The Dallas Cowboys just made a big move by extending Zack Martin and making him the highest paid guard in the NFL. This will have a major impact on the Washington Redskins and their negotiations with Brandon Scherff.
In the modern NFL, the guard position is starting to become more and more important. As interior defenders become better at breaking down the pocket from the inside, the guard’s job to stop these players becomes more crucial. This is true of the offensive line play in the NFL in general, but having elite guards is certainly critical to protecting the quarterback.
No team has been able to find offensive line talent for the past five years than the Dallas Cowboys. As much as it pains Redskins fans, it’s clear that the squad has done well to add quality players like Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick, and Zack Martin in the draft. And recently, they made a long-term investment in their line by extending Martin.
Martin, a former first round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, started for the Cowboys immediately, and he was one of the most effective guards in the NFL right away. It was thought that he might have the potential to become a tackle if needed as well, but he was an elite guard, so that move never materialized. Nonetheless, he was a perennial Pro Bowler right off the bat and certainly earned a big contract.
And that’s exactly what the Cowboys gave him. They agreed on a six-year extension worth $84 million with $40 million in guarantees, both of which are records at the guard position. It’s a well-earned contract for Martin, but it’s also one that will impact the Washington Redskins.
The Redskins are due to extend Brandon Scherff in the near future. Their stud guard and No. 5 pick in the 2015 NFL Draft has had a similar career trajectory to Martin thus far and with another year of improvement, he should earn a similarly large contract. Here’s a deeper dive into what the Martin deal will do for Scherff and how it will impact the Redskins.
Where Scherff ranks in terms of talent among guards and the financials associated with it
First, it’s important to note the specifics of the Martin deal. As mentioned, his deal will rank at the top of the league across all categories for guards. The $84 million is almost $20 million more than the next highest contract. His $14 million annually is $700K more than the second highest average annual value (AAV). And most importantly, Martin is set to get $40 million in guarantees, which is a whopping $10 million more in guarantees than any other player at his position in the league.
All of this makes perfect sense. Martin is undoubtedly the best guard in the NFL. He’s elite, and the numbers show it. Pro Football Focus had Martin as the No. 1 guard during the 2017 season, and he was paid as such.
In terms of the top guards in the league, Scherff is certainly a top five option. He’s been a starter in the Pro Bowl in each of the past two seasons, and he’s been an excellent blocker for the Redskins. He’s been critical in pass protection, and he has done a lot to blow open running lanes. But because of the Redskins lack of success as a team, he has flown under the radar a bit more.
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In terms of pure talent at the guard position, it could be argued that Scherff is the No. 2 overall player in the league. But, Andrew Norwell, Kevin Zeitler, and Kelechi Osemele might all have something to say about it. Scherff figures to be paid similarly to these players, who all happen to be among the top four contracts at the guard position (when including Martin).
However, in the NFL, players don’t necessarily get paid commensurately with their skill set. When you have an elite player, like Scherff is and projects to be, it’s often that they will want to be paid top dollar. And it seems likely that Scherff’s camp will use the Martin extension as a framework for what he should get paid.
Still, it seems hard to believe that Scherff will get more than Martin. He will probably land between the AAV for the Norwell and Martin deals, and he could see a six-year extension that pays $13.5 million per season with roughly $30 million in guarantees. That would seemingly make sense based on how the guard market is playing out, especially since Scherff is so talented.
From Scherff’s side, this extension is excellent news. For the Redskins, this deal has gotten more difficult to do, especially when considering the other aspects the team has to think about next offseason.
How this extension impacts the Redskins
The Redskins have a few players that are do for extensions soon in Scherff, Jamison Crowder, and Preston Smith. While Scherff has a fifth year option for 2019, both Crowder and Smith are scheduled to be free agents. And they are both players that the Redskins would probably like to retain.
Of that duo, the Redskins would probably prefer to keep Smith. The second round pick from 2015 has developed into a solid starter across from Ryan Kerrigan, and his athleticism is off the charts. He uses his length to get into opposing backfields and has quick twitch abilities that allow him to beat offensive tackles.
To re-sign Smith, the team will probably have to give him a contract that falls somewhere between $7-$9 million annually. And that’s if he doesn’t have a breakout year in 2018. If he reaches double digit sacks for the first time in his career (he has recorded eight sacks twice), then they could be forced to pay a lot more for Smith’s services. Versatile, athletic edge rushers are always in demand, so that could create competition for him on the open market.
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Meanwhile, Crowder has been an effective slot receiver for the Redskins, and has shown the ability to play on the outside at times. That said, he’s coming off a tough season, and will have to bounce back if he wants to get a very good deal.
Crowder’s contract range could be anywhere from $6.5-$10 million annually. It all depends on what he can do in 2018. And while Washington probably wants to keep him, it may be hard for the team to do so because of their other financial obligations.
If Scherff signs a $13.5 million extension and Smith signs a deal in the range specified for him, there may not be enough room for Crowder. The Redskins only have a projected $12 million in cap space next offseason, per Over The Cap, and they may have to open up some other space by cutting some overpriced veterans. Josh Norman, Jordan Reed, and Vernon Davis could fall into that category, but even if the team cut any of those players, they would just be opening up another hole on the roster.
In short, the Martin extension makes the Redskins life a bit more difficult as they will probably have to allocate more resources to Scherff to keep him. Washington keeping every extension eligible player was always going to be difficult for the team, but having more flexibility would have been helpful.
What comes next?
So, the big question surrounding these extensions is about which will come next. It’s highly likely that the team will extend Scherff, but given that they have exercised his fifth-year option for 2019 (a no-brainer) they may put a long-term deal on the back burner momentarily. It may behoove them to first negotiate with Smith and then use the 2019 offseason as a time to re-up with Scherff. But if they’d prefer to tackle the Scherff extension first, that would also make a great deal of sense.
Regarding Crowder, it’s possible that the Redskins could elect to part ways with him following the 2018 season. Crowder has been a solid receiver, but if Josh Doctson shows growth and a young backup like Robert Davis or Trey Quinn shows enough to get a chance as a starter, they could let Crowder walk. Of course, it’s just as likely that the Redskins would cut Norman or Reed to free up space to keep Crowder, especially if he has a good season.
The Martin contract mucks things up a bit for the Redskins cap room. But this was always going to be the case for the squad. Scherff was going to get a big deal and become one of the highest paid players at his position. That’s the price you pay when you get a quality player, even at the guard position.
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Locking up Scherff will be key for the Redskins’ offensive line and continuity up front. It would be a major surprise if they don’t get a deal done at some point. Over the course of the next calendar year, keep a close eye on Scherff. He seems to be the next critical building block for the Washington offense to lock up.