on Cousins, a repeat would cost them a whopping $23.94MM for 2017. The belief is that Cousins is seeking that $23.94MM number as an AAV goal. There has been talk of the Redskins shopping their star QB, but the team has since publicly stated its intention of locking him up to a long-term deal.

2. Chandler Jones, LB/DE (2): Jones has been an absolute stud ever since entering the league as a first-round pick in 2012. If we go by the numbers at Pro Football Focus, 2016 was actually Jones’ best year to date. This past season, he finished out with a strong 87.4 overall score, tying him for seventh amongst all edge rushers with Houston’s Whitney Mercilus. In the previous four seasons with New England, Jones averaged a 79.38 on PFF. Every team could use a sack machine like Jones, but coach Bruce Arians says the Cardinals will place the franchise tag on him if they cannot agree on a long-term deal. He’s technically ticketed for unrestricted free agency, but it doesn’t sound like Jones is going anywhere.

3. Kawann Short, DT (3): Unlike former teammate Josh Norman, Panthers defensive tackle Kawann Short says he won’t have any problem signing the franchise tender if the team tags him. “I wouldn’t fight it or anything,” said Short in early January. In 2016, he turned in his fourth straight 16-game season and ranked as Pro Football Focus’ fourth-best interior defender. Short, 28 this week, also had six sacks on the year. I think the Panthers would be wise to hit Short with the ~$13.468MM franchise tag or sign him to a long-term deal, but there is at least a non-trivial chance of him reaching the open market.

4. Melvin Ingram, LB (5): The Chargers are moving to Los Angeles, but it remains to be seen whether they will be bringing Ingram with them. Ingram has established himself as one of the game’s brightest young edge rushers, so retaining him will cost a pretty penny. Ingram shed the first-round bust label in 2015 and in 2016 he proved himself all over again, silencing doubters and cementing his major payday this spring. When Ingram celebrates his 28th birthday in April, he’ll be a much richer man regardless of where he winds up.

5. Alshon Jeffery, WR (4): In our first installment of the Free Agent Power Rankings, Dallas Robinson had Jeffery ranked No. 3 overall. However, that was before his four-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs. Once considered an elite talent at the wide receiver position, Jeffery now seems like more of a second tier type after two disappointing seasons. A second franchise tag would cost the Bears quite a bit and it seems like they’re ready to move on, so you can expect to see him reach the open market. Some team out there will roll the dice on Jeffery, hoping that they can get a stud WR at a discount price.

6. Dont’a Hightower, LB (6): Unlike the aforementioned players, Hightower has bigger fish to fry before he starts thinking about free agency. This Sunday, Hightower has an opportunity to seize his second career Super Bowl ring. After that – win or lose – we’re expecting the Pats to act fast and lock up Hightower for the foreseeable future. The Pats’ decision to jettison Jones and Jamie Collins didn’t slow them down in 2016, but they’d be downright crazy to let Hightower get away. Without those two defensive stars to consider, New England should have enough room to get something done with Hightower before free agency starts.

7. A.J. Bouye, CB (8): Bouye is a fascinating free agent case. This year, he graded out as PFF’s No. 3 cornerback in the NFL and he continued to get the job done in the Texans’ two postseason games. He also doesn’t turn 26 until August. The trouble here is that his 2016 performance pretty much came out of the blue. With no real resume to show for his first three years in the NFL, teams are looking at Bouye with a healthy bit of skepticism. There is mutual interest between the corner and the Texans in a reunion.

8. Kevin Zeitler, G (9): Teams looking to beef up their O-Line will be on the horn with Zeitler’s reps as soon as they are allowed (and maybe a little before that point). As of January 14th, Zeitler has not discussed a new deal with the Bengals and it seems possible they will let him ascertain his value on the open market. Zeitler, 27 in March, was PFF’s No. 7 ranked guard in the NFL this year. In 2014 and 2015, he earned similar scores for his work. Kelechi Osemele got a five-year, $58.5MM deal from Oakland last year and that could be in play for Zeitler if he is on the board in early March.

9. Calais Campbell, DL (10): After turning in one of the best seasons of his career, Campbell is in line for another healthy payday. The Cardinals were probably planning to move on from the former University of Miami star after landing Jones in 2016, but they’ll have to give real consideration to keeping both players, if they can swing it. If they can’t, the durable defensive lineman will get paid elsewhere after notching 53 total tackles and eight sacks in 2016. The only thing really working against Campbell here is his age. He’ll turn 31 just before Week 1 of the 2017 season.

10. Le’Veon Bell (NR): Bell gets listed here for his tremendous ability, but there’s little chance that he actually reaches the open market. The Steelers have already made it clear that they will use the franchise tag on the running back and we expect the two sides to shake hands on a long-term deal soon after. If it happens, that deal should easily best LeSean McCoy‘s ~$8MM AAV and Doug Martin‘s $15MM in guarantees.

Honorable mention: Eric Berry, Jason Pierre-Paul, T.J. Lang, Stephon Gilmore, Tony Jefferson, Trumaine Johnson, Nick Perry, Dontari Poe, Martellus Bennett

Packers Notes: Lang, Cook, Shields

January 23rd, 2017 at 3:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

T.J. Lang will be a sought-after guard if he makes it to the free agent market, joining the likes of Kevin Zeitler, Ronald Leary and Larry Warford among a talented contingent of interior blockers. But the six-year Packers starter wants to wrap up his prime years in Green Bay.

“I think everybody in this locker room knows that this is where I want to play,” Lang said, via Ryan Wood of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “It’s been eight years now. I don’t want to go anywhere. I’ve been saying that since the beginning. I love this team; I love Green Bay; I love everything about being a Packer.”

Already having two tackles signed long-term, Ted Thompson did not make a Lang extension a priority this season. Nothing emerged about the sides discussing a deal. Lang, who will undergo hip surgery for an injury that’s bothered him all year (per Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com), won’t turn 30 until September. He made his first Pro Bowl this season, but Thompson cut three-time Pro Bowler Josh Sitton last year. The Packers have depth at tackle with Bryan Bulaga, David Bakhtiari and second-rounder Jason Spriggs, but the build-from-within team doesn’t have a surefire replacement lined up at guard. Center J.C. Tretter also stands to be a UFA come March.

Here’s more coming out of Green Bay after the franchise’s second NFC championship loss in three seasons.

Count Jared Cook as another Packer who wants to come back.Aaron Rodgers agrees with that sentiment. “Jared Cook, I think, needs to be near the top of the priority list, the way he played this year,” the All-Pro quarterback said, via Wood. Cook represented one of Thompson’s rare forays into free agency, and with the backing of the league’s most gifted quarterback — and the team finally having a viable weapon at tight end — a reunion makes sense. Wood reports a source informed him in December a Cook return was likely. An underwhelming raw talent with the Titans and Rams, Cook caught 18 passes for 229 yards and two TDs in his first playoff run. He and Martellus Bennett are the top tight end options on the current market.
Rodgers appeared to be stumping for more talent to be added this offseason, Thompson’s free agency-phobic tendencies notwithstanding. “We need to reload,” he said, via Kevin Patra of NFL.com. “I don’t think we need to rebuild; we need to reload. We got a lot of players who are young. … We just need to reload a little bit this offseason.” Green Bay’s core receivers are all under contract for 2017, with only Cook as a UFA. The Packers re-signed Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb in recent years and could do the same with Cook. Rodgers added that keeping the offensive line together was a “big part of our success.” Of the Packers’ starting line, only Lang is a free agent.
Sam Shields does not want to retire despite suffering two concussions in a nine-month stretch, but Jason Wilde of the Wisconsin State Journal notes the Packers are likely to move on from their previous No. 1 corner. Shields stands to carry a $12.125MM cap number in 2017, his age-30 season and the last on his contract, and the Packers would save $9MM by cutting him. The team did not receive much consistency at cornerback this season due to rampant injuries, but Green Bay did draft corners in the first and second round of the 2015 draft and land promising UDFA Ladarius Gunter. So, Shields returning at that price is almost certainly a non-starter, and he might have to find another employer on a short-term deal.

PFR’s 2017 Free Agent Power Rankings

January 6th, 2017 at 10:00pm CST by Zachary Links

The regular season is over and, for most teams, the offseason is underway. Here is the latest installment of our 2017 NFL Free Agent Power Rankings, which is comprised only of upcoming unrestricted free agents, and is ranked by projected guaranteed money. In parentheses next to each player, you’ll find their position in the November edition of the rankings. For more, check out our master list of all 2017 free agents.

1. Kirk Cousins, QB (1): In 2015, Cousins established himself as a solid NFL quarterback. That summer, the Redskins told Cousins they wanted him to prove it all over again before giving him a monster contract. Cousins was happy to oblige and he has now increased his value even further. After a so-so start to 2016 season, Cousins closed out strong to finish as Pro Football Focus’ No. 8 ranked QB, putting him ahead of notables such as Matthew Stafford, Ryan Tannehill, Andy Dalton, Ben Roethlisberger, Cam Newton, and Philip Rivers. All of those players have gotten their big pay day and now it’s time for Cousins to join the club.

2. Chandler Jones, LB/DE (2): Before you start salivating over the idea of Jones joining your favorite team’s front seven, we have some bad news: Bruce Arians says the Cardinals will place the franchise tag on him if they cannot agree on a long-term deal. Whether it’s on a one-year, $16.955MM deal or a multi-year contract that tops Olivier Vernon‘s Giants deal, it sounds like Jones is staying put. Jones, 27 in May, played in all 16 games this year and racked up 11 sacks.

3. Kawann Short, DT (4): Contract talks between the Panthers and Short stalled last summer and Fletcher Cox‘s market-boosting deal with the Eagles didn’t help matters. Short wound up playing 2016 for peanuts ($1.473MM) and he turned in yet another stellar season. Short was the fourth-best interior defender in the league this season, per Pro Football Focus, and his 87.7 overall score was roughly the same as his 2015 mark, even though he had five less sacks. In June, it was said that the Panthers did not want to go too far beyond an average annual salary of $15MM. If he’s not franchised tagged or signed to a long-term deal by Carolina, there are a few teams that will happily go beyond that point.

4. Alshon Jeffery, WR (3): Despite a down year, Dallas Robinson gave Jeffery the benefit of the doubt last time and ranked him as our No. 3 free agent based on his past work. That was one week before his four-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs. Jeffery claimed that he took “a recommended supplement to combat inflammation” without realizing that it contained something that was on the league’s banned list of substances. That may be true, but Jeffery needed to rebound from his injury-shortened 2015 with a full, productive season in order to restore his stock. Teams will cut him some slack given the Bears’ quarterback issues, but he might not approach the deals of Julio Jones, Demaryius Thomas, and Dez Bryant.

5. Melvin Ingram, LB (6): Ingram broke out in 2015 and in 2016 he proved it wasn’t a fluke. Now with back-to-back seasons as one of the league’s better edge rushers, Ingram is poised to cash in. Ryan Kerrigan‘s five-year, $57.5MM extension with the Redskins has been suggested as a comp, but I expect Ingram to top that deal. This is nearly two years later and the projected cap increase should benefit all players.

6. Dont’a Hightower, LB (6): Hightower has been a stud for the Patriots ever since entering the league as a first-round pick in 2012. Charged with anchoring the defense at inside linebacker, Hightower doesn’t have gaudy stats, but the advanced numbers illustrate how good he is. This year, he graded out as the No. 13 off-ball LB in 2016, according to PFF, which ranks him as the best pass-rushing inside ‘backer in the league. He’s consistent too, with even better scores in 2014 and 2015. The Patriots moved on from Jones and Jamie Collins last year but they do not want to lose Hightower.

7. Jamie Collins, LB (5): Heading into his contract year, Collins was determined to put up big numbers. He was so driven to increase his value, reports say, that he began “freelancing,” or making ill-advised choices in order to be the first defensive player to the ball. The Patriots subsequently traded him away for peanuts, and that’s not a great endorsement for him. On top of the character concerns, Collins will have to answer for a down year that cast him as just above average rather than the top ten ‘backer he was in the previous two seasons.

8. A.J. Bouye, CB (9): Before this season, you could have been forgiven for not knowing Bouye’s name. Now, there’s no excuse. Bouye burst out of obscurity in 2016 and he now looks the part of a No. 1 cornerback. The best part is that he doesn’t turn 26 until August, making him the youngest player on this list. I predict that Bouye will outearn every other corner in this class, a group that includes guys like Trumaine Johnson, Stephon Gilmore, and Morris Claiborne.

9. Kevin Zeitler, G (8): Zeitler made the jump from good to great in 2014 and never looked back. This year, he stands as PFF’s No. 7 ranked guard and the No. 1 guard bound for the free agent market. T.J. Lang is a close second according to the advanced metrics, but Zeitler is more than two years younger than Lang and should easily surpass him in guarantees. Kelechi Osemele‘s five-year, $58.5MM deal could be in reach for the Bengals lineman if enough teams get in on the bidding.

10. Calais Campbell, DL (NR): When the Cardinals acquired Jones from the Patriots, many believed that Calais Campbell was a goner in Arizona. Now, after what is arguably a career season, the Cardinals are probably singing a different tune. Defensive lineman Michael Bennett recently signed a three-year extension with the Seahawks worth $31.5MM with $17.5MM in guarantees. Campbell should have no trouble beating that, especially since he is a year younger and coming off of a better season.

Honorable mention

Le’Veon Bell (10): Most running backs don’t get big bucks in free agency, but most of them don’t run like Bell. This year, he reminded everyone of his pass-catching abilities and even did some of his damage lined up at wide receiver. Bell should easily best LeSean McCoy‘s ~$8MM AAV and Doug Martin‘s $15MM in guarantees this offseason.

Honorable mention continued: Eric Berry, Jason Pierre-Paul, T.J. Lang, Stephon Gilmore, Tony Jefferson, Trumaine Johnson, Nick Perry, Dontari Poe, Martellus Bennett

NFC North Notes: Packers, Lions, Nelson, Cobb

December 3rd, 2016 at 7:39pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Packers seem likely to ask either — or potentially, both — Jordy Nelson or Randall Cobb to take paycuts this offseason, writes Pete Doughtery of the Green Bay Press Gazette, who argues that the club needs to reverse its typically free agent-wary way of thinking and sign an explosive pass-catcher this March. If Green Bay is forced to choose between Nelson and Cobb, Nelson — despite his age — is the likelier option to be retained, says Doughtery, and the potential release of Cobb would clear enough cap space to allow the Packers to bring in an outside option.

The top two free agent wideouts figure to be the Bears’ Alshon Jeffery and the Browns’ Terrelle Pryor, but both are candidates to be hit with the franchise tag (as Jeffery already was this season). If either makes it to free agency, the Packers could certainly take a look, but they may have to settle for lesser options, such as Michael Floyd, Robert Woods, or Kamar Aiken.

Here’s more from the NFC South:

When the Lions declined defensive tackle Nick Fairley‘s fifth-year option for the 2015 season, the club’s brass defended the decision as a motivational tactic, hoping the sting of the move would incite Fairley into improvement. That strategy worked, Fairley tells Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com, as the current Saints defender says Detroit’s choice not to pick up the option “hit home” and forced him to self-evaluate. Fairley, who will face the Lions on Sunday, has since signed consecutive one-year deals with Los Angeles and New Orleans.
While Fairley will be active and playing when Detroit faces New Orleans, Lions linebacker Tahir Whitehead has been downgraded to out for Sunday’s contest, the club announced today. Whitehead hasn’t been all that effective this season, as he ranks just 79th among 85 qualified linebackers, per Pro Football Focus, but he has been available — Whitehead has played on every Lions defensive snap this season. With Whitehead sidelined, Detroit will likely utilize more nickel packages, as well as three-safety looks, tweets Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com.
The Packers announced that offensive lineman T.J. Lang and J.C. Tretter are both out for the club’s Week 13 against the Texans. Lang has been sidelined since Week 10, while Tretter was injured in and hasn’t played since Week 9. Jason Spriggs will start at left guard for Lang, while Corey Linsley will continue to fill in at center for Tretter.

No Extension Talks Between Packers, T.J. Lang

October 30th, 2016 at 4:26pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Packers have not engaged guard T.J. Lang in extension negotiations, Lang tells Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Lang reiterated that his preference is to stay in Green Bay for the long term.

The Packers have addressed a potential Lang extension in a similar fashion to how they handled the situation with Josh Sitton before he was released, according to McGinn. In other words, Green Bay general manager Ted Thompson informed Lang — as he did Sitton — that the club would target long-term deals with younger players before moving on to Lang. As McGinn notes, the Packers could likely save money by extending Lang now rather than waiting until he officially hits the market, but no deal appears to be in sight.

“Ted doesn’t give a rat’s (expletive) about PR,” said an NFL executive about the reaction to Sitton’s release. “You take a PR hit like that, you would try to (extend Lang). But Ted is not motivated to do stuff like that.”

Green Bay has experienced a drop-off from Sitton to current left guard Lane Taylor, several scouts told McGinn, so it could be difficult for the club to absorb the loss of Lang, as well. But with other players such as Nick Perry, J.C. Tretter, and Datone Jones also heading for free agency, and left tackle David Bakhtiari already having scored an extension, the money might not be there for Lang. One executive told McGinn that he would expect Lang to command $8-10MM on the open market.

“When they get to market, man, it is the wild, wild west,” said the exec. “Most of these guys, if they’re top three or top five in the free-agent class, they are going to get paid, and a lot more than they should. Most agents, when it gets halfway through the season, they say, ‘Hey, let’s go to market.’ It usually blows your mind what these guys get.”

NFC North Notes: Bakhtiari, Lang, Bears, Vikes

June 5th, 2016 at 6:29pm CST by Dallas Robinson

David Bakhtiari is one of three Packers starting offensive lineman who will hit free agency next spring, and the fourth-year left tackle isn’t denying that he’s thought about the prospect of the open market. “We’ve got a lot of guys up, and if I’m gambling, I’m going to bet that not all of us come back,” Bakhtiari told Jason Wilde of ESPN.com. “But that’s something you don’t want to think about and that shouldn’t be our topic of conversation. Do I know what has happened [with other left tackles]? Yes. I’m not living under a rock. But [I’m not] coming in every day with a notebook researching finances and wondering what I’m going to do.”

The Packers selected Indiana left tackle Jason Spriggs in the second round of this year’s draft, so the club has a fallback plan if Bakhtiari finds a better offer in free agency. Given the recent extensions handed out to Trent Williams, Terron Armstead, and Cordy Glenn, Bakhtiari could be in line for a multi-year deal with an average salary of more than $11MM.

Here’s more from the NFC North, including another item on the green Bay offensive line…

Like Bakhtiari, Packers right guard T.J. Lang is both entering the final year of his contract and dealing with the after-effects of a physical ailment, as the 29-year-old underwent shoulder surgery in February. As Lang details to Wilde, however, he expects to be ready for the start of training camp in late July. “Especially going into a contract year, you want to be as healthy as possible,” said Lang, who is set to earn $6.85MM in the last year of his four-year, ~$21MM extension.
The Bears are in the midst of a major transition, and only 21 players on the current roster predate the arrival of GM Ryan Pace and head coach John Fox, who were hired in January 2015. Rich Campbell of The Chicago Tribune looks at six players who must elevate their performance in the second year of the Pace/Fox era, including safety Adrian Amos, last year’s fifth-round pick who will be asked to play in the box more often than he did in his rookie campaign to take advantage of his tackling ability while masking his weaknesses in coverage.
Vikings tackle T.J. Clemmings, who started all 16 games in 2015 at right tackle in place of the injured Phil Loadholt, is being asked to shift back to left tackle now that Loadholt and Andre Smith appear poised to battle for his old spot, and as such, Clemmings is now behind Matt Kalil on the depth chart and no longer has a starting role. But the second-year player is trying to stay positive, saying, “I’m just trying to become better, that’s the plan.” As for the move to left tackle, Clemmings said, “Adjusting (at first) is kind of tough, but I have a good amount of weeks to get a feel for it” (Twitter links via Chris Tomasson of The St. Paul Pioneer Press).

Rory Parks contributed to this post.