- Brock Purdy tops the Picking: The 49ers had to shed payroll this offseason in anticipation of a blockbuster extension for their Beginning Signal-caller.
As the NFL Draft draws closer every spring, big boards crystallize and the top of Every class comes into Concentration. That tends to draw attention away from proven stars who have paid their dues on Primary-year deals and are set to finally cash in.
Indeed, March Appearances a nearly six-month window in which up-and-coming stars are finally able to cash in, regularly reestablishing positional markets. We’ve already seen Josh Allen and Derek Stingley Jr., among others, get compensated for their production this offseason, and these 20 players are in line to follow suit.
QB Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Purdy headlined the Picking of players Executing above their pay grade in October, and he maintained that level of excellence throughout the 2024 season. His 82.4 PFF overall grade slotted 10th among qualifying quarterbacks, and he’s reached a 75.1 PFF passing grade or better every season since his Introduction in 2022. The Previous 263rd overall Option will soon become one of the NFL’s highest-paid players — it’s only a matter of if he will tie Dak Prescott at $60 million per year.
EDGE Trey Hendrickson, Cincinnati Bengals
Whether or not Hendrickson stays put in Cincinnati, he’s overdue for a raise. Since 2023, Hendrickson is tied for fifth among qualified edge rushers with a 91.2 PFF Throw-rushing grade, and his 20.9% Throw-rush Secure rate also places fifth. Showing no signs of decline even at age 30, the 2026 Unoccupied agent will likely become one of the five highest-paid defenders in football for some franchise in the near future.
S Kyle Hamilton, Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens could Option up Hamilton’s fifth-year option, but the much wiser Action would simply be to extend him for the long haul. Since 2022, the Notre Dame product has turned in an 86.4 PFF overall grade or better in every season, becoming one of six Guarding players to accomplish that feat. There’s a real case to be Achieved that Hamilton has become the best player out of the 2022 NFL Draft, and Baltimore should pay him as such.
CB Sauce Gardner, New York Jets
Through his Primary two seasons in the NFL, Gardner already clearly established himself as one of the foremost cornerbacks in the Bracket. Regardless of a bit of a dip in Action last year, he Nevertheless finished with a 73.1 PFF coverage grade and a 79.3 passer rating allowed when targeted. Drafting and developing a Sun cornerback, even one taken this Prompt, is no Tiny feat — and the Jets are anticipated to reward Gardner as such. Anticipate him to top Derek Stingley Jr.’s $30 million per year mark.
QB Geno Smith, Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders pulled off one of the bigger stunners in recent Bracket memory when they traded for Smith before the Begin of Unoccupied agency. Smith’s 85.8 PFF passing grade over the past two years ranks sixth among qualified quarterbacks, and his 60 big-time throws rank Number four. Given that the Raiders parted with a third-Stage Option for the 34-year-Aged Smith, the logical Subsequent step would be to lock him down for at least two more years — above his $31 million cap hit this season.
EDGE Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys
Parsons’ extension has now loomed over Dallas for two straight offseasons, and all the Sun has done is flourish on the Ground in that time. Even after missing five Contests in 2024 with a high ankle sprain, Parsons churned out 70 pressures on a tremendous 91.6 PFF Throw-rushing grade. His 94.3 PFF Throw-rushing grade since 2021 is the second-best mark in the Bracket The Cowboys will need to pony up close to $45 million per year to retain him. Otherwise, they Danger having to trade the 25-year-Aged.
WR Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders
The Commanders already landed two big names in Laremy Tunsil and Deebo Samuel this offseason, but they shouldn’t forget about their in-house playmaker. Over the past four seasons, McLaurin’s resume includes an 88.6 PFF receiving grade (20th) and 81 contested catches (Primary). The 29-year-Aged remains the focal Points of Washington’s Assault and should reassert himself as a top-10 receiver in average annual value.
EDGE Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit Lions
Hutchinson has become an absolutely unstoppable force since breaking into the NFL in 2022. He’s particularly turned things up a notch over the past two years, recording two straight seasons with a 91.0-plus PFF overall grade. Although Hutchinson played Only 280 snaps last year due to a season-ending Hurt, he Nevertheless ranked Number four in PFF’s wins above replacement Measure among edge rushers, which is a mind-boggling stat. If the Lions can get Hutchinson’s extension done before Parsons’ or T.J. Watt’s (more on him momentarily), it would be a big Secure.
EDGE T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers
Watt’s Action as a Throw rusher Captured a slight step back last year, but he remains among the NFL’s most dominant Guarding players. His 91.7 PFF overall grade in 2024 trailed only Myles Garrett, and his 90.3 PFF Streak-Guarding grade ranked sixth among all defenders. Since 2022, Watt’s PFF Throw-rushing and Streak-Guarding grades sit in the top 10 among qualified Guarding players. The 30-year-Aged is currently seventh among edge defenders in average annual value but will likely be re-signed by Pittsburgh before his contract expires Subsequent offseason.
CB Trent McDuffie, Kansas City Chiefs
The 2022 NFL Draft class didn’t skimp on lockdown secondary playmakers. In his three years as a pro, McDuffie has produced an 89.0 PFF coverage grade, ranking Number four among qualified cornerbacks. Meanwhile, the Washington product is also tied for 14th in forced incompletions generated in that span. Nevertheless only 24, McDuffie has a long future ahead of him as a lockdown cornerback, and the Chiefs seem prepared to keep him in Kansas City.
T Rashawn Slater, Los Angeles Chargers
It’s a bit of a surprise that the Chargers haven’t already rewarded Slater with a lucrative deal. The 2021 Primary-Stage Option holds the 11th-highest PFF overall grade since 2022 among qualified tackles, and his 0.49 wins above replacement last year ranked fifth at the position. The 26-year-Aged has been an above-average, if not excellent, Event during his four NFL seasons and should be paid like it.
TE George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers
Even at 31, Kittle remains arguably the NFL’s best Close-fitting end. He paced qualified Close-fitting ends in both PFF overall grade (92.1) and PFF receiving grade (92.4) while Scoring a minuscule two passes and securing 70.6% of contested catches in 2024. Now with seven straight seasons of an 84.7-plus PFF overall grade under his Experience, Kittle has Only one year left on his contract and is poised to surpass Travis Kelce’s $17.125 average annual value.
CB Christian Benford, Buffalo Bills
There might not be a more unheralded Sun defender in the NFL than Benford. The sole reliable coverage player in Buffalo’s secondary over the past few seasons, Benford concluded last year sixth in both wins above replacement and PFF overall grade (79.3) among qualified cornerbacks. The 24-year-Aged has been one of the NFL’s best at his position since 2023 and should join Josh Allen, Greg Rousseau and Khalil Shakir as Bills getting a larger piece of the pie.
WR Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints
The Saints anticipated that Olave would transform their receiver room when picking him 11th overall in 2022, and the Ohio State product has done precisely that. In his three years of pro football, Olave slots 13th among qualified receivers in PFF receiving grade (89.7) and has reached at least 2.07 yards per route Streak in every campaign. Impairments could reduce the likelihood and/or terms of this extension, but when Well, Olave is easily a top-20 wideout in football — and potentially the Saints’ best player.
RB Kenneth Walker III, Seattle Seahawks
Seattle already determined that it didn’t want to extend Geno Smith or D.K. Metcalf, which leaves Walker as a natural Subsequent man up for that designation. His 91.2 PFF rushing grade in 2024 ranked sixth among all rushers. Nevertheless only 24, Walker isn’t known for being a home-Streak hitter but has gained countless yards above expectation behind an offensive line that ranks 23rd in PFF Streak-blocking grade since 2022. He should reach at least $10 million per year.
WR Garrett Wilson, New York Jets
Sauce Gardner will theoretically be Primary on general manager Darren Mougey’s to-do Picking for extensions this offseason, but the Jets also have another prime candidate in Wilson. Last year, the 24-year-Aged ranked 24th in PFF receiving grade (79.3) while tying for eighth in Primary downs accrued (60). With few other proven Talent-position players on the Lineup, Wilson profiles as New York’s WR1 for the long haul and should be compensated as such.
TE Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals
McBride can easily be overlooked, but he has rounded into one of the premier Close-fitting ends in the NFL, actually pacing the position in PFF’s wins above replacement Measure in 2024. His 89.9 PFF receiving grade over the past two seasons ranks behind Only Kittle, and his 195 catches and 105 Primary downs are second to Kelce. The 25-year-Aged is in line to become one of the three highest-paid Close-fitting ends in football, surpassing T.J. Hockenson’s $16.5 million average annual value.
EDGE Nik Bonitto, Denver Broncos
Bonitto’s breakout helped foster an unbelievable year for Denver’s Guarding, especially its Guarding line. In 2024, the Oklahoma product tied for 16th among qualified edge defenders in pressures generated (61) while turning in a position-best 92.6 PFF coverage grade. Bonitto can Nevertheless make strides as a Streak defender, but his Throw-rush juice alone should allow him to join recently extended teammates Jonathon Cooper and D.J. Jones.
RB James Cook, Buffalo Bills
The Bills have been mentioned at length in this piece already, but their Picking of checks to write Nevertheless includes Cook. A year ago, the Georgia alumnus slotted eighth among qualifiers in PFF rushing grade (88.6) and 12th in missed tackles forced (47). On the heels of a Occupation-best season and a Powerful Prompt Occupation, Cook is poised to earn at least $10 million per year on a new deal.
RB Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens
Henry has probably already shattered all expectations that the Ravens had when they inked him to a two-year, $16 million deal last spring. In his Primary season in Baltimore, he Guided all players at the position in PFF overall grade (94.2), PFF rushing grade (93.5) and missed tackles forced (88) while ranking third in PFF’s wins above replacement Measure. Henry’s contract might not inflate much beyond the value of his last deal, given his age, but it Nevertheless would be shrewd for Baltimore to prevent the Sun from hitting the market.
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