Left tackle Trent Williams‘ future with the Redskins is still uncertain, but Washington seems prepared to do whatever it takes to keeps its other top-tier offensive lineman in the fold. Head coach Ron Rivera told JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington that the team has opened contract talks with guard Brandon Scherff (Twitter link). Scherff is eligible to hit the free agent market in March.
Scherff and the Redskins were engaged in contract talks last February as well, but they did not get very far. Indeed, Finlay reported in September that the team was likely to let the Iowa product test free agency, but Washington now has a new power structure in place. And that structure does not want Scherff to sign elsewhere.
Per Finlay, the Redskins seem prepared to use the franchise tag on Scherff if they cannot work out a long-term deal before the tag window closes on March 12. The 2020 franchise tag value for guards checks in at just over $16MM.
That figure will surely be the starting point in negotiations. The Eagles’ Brandon Brooks currently enjoys the highest average annual value among the league’s guards ($14.08MM), and the Cowboys’ Zack Martin boasts the highest amount of guaranteed money ($40MM). Scherff, though, could top both of those figures.
Though his 2019 campaign was cut short due to injury, Scherff was named to his third Pro Bowl in his five-year career. He graded out as the eighth-best guard in the league last season, per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics, and he is especially adept at run-blocking. Though Washington’s O-line as a whole was a middling unit in 2019, losing Scherff would be a big blow. Keeping him, however, will take a big investment.
Dump him and get one in the draft or free agency.He,s not worth the money.
He’s been hurt more the last couple years hasn’t he??? Big money players that get hurt will kill a team. Especially a rebuilding team.
There’s some ‘crazy talk’ going on about Washington drafting Tua @ #2 overall, and letting Haskins play next year so Tua can fully recover from his injury. That would be quite a risky move by Washington but it does has some merit. Prior to Tua’s injury, he was the #1 rated prospect even with Burrow having an all-world season. What Tua did in the SEC over 2+ years was very impressive. It would be tough to pass on Chase Young but if Ron Rivera is convinced that Tua is a future star, then this could actually happen. Makes sense to lock up the offensive line if this is indeed in play.
You have to keep your good OL players when you have them. It’s not easy to replace a pro bowl lineman. It’s risky but beneficial, especially when you have a young QB.
Franchise Scherff and see how his body holds up to another year. He’s been injured a lot.
Franchised, perhaps he’d be prepared to lower his price. Or maybe he’d hold out and only play the last nine weeks of the season, hoping to show enough and not get injured to be able to cash in after the tag.
Or perhaps the players could go back to signing reasonable deals again in a timely way instead of every player who’s ever been invited to a pro bowl competing for “highest contract signed at the position”.
Belichick’s ruthlessness in regards to players makes more and more sense with every insane season. There’s no way to build or maintain a conference title contender with four or five players at $20 million/season. It doesn’t leaven enough to pay the other twenty five starters you need to field a competitive team (kicker, punter, second tight end, multiple DB looks, linebacker looks make 22 into 30 for those doing the arithmetic).
Good player at one time, but not last year. He has been injured a lot. Question is did we see the real thing last year?
I’m not 100% sure how franchise values are determined, but how is the tag worth 16 million and the highest paid guard makes 14 million. I coulda swore the tag was the average value of the top 5 or top 10 at the position.
I answered my own question. It’s because all OL are given the same tag. That should probably be separated out. G and C make significantly less than OT.
The Redskins should have traded Williams and they should let Scherff walk. Do another tank job in 2020 and then in 2021 when they can escape Alex Smith’s contract, start a proper rebuild to give Haskins the support that they should have had in place before drafting him.