The #Seahawks announced a 4-year contract extension for emerging LB KJ Wright. Iβm told itβs for $27M. Keeps him off the market.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 18, 2014
K.J. Wright deserves a new contract. A fourth round pick in 2011, he’s one of Pete Carroll and John Schneider’s greatest decisions. Very few players in this league can fly around the field at 246lbs like Wright. He’s a vital piece in what is becoming the best trio of linebackers in the NFL.
Find me another group that compares. Bobby Wagner gets a lot of plaudits — and rightly so. As Carroll said recently, he’s a 4.4 runner with cornerback speed playing middle linebacker. He’s a terrific blitzer and he dominates in the run game. Seattle needs Wagner — and he’ll almost certainly get a new contract too in the near future.
But don’t underestimate Wright and Bruce Irvin. It’s gone more or less unnoticed, but Irvin in particular has grown into one of the best defensive playmakers in the league. He has 5.5 sacks, a pick-six, multiple TFL’s and he sets the edge against the run. He’s quick enough to handle scrambling quarterbacks, he’s a pass rush threat and he can cover from time to time. He offers all the upside of Julian Peterson but he’s a lot more rounded for the position.
And then there’s Wright. The guy who shuts down athletic tight ends in the passing game. The man who destroyed New Orleans’ screen game in two meetings last season. Mr. Consistent ever since he entered the league. A player versatile enough to play all three linebacker spots — and play them well too. He’s intelligent on the field. A winner. All-in.
No team in the league carries this much speed and power at linebacker. Nobody.
The thing is, you sense they can get even better. The light has switched on for Irvin this year. Wright’s level of performance has never dipped. This is just Wagner’s third season in the league. They had to keep this trio together. Had to. Wright’s extension is just the start.
There’s a reason teams are 0-8 after playing the Seahawks since October. It’s not because of the size up front. There’s no Vince Wilfork in there blowing up the run. There’s no J.J. Watt sapping the energy of the two starting tackles.
The sheer quickness and physicality of the linebackers, backed up nicely by Kam Chancellor at strong safety, is what teams fear the most. It has to be. It’s why opponents get beat up playing the Seahawks.
Whatever the details of this contract extension, it’ll be money well spent. Wagner and Russell Wilson will get their turn. Hopefully Byron Maxwell, J.R. Sweezy, Irvin and others will follow suit.
Within seconds of Tweeting about this news, a Jacksonville Jaguars fan responded to express his disappointment. Gus Bradley and the Jags wouldn’t have been the only suitor. This was a vital move to keep him off the market.
The Seahawks don’t need to splurge on outsiders with their cap space. The Percy Harvin trade showed that. They just need to keep the band together and draft well.
Love it, congratulations KJ. Now it’s time to lock up Wagner and Maxwell please π
I don’t dislike Maxwell I just wonder about his passion for the game. He plays opposite Sherman and had the chance to come in this year and solidify his spot and what does he do? Comes back over weight and out of shape. Not a great sign to me of passion. Now his recent slot play has been tremendous.
This is the first I’ve heard that he’s overweight and out of shape
Not now, when he came into training camp and to start the season.
Was he really? That’s the first I’ve heard it too. I’d considering how this is his contract year and everything he does well be under a microscope. Maybe it contributed to his poor performance against Denver when Manning picked on him all day, completing 12 of 14 targets for 144 yards and a touchdown on him. He’s playing fantastic ball now though.
Are you confusing him with Bowie, who did turn up for training camp overweight and out of shape?
Nope both did.
Awesome news… Wagner and Irvin are my big hopes next!
Even if they come to an agreement in principle with Wilson, they will probably hold off on making it official as it will probably lock down their flexibility at that point. It is in their best interest to knock as many of these out of the park as they can before getting to Wilson.
The nice thing about Wagner and Wilson is they still have them inked for 2015 so they could always punt and try to sign them to extensions during/after 2015.
The guy they will need to decide on is Cliff Avril as his deal is up this year. Maybe they’ll let him test the market but if they do, he’ll probably only be back if he really wants to return because teams will have cap room to make him better offers.
Doh! Meant to say Wagner and Maxwell in the 2nd paragraph.
Maxwell is a free agent this year.
Yep, so he is. I must have been thinking of Irvin.
So happy this got done!
I love the way KJ plays and just goes about his business. The trio of LBs have been so good that Malcolm Smith can’t get on the field. They are so sound as football players and fun to watch. Bobby gets a lot of the attention, but KJ and Bruce allow Bobby to do his thing.
Time for KJ to celebrate with a sack dance or two on Sunday!
I think this pretty clearly signals the end of Smith as a Seahawk. Coyle and KPL can fill his spot nicely and agree with Rob – Irvin has really started to blossom.
Pete Carroll said it himself, Irvin is still 2 years away from his full potential
That’s scary considering the way he’s playing right now. He’s been sensational the last few weeks.
maybe he will age different but that will put him at around 29 or 30.
Ray Lewis – 2003 DPOY – Age 28
Brian Urlacher – 2005 DPOY – Age 27
James Harrison – 2008 DPOY – Age 30
Terrell Suggs – 2011 DPOY – Age 29
Bruce will be 30 ~ week 9 of the 2017 season
As he didn’t grow up playing as much football as most players, perhaps his body may last a little longer because it didn’t take the pounding when he was young.
Guys, football coaches like players who are raw or ‘new’ to the game. It means they don’t have many bad habits and as a coach you can mold them into what the style or player you think their potential entails. Sure guys like Landry, Moncrief, etc. are good right now, but how much better are they going to get? That’s why P-Rich was the pick, the kid oozes potential.
Agree that he’s been impressive the last couple games Rob. But he still struggles with consistency. Even the last game where he was lights out on the pass rush, he also gave up 3 receptions on 4 targets for 63 yards in coverage. He had a much more well rounded game in Philly but he had a spate of games before that that were pretty awful, culminating in probably his worst game of the season in kc. Though to be fair the same might be said for the rest of the defense in that game too. I’m higher on him than I’ve ever been at any previous punt in time and I’m hopeful he can iron out his issues with consistency to reach his potential because he still has a ways to go.
It wasn’t mentioned when Praising Wright and Irvin for how they run and hit, but it was probably implied. Their length at 6’4 and 6’3 in combination with their speed makes windows so much smaller and close so much faster than QBs are used to seeing in any other matchup.
As for Irvin, just a stud coming into his own right now. I know that one of the hopeful comparisons for him coming in was Clay Matthews; his numbers this season aren’t that far off.
Rob – great last paragraph. No pressing need to splurge in free agency. Use the cap $$ to keep this band of brothers together.
Well said. And it looks like KPL is a perfect depth piece. Irvin has looked great and Carroll keeps saying ‘just wait another year or two and we will will see Irvin reach his full potential.’ Yikes
I love how Irvin is playing well. I recall way too many people were down on that pick and continued to call him out.
I hope Maxie can stay but the next big signing may not make it possible
Regardless such a nice signing before the cards game this week. I will be happy to see Wags get his extension too.
Great news for KJ and Seahawk fans. And I learned a new word: plaudits.
I think the 4 year deal lets the Seahawks distribute any signing bonus between this year and the next 4 years for cap space. Plus for KJ, he gets another contract before he’s 30. This is a brilliant signing for so many reasons.
Irvin setting the edge against the run. Two years ago did you think you would write that?
I guess I’ll be the lone person not crazy about this signing. I have always felt KJ is a good, smart, player, but not one you’d want to give a second contract to. I think of the 3 starting LBs, he’s the most replaceable. He has unique smarts and length, but I think they can find these guys around. I also don’t find as much value in being able to start all 3 positions. I’d have rather seen them start KPL, or find another young guy in the draft. I don’ think the drop off from KJ to a more seasoned KPL is worth a 5M+ difference in salary cap cost.
I don’t think it’s a disaster, but it’s not one I would have made.
KPL is on injured reserve and he also can’t play all 3 LB spots and be the QB of the defense. That’s why KJ is so valuable, he can play all three and do it at 6’4″ 240 lbs.
Yeah, I know KPL is on IR. I’m talking about going forward. He filled in nicely, and they are good at finding those guys. I also don’t find the ability to play all 3 LB positions to be all that valuable by itself.
Most NFL coaches would disagree with you.
Since we’re not dealing with most coaches, I’m not sure why that’s relevant. The hawks have never struggled to find depth at LB in the PC/JS era. Their backups have almost always played well in fill ins. And when KJ plays moves to one position, there’ s another spot to fill anyway. It’s a nice little think KJ can, but like I said, by itself, it’s not all that valuable. You’re not going to pay 7M a year to a utility LB. You’re paying for how the guy plays 1 position.
IMO, the contract is fair value. They’re paying him 7M a year because he’s a top 5 player at his position, versatility is an added bonus. As he showed last year, he is capable of covering the best tight ends in the game. That was invaluable for us in the playoffs last year when we faced Jimmy Graham, Vernon Davis, and Julius Thomas.
I think this is exactly why KJ gets the contract. To use a baseball analogy KJ’s ability to play any spot without a depreciable decline lessens the magnitude of any one else’s WAR. I know that’s a little off but I think people can get the point. Besides he’s not a utility Lb, he is a near starter at any spot for any scheme on any team and that is valuable. heath Farwell is a utility guy not Wright
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. KJ is a COMPLETE LB. Not many WILL LB’s in this league with his length and body type. Sensational coverage backer, is a thumper in the run game, and gives you the option to blitz or blow up the edge against scrambling qb’s. Notice last year before Kaepernick imploded, the one guy who ALWAYS spyed Kap was KJ. There’s a reason for that and it ain’t because KJ is a marginal athlete or in your words ‘replaceable.’
This signing is very similar to signing Kam (some said that was an overpay and not the correct way to structure team salaries). But if you don’t reward Kam and KJ for what they do, it sends the wrong message to ALL of the players and has a ripple effect of tearing the team apart. These types of signings encourages players to follow them–play hard, be consistent, earn a contract.
Considering this news I am adjusting my expectations regarding how the FO is going to address needs this off-season. I’m expecting little in the way of big FA or trade acquisitions. It’s going to be all about the draft.
Their goals has always been to build through the draft and reward their own guys. This off season they will get 4 compensatory picks. Their challenge now is to draft guys who can make the team.
But that does’t mean the team won’t improve next year. Younger guys will continue to improve and some will have breakthrough years.
I’d look for someone in the second tier in FA. Another Tony McDaniel or Kevin Williams. Big bodies for the d-line that’ll be cheap but valuable.
I wouldn’t be surprised if they used FA to get a proven pass rusher — especially if they don’t resign Avril.
It should be. building through FA is for the Madden video games. Build through the draft, patch a hole or two in FA.
Hate to be Debbie Downer, but I will be SHOCKED if Maxwell is back with the Hawks next year. He is a top-20 corner in the league, and he will want to be paid like it. Added to which, with Simon’s emergence, Maxwell is no longer a top-3 priority like he may have seemed a few months ago.
Because of the reasons listed above, come March, some CB needy team is going to pony up big bucks, and the Hawks will lose Maxwell.
I hope they lock up Wagner before FA starts because you have to think Jacksonville will sell the farm to get him.
Wagner is still under contract in 2015.
That’s great news. I thought he was an FA.
nope. Drafted along with Wilson and Irvin. Wow, what a draft.
Strangely, Dave Wyman thinks that Wagner is the “odd man out” and won’t be a seahawk after his deal expires.
cant see that
Brock was just saying on his Blue 42 segment that when Wagner hits FA he’s actually a restricted FA, so that gives even more leverage to seattle. So for Wyman to be correct, the hawks would have to not want him at all, so I’m with ya, he will get resigned.
Has he not seen the last few games?
This is the second time I’ve heard Wyman say that including yesterday. What bugs me is that both Jim and Danny don’t ask exactly that question, “what games are you watching?”
I know he loves KJ’s versatility and thinks it’s an underrated component of linebacking. But Wagner makes us go from good to elite.
I would think Wags gets resigned as a priority ahead of Irvin, and as you keep saying, looks like Irvin isn’t going anywhere either.
Either Dave Wyman knows more than he’s letting on or this is just one of the strangest things I’ve read in a long time.
Losing Maxwell won’t be that big of a deal if it does happen. Pete Carroll is absolutely the best DB coach in football, and the combination of he and Schneider can find a replacement with their eyes closed.
I agree. Simon is playing on the outside like he was drafted to and while Maxwell has looked good in the slot, Lane and Burley are both serviceable there. If Maxwell doesn’t expect a bunch of money, it might be worth keeping him around, but I suspect teams will offer him more money and a true #2 CB spot
I hope so. Their next in line project corner, Eric Pinkins didn’t look so hot in coverage before he got injured.
I think the Hawks are fine in the CB department. Without Maxie, we still have Sherman, Simon, Lane, and Burley. I think we need to draft a CB in the mid-rounds in the draft to keep the cupboards stocked, but in terms of immediate need, the CB position isn’t a priority at the moment.
He was moved back to his natural college position at safety. They tried him at corner and that didn’t work out. I see him replacing Jeron Johnson next year, doubt we’ll get him to re-sign for another year.
Happy, not ecstatic.
Rob, assuming we take care of Wilson, Wagner and Irvin, does that mean no Maxwell? Keeping him I thought would be more valuable.
Also, is signing all LB going to leave us light in talent and cash at OL and DL where we need more talent and spend more money?
I think they’ll be happy to keep a level of consistency on the OL and add depth later in the draft. On the DL, probably add a couple of draft picks — maybe three. The team is good enough that it doesn’t need to fill loads of holes. The key areas will be adding a big target, possibly replacing Lynch and DL depth.
They will also be getting back defensive linemen who were injured this year.
I’m curious to see what Cassius Marsh becomes
I thought Marsh looked good. Real hustle guy always going.
Marsh looked good, but it was stated that he needed to get stronger and would be a better player going forward. He is essentially redshirting this season.
The main thing for Marsh was figuring out his best contributions and at what weight. During his time at UCLA, he played between the weights of 252-290+. Upon his arrival to SEA, he has stayed in the 250s-260s range. I think he’s good backup depth behind Avril/Bennett. He’s versatile and has a motor that doesn’t stop.
His injury bummed me out. I was excited to see him play this year
I’m glad. Use the extra cap to keep your own and KJ has been with us since the beginning of the PC/Schneider rebirth. Good length & size and -can cover and play the run-the coverage piece is huge in todays nfl. I just hate spending big money on a linebacker unless they’re a beast like Wilson or Willis in the 9ers. I now think we should draft a D-line in round 1 – I don’t want to miss out on a pass rusher from this years crop!
DE or LT.
There’s plenty of talent at the DE position this year, that you don’t have to overdraft one. The DE position this year is equivalent to last year’s WR position in the draft.
They could easily get a good DE in rounds 3-4. No need to press there. This could be a very offensive-minded draft.
I love that K.J. is going to be here, but it doesn’t seem like much of a bargain… If K.J. is worth $6.75MM a year as a non-pass-rushing OLB, what does B-Wags end up getting?
I guess I should wait until the guaranteed amount comes out before I decide whether or not this is a bargain. Brain is in hot-stove mode… Forgot that the average per year is completely meaningless in the NFL.
Wagner gets 10million for 5 years
one of the advantages of a 4-3 is supposed to be you don’t have to spend as much on LBs. They’re going to make things difficult for themselves with 2 or 3 highly paid LBs in this system.
Yep. Seems a bit high to me too. I wonder if there are 1 or 2 years at the end that have big $$ that aren’t guaranteed?
When Kam signed, people thought he was overpaid. Now, it is looking like a bargain. Pete and John do make mistakes, everyone does. But, with their own players, it does not happen often. I would not be surprised if Wright plays at an even higher level going forward.
That’s because Kam continued to grow his game to a superstar All Pro level. Can we really expect KJ to evolve into the 2nd coming of Von Miller? While I would love that to happen I’m pretty sure kj doesn’t possess that sort of potential.
You can’t compare him to Von Miller, they play in different systems with different roles. Do you ever seen Von Miller covering Jimmy Graham 30-40 yards down field? Or playing MLB?
You’re right that’s really a good point. The comp is more accurate to DeAndre Levy. Hopefully he can be as much of a stud as Levy one day, I can see that being within reach. Here’s hoping he can cut down on his stretches of inconsistency that lead to his 4 touchdowns surrendered this year. And dropping so much in coverage I’d like to see him learn to muscle the ball down for picks. Levy had an insane six picks last year while maintaining his studliness in run support and pass rush. KJs got plenty of room to grow on all fronts.
Probably 8-10 depending on guarantees.
Love this. Keep our own. I hope they resign as many as they can. I don’t really want any big FA signings. This team is young and plays incredibly well together. Keep that mentality in house and build through the draft. Add a couple low level FA’s. This defense alone could be a dynasty if it stays the path. Seahawks becoming the model of v the nfl. When all said and done, we could be in the history books as one of the greatest teams ever. Just find someone to carry the beastmode for when lynch does make his exit.
The issue is that not all players play the same after injuries or paydays so they can’t just sit back and resign everyone it must be a select bunch that get paid and we draft players to add in on both sides of the ball.
We couldn’t resign everyone if we wanted to. So yes you do select the core guys. But I would rather pay our guys than invest in high profile FA’s. That was my point. Wags, russ, Irvin, maxwell, Avril…all those guys I’d love to keep. Obviously it probably won’t happen, but keep as much as they can.
Totally agree, because it’s true. They are going to be much more tapped into whether their own player is going to play differently after injury or a payday than an outside free agent and will be far more likely to avoid mistakes that could saddle them. That’s why I think Carpenter is history. He’s been better than average at the position this year but too many penalties, missing 3 games from injury, and a spotty history of always showing up to camp overweight except in this contract year is not the kind of message they want to send as the kind of home grown player they’d be willing to re-sign.
Great move. Love that the team is willing to do this type of thing during the season. The dude has earned every penny of that new deal. Good for him.
I too think Maxwell will the be odd man out. Wagner, Wilson, Irvin will get done. Avril will probably be gone. Mebane might get reworked/extended. Avril is probably gone. Sweezy probably gets done as does Carpenter.
There are going to be a lot of draft picks this year and not many obvious holes to fill. Almost feels like we have too many picks. I wouldn’t be surprised if we end up trading some of them away to either get future picks or move up in the second and third rounds.
I see Avril gone and carpenter gone. Britt inside perhaps? It is exciting to have so many draft picks but who gets cut to make room? Kevin Williams and Tony Mcdaniel? This is assuming the go after 2 DL and 2 ish DE’s. I would love to see a TE not in this draft though. That leaves several picks PLUS Udfa’s to bring in at camp. It could get pretty snarled at camp with 11 picks, fa’s, udfa’s, as well as IRed players plus seemingly every year there are players on the “Seahawks draft ’em and forget ’em program,” Jordan hill, kam chancellor, etc…
It’s too early to tell. The market was soft on Avril last time. Carpenter has not been stellar. CB is a premium position so Maxwell will probably be overpaid. I expected him to get more picks this year with teams avoiding the other side of the field. But how it goes depends on the other FA’s available. Nobody will make any monster offers to those guys but that’s not to say they won’t be able to offer more than Seattle. Whoever leaves will be another potential comp pick in ’16.
KJ said he didn’t want to play anywhere else. Some of these guys may feel the same way, especially if the team goes deep again this post season.
True about Avril…last time and this time his product in hasn’t been bad just not noteworthy. Maxwell to the jags…seems right, jokes aside he will be getting paid which is to bad because he is a monster in the nickel and Simon’s emergence is just now finding that out.
Peter – before last year’s draft, JS said that it would be tough for draftees to make the team. I think the same will be true this year and, I hope going forward. If this is the case, I think it could be argued that it makes more sense to look for quality in the draft instead of quantity. That is, maybe this year it would be smart to package some of our picks to move up after the guys we want instead of our past tactic of dropping down to get more picks.
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That’s amazing stuff
Off topic, but is a teams response to not having a QB, to develop a fearsome front 4/7? To keep their sides in games, and even cause a boilover like we saw in buffalo last weekend?
Think of some of the most celebrated defensive fronts this year, and the highest paid D Linemen, almost all side have a QB problem.
Suh also probably ends up on a side with major QB issue next year too.
That’s more the roll of fate than any concerted effort by management to design their teams that way. Two years ago Houston was a legit contender before Schaub fell off a cliff last year. If he hadn’t they’d still be a legit contender with a ferocious defense. You think Buffalo didn’t want their rookie qb EJ Manuel to turn into a stud, or the Jets didn’t want Geno Smith to not suck ass so they could remain cheap? I can assure you they didn’t, and now Idzik and rex Ryan are probably going to lose their jobs because Geno does suck ass. It’s not ever by design to have a shitty qb on purpose so he stays cheap, the position is too important and you want someone at least competent enough to put points on the board consistently, never Geno or EJ level suck ass. It’s just that the Jets and Buffalo have had a much better eye for drafting defensive talent on the line, and part of that is having high draft picks to do it. The only reason Houston drafted the clown this year is because they didn’t see a qb worthy of the top pick but you can be sure they wish they did see one.
Man Clowney…..the NFL’s Greg Oden…
I agree with nearly everything said. Its strange how hard it is for teams to not make mistakes at QB. When they get down and need a lift..Ponder, Locker, Smith, Manuel…..Bortles? Manzeil ? Its easy for us to say “what a bum,” but even our FO….clipboard Jesus, thankfully they did the tjax after hasselbeck so there was a nice segue between mediocre play.
I’m rambling but agree its more a function of having excessive amounts of high draft picks then anything else. look at Detroit. Caldwell may have them believing in themselves whatever that means but their reality is they picked in the top ten for nearly a decade its about time they were good. Same with the Rams they haven’t been or won a playoff game since what 2004…your defense should be tremendous.
my early pick next year is Tampa bay. If they don’t get stupid and draft say a Lber with their first pick but instead pick Mariota I think people will be stunned by their offense.
Yup, completely agree. Drafting a QB is a crapshoot, but it’s still hard for me not to wonder sometimes what some of these GMs see or think they can do with a guy that I would never dream possible. Ponder? Geno? JP Losman? Handing a career loser like Jay Cutler 126 million with 54 million guaranteed? For what? Even we dodged a major bullet thanks to the Panthers when Carroll had fallen in love with Jimmy Clausen and would have taken him if he were available when
I was told — and it’s only one source — that Clausen wasn’t even on Seattle’s draft board as an option.
Really? So do you think Carroll was bluffing to Peter King while he was sitting there with them in the seahawks war room?
I don’t believe King was in the war room. I think it was just an interview wasn’t it? And King supposed they’d be interested. As far as I’m aware, and I trust the source implicitly and he said Seattle never had any interest in Clausen.
On draft day Peter King had an arrangement with Mike Holmgren and the seahawks for a number of years that seemed to carry over into Pete’s first year. King would be allowed unprecedented access to a nfl war room during the draft. From what I could tell he got to experience the actual war room.
Of course it’s also possible Pete was bluffing if they coveted another player they knew, say Carolina was interested in so tried to talk up Clausen to get them to bite instead.
Clausen is just so anti-what they were looking for (a point guard). I’m not going to criticize King because that would be totally classless. But I trust my source 100% and they said no interest what so ever. I mean, this is a guy from L.A. who chose to go to Notre Dame and selected his college while arriving in a stretch limo wearing a fur coat. It just doesn’t seem very Carroll/Schneider.
I love the KJ Wright signing. Congratulations to him and the Seahawks.
I don’t think his signing affects extensions for Wilson and Wagner at all. They will get their extensions after the season is over.
Wright’s signing might affect the timing of an Irvin extension. I can see the Hawks possibly waiting until after the draft to see who gets added to the roster. And maybe they take the same approach that they did with Wright and wait until sometime during the season next year to see how Irvin continues to progress.
The amount of the signing shouldn’t affect the ability to make a competitive offer to Avril. The depth of LEOs in the upcoming draft that Rob and others have pointed out has me wondering if the market for a veteran rusher like Avril might be a bit soft. You can tell how important he is considered by the Seahawk coaches by considering the percentage of plays he is playing as part of the rotation. In fact, the number of plays by Mebane and Avril has me wondering if the team has changed its philosophy of a defensive line rotation or is more a symptom of lack of depth.
Which brings us to Maxwell. I like Maxwell a lot. If you look at the stats of opposing QBs against Maxwell, Sherman and Simon since Maxwell moved to the nickel spot, it is ridiculous. If there is a way to keep that, it might be the difference in winning a future Super Bowl in the new NFL passing league.
Their are some frequently mentioned arguments against keeping Maxwell: we won’t be able to match other offers; Simon is a cheap replacement; and, it locks up too much money in our DBs. All are true to a point.
I don’t know how much Maxwell will get offered. He didn’t have the Pro Bowl season that many (including me) projected. The market for nickel CBs is much lower than for outside guys so another team would have to feel comfortable projecting him to a Pro-Bowl level at outside corner to offer him a top dollar deal.. If Simon develops into a Pro-Bowler, then he might be too expensive to keep so having Maxwell would be insurance and leverage. The front office has never said that their philosophy is to spread money evenly amongst position groups. Their expressed goals have been to have the top defense and the top running game in the NFL. If they believe that Maxwell has earned a second contract, then I think they make every effort to keep him.
I like your reasoning Steve, and fully agree with your comments about Maxwell and Irvin as individual standalone cases.
What I struggle with in both of those instances is the history of the PCJS talent development area. It pulls me strongly in the direction of “we shouldn’t pay much for those positions because the team is outstanding at developing talented cost-effective players at those positions.”
My outsider-ish global view says play to your strengths and “pay” to cover your weaknesses. Strengths – LB and DB development. Weaknesses – young DL development. So the cost-efficiency of paying Maxwell and Irvin in the global concept of the team might not be as strong a notion. Saving some of your bigger spends to supplement the DL seems to be the wiser allocation of resources, which in the long run enhances the play of your LB and CB in the team defensive structure. (I’m an accountant LOL)
All that said, I’m not advocating letting Maxwell and Irvin walk. I’d prefer they stay. It’s possible all the hand-wringing over Irvin by fans the last couple years has been worth it to get him to the level he’s playing at. And if the team senses true cost-efficient talent development at a traditionally expensive area like DL in Jordan Hill and Cassius Marsh (maybe Scruggs and 2015 draft pick too), I’m all for keeping Maxwell and Irvin.
avril signs a 4 year 28 mill extension. Let it keep coming!