Bloated wide receiver contracts keeping Howie Roseman on the sideline

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Bloated wide receiver contracts keeping Howie Roseman on the sideline

 

 

 

Reuben Frank

EAGLES INSIDER

We can all agree the Eagles need help at wide receiver, and most likely more than just another draft pick.

So here we are three days into free agency, and wide receivers keep signing contracts, and none of them are with the Eagles.

What gives?

Simple.

Have you seen these contracts?

Because good lord.

Wide receivers are getting drastically over-paid so far, and it’s smart for the Eagles to sit and wait for the numbers to come down to a more reasonable level. Because when Christian Kirk – who’s a nice player but has four career 100-yard games - is getting $18 million per year and $37 million guaranteed, can you imagine what Allen Robinson is going to want?

So far, eight unrestricted free agent wide receivers have signed significant deals either with their current team or a new team.

Those eight have combined for one Pro Bowl and four total 1,000-yard seasons in their careers. Only one of them was among the NFL’s top 20 receivers last year. They averaged 636 yards in 2021.

And those eight signed contracts over the past few days worth a total of about $288 million with bonuses totalling about $178 million.

Yes, the salary cap went up from $182 million to $208 million, so all free agency contracts should go up, too. And yes, WRs are always going to make a lot of money. Heck, didn’t Nelson Agholor sign for $11 million per year with the Patriots last spring? And maybe these eight guys will all turn into the next Justin Jefferson, Deebo Samuel and Cooper Kupp.

But if you’re the Eagles and you have decent but not unlimited cap space and you already have DeVonta Smith and Quez Watkins and three 1^st-round picks and five of the first 83 picks, there really is no urgency to over-pay for a mediocre free agent.

Sometimes the best free agents are the ones you don’t sign.

Here’s a glance at the big-money receivers who’ve signed so far:

Christian Kirk [Cards-Jaguars]

AGE: 25

CONTRACT: $18 million per year [4 years, $72 million, $37 million guaranteed]

PRO BOWLS: 0

KIRK’S CAREER: Averaged 59 catches for 726 yards and 4 TDs in four seasons with Cards. Has four career 100-yard games. Was 77-for-982-5 last year in best season. Based on average annual salary, Kirk now ranks 9^th in the NFL among WRs. In his best season, he ranked 21^st among NFL wide receivers in catches, 24^th in yards and tied for 30^th in touchdowns.

DJ Chark [Jaguars-Lions]

AGE: 25

CONTRACT: $10 million per year [one year, $10 million]

PRO BOWLS: 1

KIRK’S CAREER: Had a 1,000-yard Pro Bowl season in 2019 with eight TDs but dropped to 719 yards in 2020 and was limited to just four games this past season. Has four 100-yard games in four seasons, just one since Week 11 of 2019.

Cedrick Wilson [Cowboys-Dolphins]

AGE: 25

CONTRACT: $7.35 million per year [3 years, $22.05 million, $12.75 million guaranteed]

PRO BOWLS: 0

WILSON’S CAREER: Missed rookie year with injury, barely played in 2019, caught 17 passes in 2020 and finally got an opportunity last year and caught 45 passes for 602 yards and six TDs playing behind Amari Cooper, Ceedee Lamb and Michael Gallup before he got hurt. Has only had four career games with more than 46 yards.

Zay Jones [ Raiders-Jaguars]

AGE: 25

CONTRACT: $8 million per year [3 years, $24 million, $14 million guaranteed]

PRO BOWLS: 0

JONES’ CAREER: Has had three career games in five years with more than 68 yards. Bills’ 2^nd-round pick in 2017 has averaged 34 catches for 377 yards and 2.2 touchdowns in his career with the Bills and Raiders. Career 11.0 average ranks 112^th of 127 active WRs with at least 100 catches.

Mike Williams [re-signed with Chargers]

AGE: 25

CONTRACT: $20 million per year [3 years, $60 million, $40 million guaranteed]

PRO BOWLS: 0

WILLIAMS’ CAREER: Williams had 1,000-yard seasons in 2019 and 2021 and has 26 TD catches over the last four years. His 16.0 career average is 8^th-highest among active NFL receivers, and he has 26 touchdown catches over the last four seasons.

Michael Gallup [re-signed with Cowboys]

AGE: 25

CONTRACT: $11.5 million per year [5 years, $57.5 million, $27 million guaranteed]

PRO BOWLS: 0

GALLUP’S CAREER: Gallup has averaged 48 catches for 726 yards and 15 TDs in his four NFL seasons. He missed the second half of this year with a torn ACL. His best season was 2019, with 1,107 yards.

Braxton Berrios [re-signed with Jets]

AGE: 25

CONTRACT: $6 million per year [2 years, $12 million, $7 million guaranteed]

PRO BOWLS: 0

GAGE’S CAREER: Special teams all-pro has just 89 catches for 940 yards and five TDs in three years as a wide receiver.

Russell Gage [Falcons-Buccaneers]

AGE: 25 

CONTRACT: $10 million per year [3 years, $30 million, unknown guaranteed]

PRO BOWLS: 0

GAGE’S CAREER: A 6^th-round pick in 2018, Gage has been somewhat productive the last two years, averaging 69 catches for 778 yards and four TDs.

https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/eagles/nfl-free-agency-2022-wide-receiver-contracts-keeping-howie-roseman-sideline