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Update on the edge market: Contract sagas involving T.J. Watt, Micah Parsons, Trey Hendrickson

Remember last year when several NFL quarterbacks needed contract extensions? It became a game of who would get extended first to set the monetary precedent, and who would come out on top with the best deal. Guys like Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville Jaguars), Jared Goff (Los Angeles Rams), Tua Tagovailoa (Miami Dolphins), Jordan Love (Green Bay Packers) and Dak Prescott (Dallas Cowboys) were all handed new deals.

Well, our guy Kyle Crabbs recently noticed that a similar trend is currently happening with the edge rusher market. Guys like Maxx Crosby (Las Vegas Raiders), Myles Garrett (Cleveland Browns) and Danielle Hunter (Houston Texans) have received hefty deals, while others like Trey Hendrickson (Cincinnati Bengals), T.J. Watt (Pittsburgh Steelers) and Micah Parsons (Dallas Cowboys) are patiently waiting.

Let’s highlight what Kyle has to say about the current edge market:

On Hendrickson vs. Bengals: “The standoff in Cincinnati is unique to, well, Cincinnati. The dynamics there are difficult to compare to the rest of the league — although some promising updates about the two parties seemed to trickle out at the end of last week about renewed talks on an extension Hendrickson is desperate to sign.”

On the 2024 QB extension race: “The last man standing in the staring contest? Dak Prescott. Prescott and his agent, Todd France of CAA (Creative Artists Agency), managed to take the Dallas Cowboys the distance and with everyone else's chips on the table, France took the Cowboys to the woodshed. Prescott inked a four-year, $240 million extension that crushed the annual average salary record by $5 million and boasted an NFL record $80 million signing bonus.

“The most impressive number out of Prescott's contract was the $231 million in practical guarantees on his contract. The scar tissue the NFL carries from seeing how poorly Deshaun Watson's fully-guaranteed contract has aged is very real. For France to get Dallas to make that kind of guarantee commitment is a testament to just how much leverage Prescott held over the Cowboys.

“Patience, as it turns out, really is a virtue.”

The 2025 edge landscape: “Which is why fans shouldn't be surprised to see the Watt and Parsons' standoffs linger throughout the summer. Another fun wrinkle for these two star defenders? Their agencies are the same two that were the last ones standing in last year's quarterback stare down.

“Parsons is represented by David Mulugheta of Athletes First — who is the hottest agent in the game and always gets his price. Mulugheta also represents Jordan Love, who landed the penultimate deal for the quarterback extensions last year. So don't feel sorry for Parsons.”

“CAA is at the table in this conversation via T.J. Watt, though. The Steelers, in a bid to salvage whatever negotiating leverage and potential cost they hope to save, should be mindful of how waiting played out last year for the Cowboys. Will CAA insist on being the last ones to eat one again this year? Or will they be more willing to take the next deal on account of Watt's age (he'll be 31 in October) versus Parsons, who is playing on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract and has more elite football ahead of him?”

Who blinks first? Who gets the final deal? “Both players, Watt and Parsons, have a legitimate argument to top Garrett's $40 million annual average. They could also very easily set their eyes on the title of highest paid non-quarterback, which now belongs to WR Ja'Marr Chase…

“And now, with the edge rusher extension group so close to the finish line, both Parsons & Athletes First and Watt & CAA likely wouldn't mind being the last one to blink. For Pittsburgh and Dallas, avoiding being last at this point likely means conceding all the wrinkles on the negotiating table anyway. It's a tough spot to be — and unsurprising that the same agencies that cashed in by outlasting the field are once again the last ones standing.”

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Checking in on the remaining free agent market

With a little over a month until training camp begins, there remains a surprising amount of talent in the free agent pool. Some of these guys will be signed over the next few weeks. Others will likely wait until training camp or even later before joining a squad.

Below are some of the top free agents remaining at each position, with links to Spotrac for the full lists.

Top offensive free agents remaining

• Quarterbacks: Carson Wentz, Teddy Bridgewater, C.J. Beathard, Tyler Huntley, Desmond Ridder
• Running backs: Jamaal Williams, Gus Edwards, Jeff Wilson, Ameer Abdullah, Chase Edmonds
• Wide receivers: Amari Cooper, Keenan Allen, Gabe Davis, Nelson Agholor, Tyler Boyd
• Tight ends: Gerald Everett, Marcedes Lewis, Jordan Akins, C.J. Uzomah, Hayden Hurst
• Offensive linemen: OG Brandon Scherff, OG Shaq Mason, OT Jedrick Wills, OT George Fant, OG Will Hernandez

Analysis: The pickings are slim at QB, RB and TE, understandable at this point in the offseason. That said, don’t be surprised if a few of the above names at those positions are signed during training camp. At WR, I’m honestly surprised that Cooper, Allen and Davis are still available. They will certainly end up somewhere soon, though I suppose they could wait until later in the preseason (or even the regular season) due to the position’s injury rate. Why partake in grueling training camps when you could skip and wait until you’re needed?

There are still several quality offensive linemen left. Plenty of coaches prefer to wait and see how their young players fare against competition during training camp before adding vets, hence why many of these names are still available. Offensive line isn’t a position to skimp on, so somebody will end up wanting these guys.

Top defensive free agents remaining

• Defensive linemen: Raekwon Davis, DeMarcus Walker, John Cominsky, Austin Johnson, Montravius Adams
• Edge rushers: Von Miller, Matt Judon, Preston Smith, Za'Darius Smith, Jadeveon Clowney
• Linebackers (inside): C.J. Mosley, Ja'Whaun Bentley, De'Vondre Campbell, Eric Kendricks, Neville Hewitt
• Cornerbacks: Jaire Alexander, Kendall Fuller, Rasul Douglas, Stephon Gilmore, Asante Samuel Jr.
• Safeties: Marcus Williams, Justin Simmons, Julian Blackmon, Jordan Whitehead, Jordan Poyer

Analysis: Defensive line and linebacker are thin, but I could see some of these guys getting picked up during training camp, similar to how coaches treat the OL positions. Edge is interesting — all of those names are noteworthy and have juice left. Miller clearly still wants to play, so it’s a matter of when, not if, for him. The others? They might wait until a contender is desperate enough to throw money at them during the middle of the season.

At defensive back, the most notable name is Jaire Alexander who was recently released by the Packers. Expect him to go to a contender soon on a one-year prove-it deal. There are plenty of other strong names here — Douglas, Samuel, Simmons and Blackmon could all provide a nice boost to many secondaries, but all have their own baggage, whether it’s injuries, performance skids, and/or carrying a high cost relative to risk.

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