Redskins Will Face Several Key Free Agent Decisions This Offseason
Already faced with having to make a key decision with their quarterback Kirk Cousins, the Washington Redskins will enter the 2017 offseason with 15 total players on their upcoming free agent list. The team will have an estimated $60+ million in excess salary cap dollars to spend.
Redskins head coach Jay Gruden expressed his criteria for figuring out who will be back next season. “It’s our job to make sure we target the ones we definitely want back that really have an impact on this team,” Gruden said, “not only from a talent standpoint but from a leadership standpoint. Both areas are very important to me, almost more so as a leadership standpoint. A lot of these guys have talent, but we have to make sure we keep the great leaders in this building.”
The list of upcoming Redskins free-agents is below:
QB Kirk Cousins ($19,953,000) – Cousins has made himself clear, he feels like he should be paid well for his services and is willing to play another year under the franchise tag if the team’s early offers are not to his liking.
WR DeSean Jackson ($9,250,000) – Jackson has said the free agent process is ‘intriguing’ to him since he’s never felt it before. The team really loves the skill-set that DJax brings to the plate…let’s see if they show him the love as it pertains to money.
WR Pierre Garcon ($8,500,000) – Garcon is the model of consistency, and could likely be had at the $8 million a year mark. The real question will be, are the Redskins willing to pay Garcon what he feels he’s worth.
DE Chris Baker ($3,000,000) – ‘Big Bake’ wants to retire a Washington Redskins player, that of course doesn’t mean he will in the free-agent era. He is due a raise, but you would think a team as thin at defensive end as the Redskins are would want to extend this guy…stay tuned.
LB Junior Galette ($600,000) – Remember this guy? Galette hasn’t played a single down with the team due to injury the last two years. But he has expressed his willingness to try again if the team wants him back for dirt cheap in 2017.
TE Vernon Davis ($2,381,250) – The team has expressed its desire to resign Davis, at 32 he still has juice in the tank.
DE Ziggy Hood ($625,625) – Hood played out of position for most of the year as the team had issues at nose guard. He did well, but would better serve the team as a defensive end.
CB Greg Toler ($680,000) – Provided much needed depth for Washington in 2016.
S Duke Ihenacho ($675,000) – Ihenacho just has to be more consistent with his tackling.
S Donte Whitner ($458,824) – At 32, Whitner is likely done as a Redskins player.
LB Terrance Garvin – Special teams player…decent rotational guy as well.
DL Kedric Golston ($410,882) – Was injured most of the year…could see the team finally go in a different direction from Golston.
DL Cullen Jenkins ($564,706) – Will be turning 36 in a few weeks. Showed flashes of still having something in the tank in 2016.
LS Nick Sundberg ($1,162,500) – One of the best, most consistent long-snappers in the business. As long as he isn’t asking a ridiculous price he should be resigned.
C John Sullivan ($728,824) – Will be 32 next year…face with the looming possibility that Kory Lichtensteiger could retire, Sullivan will likely find his way back with the team next year as a backup to Spencer Long.
