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NFL’s Fifth-Year Option Salaries For 2021

March 10th, 2021 at 12:56pm CST by Zachary Links

The NFL’s 2021 salary cap has been set at $182.5MM, marking the league’s first reduction in a decade. With that, the league has also ironed out the value of this year’s fifth-round option for 2018 first-round picks.

Here’s the full rundown, via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter):

1. Baker Mayfield, Browns, QB — $18.858MM (playing time)

2. Saquon Barkley, Giants, RB — $7.217MM (1x Pro Bowl)

3. Sam Darnold, Jets, QB — $18.858MM (playing time)

4. Denzel Ward, Browns, CB — $13.294MM (1x Pro Bowl)

5. Bradley Chubb, Broncos, LB — $12.716MM (1x Pro Bowl)

6. Quenton Nelson, Colts, G — $13.754MM (2x Pro Bowl)

7. Josh Allen, Bills, QB — $23.106MM (1x Pro Bowl)

8. Roquan Smith, Bears, LB — $9.735MM (playing time)

9. Mike McGlinchey, 49ers, OT — $10.88MM (playing time)

10. Josh Rosen, Cardinals, QB*

11. Minkah Fitzpatrick, Steelers, S (drafted by Dolphins) — $10.612MM (2x Pro Bowl)

12. Vita Vea, Buccaneers, DT — $7.638MM

13. Daron Payne, Washington, DT — $8.529MM (playing time)

14. Marcus Davenport, Saints, DE — $9.553MM

15. Kolton Miller, Raiders, OT — $10.88MM (playing time)

16. Tremaine Edmunds, Bills, LB — $12.716MM (1x Pro Bowl)

17. Derwin James, Chargers, S — $9.052MM (1x Pro Bowl)

18. Jaire Alexander, Packers, CB — $13.294MM (1x Pro Bowl)

19. Leighton Vander Esch, Cowboys, LB — $9.145MM

20. Frank Ragnow, Lions, C — $12.657MM (1x Pro Bowl)

21. Billy Price, Bengals, C — $10.413MM

22. Rashaan Evans, Titans, LB — $9.735MM (playing time)

23. Isaiah Wynn, Patriots, OT — $10.413MM

24. D.J. Moore, Panthers, WR — $11.116MM (playing time)

25. Hayden Hurst, Falcons, TE (Drafted by Ravens) — $5.428MM

26. Calvin Ridley, Falcons, WR — $11.116MM (playing time)

27. Rashaad Penny, Seahawks, RB — $4.523MM

28., Steelers, S Terrell Edmunds — $6.753MM (playing time)

29. Taven Bryan, Jaguars, DT — $7.638MM

30. Mike Hughes, Vikings, CB — $12.643MM

31. Sony Michel, Patriots, RB — $4.523MM

32. Lamar Jackson, Ravens, QB — $23.106MM (1x Pro Bowl)

* Rosen was released from his original contract and, therefore, is not option-eligible 

As a refresher, the fifth-year option year is now fully guaranteed. In the past, it was guaranteed for injury only. The values are also dependent on certain performance metrics:

  • Two-time Pro Bowlers (excluding alternate Pro Bowlers) will earn the same as their position’s franchise tag.
  • One-time Pro Bowlers will earn the equivalent of the transition tag.
  • Players who achieve any of the following will get the average of the 3rd-20th highest salaries at their position:
    • 75%+ snaps in two of their first three seasons
    • 75%+ average across all three seasons
    • 50%+ in each of first three seasons
  • Players who do not hit any of those benchmarks will get the average of the 3rd-25th top salaries at their position.

Saints Release Emmanuel Sanders

March 10th, 2021 at 10:38am CST by Zachary Links

The Saints have released Emmanuel Sanders, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The wide receiver has since confirmed the news via social media.

[RELATED: Saints Release Alexander]

Sanders joined the Saints on a two-year, $16MM deal this time last year. The veteran went on to notch 61 catches for 726 yards and five touchdowns. Even though he was productive, he was less efficient on a per-catch basis than usual. His 11.9 ypc average was among the lowest of his career and well below his finest work in Denver.

The Saints are facing a tricky cap situation, one that is compounded by Drew Brees‘ still pending retirement decision. Cutting Sanders will save $4MM on the books for 2021 with $6MM left in dead money, unless the Saints disperse the dead money hit via a post-June 1 designation. The Saints also cut Kwon Alexander earlier today so, between those two moves, they’ll free up $17MM in advance of free agency.

Sanders, a two-time Pro Bowler, drew interest from the Cowboys, Jets, Bills, and Packers in his last free agency stint.

Saints To Cut Kwon Alexander

March 10th, 2021 at 10:15am CST by Zachary Links

The Saints will release linebacker Kwon Alexander in the coming days (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). With no guarantees remaining, the move will save upwards of $13MM against the cap with $0 in dead money. 

Alexander suffered an Achilles tear towards the end of the regular season, ruling him out for the Saints’ playoff run. He finished the year with 27 stops, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries in seven games.

Alexander was shipped from San Francisco to New Orleans in November, fortifying the Saints’ front seven and lightening the Niners’ books a bit. The Saints assumed the last two seasons of his original four-year, $54MM deal, though the remainder was non-guaranteed.

The veteran, 27 in August, still has some work to do as he battles back from injury. The timing isn’t ideal as he seeks a new job, but he has a history of quick healing. In 2019, a torn pec threatened to end Alexander’s season in the fall. Somehow, he bounced back in a matter of weeks to join the 49ers for their playoff run. This time around, he expects to be ready for the start of training camp.

Saints Re-Sign RB Dwayne Washington

March 10th, 2021 at 9:45am CST by Zachary Links

The Saints have re-signed running back Dwayne Washington, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Terms of the deal have not been disclosed.

[RELATED: Saints Franchise Tag S Marcus Williams]

Washington, 27, entered the league as a seventh round pick of the Lions in 2016. When he was pushed off of the roster by the Lions’ crowded running back depth chart in 2018, he joined up with the Saints’ practice squad. For the last three years, he’s served as a backup and special teams player in New Orleans. Now, he’s back for No. 4 to support Alvin Kamara and Latavius Murray alongside the recently re-signed Ty Montgomery.

Washington finished the regular season on a strong note, notching 108 rushing yards in Week 17. All in all, he finished out with 229 yards off of 43 carries.

NFL Sets $182.5MM Salary Cap

March 10th, 2021 at 9:31am CST by Zachary Links

The NFL salary cap has been set at $182.5MM, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). This marks a sizable (though expected) drop from last year’s $198.2MM limit.

Teams will not be allowed to borrow cap room from future years, per the CBA, so teams are basically stuck with the hard cap and difficult choices ahead. However, teams do have other ways to navigate the cap, including rollover from 2020, post-June 1 cuts, and contract restructuring.

With the new salary cap, the league has also determined the values of this year’s franchise tag tenders (Twitter link):

  • Quarterback $25.104MM
  • Running Back $8.655MM
  • Tight End $9.601MM
  • Offensive Lineman $13.754MM
  • Defensive End $16.069MM
  • Defensive Tackle $13.888M
  • Linebacker $14.791M
  • Cornerback $15.06MM
  • Kicker/Punter $4.482MM

Here’s the full rundown of this year’s franchise tags, including players on repeat tags who receive a 20% increase:

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/9/21

March 9th, 2021 at 6:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:

Houston Texans

New Orleans Saints

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tennessee Titans

Saints Franchise Tag S Marcus Williams

March 9th, 2021 at 2:30pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Saints are in a bad cap spot, but they’re finding ways to make things work. New Orleans has franchise tagged safety Marcus Williams, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link).

As Rapsheet points out, this one is a bit of a surprise, mostly due to the Saints’ poor cap situation. As he noted in a follow-up tweet, this move will necessitate further “cap gymnastics” for GM Mickey Loomis. We heard last week that the Saints wanted to keep Williams in the fold, and clearly they weren’t playing around. As of last week, the Saints were around $70MM over the projected cap, so Loomis has his work cut out for him.

A third-round pick back in 2017, Williams became an immediate starter and has always been very highly graded by the folks at Pro Football Focus. With Williams and Justin Simmons of the Broncos both getting franchise tagged, the potential top two free agent safeties are both off the board. John Johnson of the Rams will now possibly be the most sought-after safety on the open market.

He started 14 games last year, picking off three passes and racking up seven passes defended. He has multiple interceptions in all four of his pro seasons. In order to make this tag work the Saints will need to clear about $11MM in space immediately, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football tweets.

Marshon Lattimore, Ryan Ramczyk Extensions On Saints’ Radar

March 8th, 2021 at 3:39pm CST by Sam Robinson

Continuing to make progress in their pursuit of cap compliance, the Saints have identified two higher-profile moves they would like to make. The team wants to extend Marshon Lattimore and/or Ryan Ramczyk, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (video link).

After trimming more than $20MM in cap space over the past week, the Saints are still nearly $50MM over the $180MM mark that doubles as the floor for the 2021 cap. Extensions for their 2017 first-round picks would help on this front, as they would reduce the 2017 draftees’ cap numbers. Each is set to play next season on a fifth-year option salary.

But it will be interesting to see if the Saints can hammer out a top-market extension amid this time crunch. Two extensions in this span would be highly unlikely. Both players are extension targets, but the franchise might be targeting just one in the coming days and potentially completing the other’s deal later. The Saints are not believed to be close with either Lattimore or Ramczyk, Rapoport adds.

The Saints completed top-market extensions for Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara late in the past two summers. Lattimore and Ramczyk qualify as players who will also push to secure their respective position’s top salary. Ramczyk is set to earn just more than $11MM this season; Lattimore is attached to a $10.2MM fifth-year option salary. The Saints have until March 17 to move under the cap.

Extensions for Tre’Davious White, Marlon Humphrey and Jalen Ramsey transformed a stagnant cornerback market last year; each earns at least $17MM annually. White and Ramsey pushed the corner ceiling north of $19MM per year. Ramczyk’s talks may be more complicated. Deals for Laremy Tunsil and David Bakhtiari — each now attached to deals worth at least $22MM annually — have left tackles holding a big lead on right tackles financially. Lane Johnson ($18MM AAV) and Trent Brown ($16.5MM) are the only right tackles making more than $14MM per year, and the Raiders are shopping Brown. New Orleans’ right tackle starter since his 2017 rookie season, Ramczyk has been one of the NFL’s best tackles since his rookie year.

PFR Poll: Will Saints’ Drew Brees Retire?

March 7th, 2021 at 3:49pm CST by Zachary Links

In the midst of the playoffs, it was widely reported that Drew Brees would retire after the season. Now, we’re in March, and Brees has yet to make any sort of announcement. 

Of course, Brees has nothing left to prove. The 42-year-old can walk away with one of the most illustrious careers in the history of the sport. He currently has the most yards in league history, and more touchdowns than anyone not named Tom Brady. He even has his post-retirement career lined up after signing a deal with NBC Sports last April.

Brees has missed significant time with health issues in each of the past two seasons and he’d be leaving the Saints in a pretty okay place, provided that they can re-sign Jameis Winston. The Saints also have Taysom Hill on the roster with hope that he can be the answer under center in the long run. So, what’s the hold up?

Over the past few weeks, many have speculated that Brees could be having second thoughts about retiring. The longer this goes on, the more chatter picks up about the Super Bowl XLIV champ actually playing in 2021 on the (effectively) final year of his contract.

At this point, do you expect Brees to retire? Cast your vote below (link for app users) and let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Saints Rework Contracts Of DE Cameron Jordan, LB Demario Davis

March 6th, 2021 at 10:25am CST by Ben Levine

The Saints have been busy clearing cap space over the past few days, and they’ve once again restructured the contracts of veterans. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that defensive end Cameron Jordan and linebacker Demario Davis have both agreed to rework their contracts. These two moves will save the Saints more than $13MM in cap space.

Jordan was set to have a cap hit of $18.9MM in 2021, which would have been the highest on the team. The 31-year-old has spent his entire career in New Orleans, establishing himself as a consistent force on the defensive line. Remarkably, the former first-rounder hasn’t missed a regular season game since joining the organization, and he earned his fourth-straight Pro Bowl nod (sixth overall) in 2020 after finishing with 51 tackles, 7.5 sacks, and one forced fumble. Jordan inked a three-year, $52.5MM deal with New Orleans back in 2019 that will keep him with the organization through the 2023 season.

Following a pair of stints with the Jets and a one-year cameo with the Browns, Davis joined the Saints back in 2018. He’s since established himself as one of the best linebackers in the game; after earning first-team All-Pro honors in 2019, the 32-year-old followed that up with a second-team nod in 2020. Davis ultimately finished this past season having compiled 119 tackles and four sacks. The veteran inked a three-year, $27MM deal with the Saints last September, and he was set to have a $10.8MM cap hit in 2021.

The Saints have made a handful of moves over the past week. The team reworked the contracts of defensive tackle David Onyemata and kicker Wil Lutz, and they released punter Thomas Morstead and tight end Josh Hill. Prior to today’s moves, Katherine Terrell of The Athletic estimated (on Twitter) that New Orleans had already opened more than $24MM in cap space with their various moves.

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