Are owners driving down EDGE rusher contracts?

[UnderArmour]

A couple of offseasons ago, we had a robust safety market.
2017 - Eric Berry gets paid, Tony Jefferson gets paid, Cyprien gets paid, Barry Church gets paid
2018
Morgan Burnett 3 years, $14 million
Lamarcus Joyner (Franchise Tagged)
Tyrann Mathieu 1 year $7 million
Kenny Vaccaro - Basically unsigned until Titans have injury
Eric Reid - Unsigned until Carolina had need midseason
None of these guys gets a long term deal.

2019
Mathieu signs 3 year $42 million in 2019
Vaccaro lands 4 year $24 million
Reid 3 years $22 million
Joyner 4 years $42 million

Now with DEs/Edge Rushers:
2017 - Everyone gets paid no exceptions. Solid guys get tagged not making it to market.
2018 - Nobody solid even licks the market.
2019 - Frank Clark gets mega deal, Demarcus Lawrence gets mega deal (eventually), Trey Flowers makes bank, Za'Darius Smith gets 4 years $66 million, Dee Ford gets traded and a mega deal, even Preston Smith gets 4 years $52 million. Heck, Justin Houston gets 2 years $24 million.

THIS year....
2020 - Clowney unsigned.
Barrett gets tagged.
Yannick gets tagged and has no real buyers.
Dante Fowler - 3 years $48 million
Dupree - Tagged
Judon - Tagged
Quinn - 5 years, $70 million 30 guaranteed
Everson Griffen - Unsigned

Nobody wants to be the one to give a Khalil Mack contract, or even Frank Clark/Dee Ford/Lawrence contract to a pass rusher this offseason. I doubt Yannick even gets traded at this point.

[Poet]

That's an interesting thought, and very high caliber at that.

[Poet]

How much of it is the fact that teams want to trust their own pass rushers that they have medicals own/aren't inclined to replace a pass rusher with a new one since medicals are hard to get right now?

[MOtorboat]

I’ll have to look at this a lot closer...

What type of years did those big contract guys have after their signed contract? I don’t recall off the top of my head.
How much does Clowney’s reputation have to do with this? Do we know his contract demands? Is his agent not budging?
Are owners looking at more edge rushers in college and figuring they can find one on the cheap rather than sign one?

Lots of questions, but it’s an interesting trend.

[SmilinAssasSin27]

Position flexibility and scheme diversity. One trick ponies are played out. Value just isn't there anymore. With mobile QBs becoming more prevalent and the increased use of RBs as check downs, pass rushers can ne schemed against more and more. Not that the great ones aren't still effective, but most of them have all around skill set.

[UnderArmour]

Heading into week 1 Clay Matthews and Cameron Wake turned Elway down. This is obviously real.

[MOtorboat]

Heading into week 1 Clay Matthews and Cameron Wake turned Elway down. This is obviously real.

Now hold on ... Cameron Wake is 38 and had 2.5 sacks last year. Matthews is 34 and has averaged about 5 sacks the last four seasons. If they are asking for top dollar at this point they’re going to get turned down.

[Northman]

Are there fax machines involved thats all i want to know.

[Simple Jaded]

I think the market is driving the price down, maybe PFF sweet stats are playing a part.

Personally, I think it’s because offenses are making it hard for edge rushers to make a Von Miller impact.

[UnderArmour]

Now hold on ... Cameron Wake is 38 and had 2.5 sacks last year. Matthews is 34 and has averaged about 5 sacks the last four seasons. If they are asking for top dollar at this point they’re going to get turned down.

Jared Allen and Ware both got decent contracts at the tail end of their career. Ware worked out for us, but Allen did not work out for the Bears. Wake got a nice contract from the Titans, Suggs got a nice one last offseason from the Cardinals, and Matthews got a decent deal from the Rams (he still has 2 million owed). The positional salary seemed to defy age, the same way the quarterback position on defense did. GMs and ownership are trying to drive the market price down, and these guys just aren't having it.

[Shazam!]

Cannot pay defenders like QBs IMO

[Simple Jaded]

Cannot pay defenders like QBs IMO

No defensive player makes QB money anymore.

[Poet]

No defensive player makes QB money anymore.

Jaded, I love you fam.

Which defender should be highest paid, from a positional standpoint?

[Simple Jaded]

Jaded, I love you fam.

Which defender should be highest paid, from a positional standpoint?
Aaron Donald, DT, because interior pass rush is so rare.

[Poet]

Aaron Donald, DT, because interior pass rush is so rare.

He is the larger version of John Randle.

[Simple Jaded]

He is the larger version of John Randle.

John Randle did it before the Nickel became the base defense, I don’t know if Donald would be as dominant in Randles day.

[Poet]

John Randle did it before the Nickel became the base defense, I don’t know if Donald would be as dominant in Randles day.

I'll float this as a response that popped into my head - guard and center plays are at an all time high now -most investment in the positions/schemes that care about them/moving busted tackles to guard and seeing them flourish there- so it might balance out. I also think Donald's dominant run-stopping would make up for it. Randle was good there. Donald is great.

I'm not sure if I buy that, though. I think the better response would be that Donald's first step explosion back then would be even more unfair than it is now.

[Simple Jaded]

I'll float this as a response that popped into my head - guard and center plays are at an all time high now -most investment in the positions/schemes that care about them/moving busted tackles to guard and seeing them flourish there- so it might balance out. I also think Donald's dominant run-stopping would make up for it. Randle was good there. Donald is great.

I'm not sure if I buy that, though. I think the better response would be that Donald's first step explosion back then would be even more unfair than it is now.

Randle had the first step explosion, plus he had to defend better run games.

[Poet]

Randle had the first step explosion, plus he had to defend better run games.

He had the explosion, but not like Donald. Donald is quicker and stronger.

The rest I agree with. Granted I'd stack those two boys next to one another, find a weak side blitzing LB, pay two corners, an above average MLB, and call it a defense.

[Simple Jaded]

He had the explosion, but not like Donald. Donald is quicker and stronger.

The rest I agree with. Granted I'd stack those two boys next to one another, find a weak side blitzing LB, pay two corners, an above average MLB, and call it a defense.

I don’t know if there’s much difference in either explosion or strength, hard to tell but Randle did it in a harder era.

[Poet]

I don’t know if there’s much difference in either explosion or strength, hard to tell but Randle did it in a harder era.

Donald could move around the line, and was stronger. Just on measurables if nothing else.

I love a historical talk. ILU BB.

[Simple Jaded]

Donald could move around the line, and was stronger. Just on measurables if nothing else.

I love a historical talk. ILU BB.
I just went down the rabbit hole looking for Randle measurables and got distracted.

Donald might have him in strength, he’s a freak.

[Simple Jaded]

Clowney has zero sacks at mid-season, Shaq has 4.