Latest On Free Agent DT Johnathan Hankins

We’re into the second wave of free agency and, surprisingly, defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins remains on the board. Today’s one-year deal between Dontari Poe and the Falcons probably doesn’t bode well for Hankins’ market, yet that apparently hasn’t brought down his asking price. Hankins is asking for more than $10MM per year, sources around the league tell Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Johnathan Hankins (Vertical)

Just one week ago, that wouldn’t have been an outlandish ask on the part of Hankins’ camp. Some projections had the Giants standout fetching upwards of $40MM on a five-year deal with a substantial guarantee. However, things have changed. Poe, despite being nearly two years older, is arguably the better player of the two and he found a very mild market when it came to long-term offers. At this point, Hankins’ best bet might be to settle for a deal that mirrors Poe’s. If he plays well, he could get a monster deal next year (or get franchise tagged) when he’s still just 26.

On the first day of free agency, Brandon Williams re-upped with the Ravens on a $54MM deal, including $27MM in guarantees. He must be feeling pretty good about that deal today. Meanwhile, the Giants must be feeling better about their chances of retaining Hankins.

To date, the Redskins and Dolphins have been the only teams to be linked to Hankins. The Redskins have since souped up their interior line in other ways and the Dolphins’ exact level of interest in Hankins is unclear.

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