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Get ready for an unprecedented NFL free agency period, and not just because of the cla s of players set to hit the market due to an expiring contract.Given the reduced salary cap, more teams than ever before are going to have difficult financial decisions on their hands, and more established veterans than ever before are going to hit the market. Let's pinpoint the po sible cap casualties who will likely be available relatively soon, players still capable of being quality Cody Allen Jersey contributors. BUF OLB #40 Likelihood of release: High2021 impact: HighMiller suffered a "rare" and serious injury near his ankle right before the start of the 2020 season and will be 32 in March. That's not an encouraging combination. But he still brings it as an elite-level pa s rusher. In 2019, Miller racked up 77 pre sures, a gargantuan number.Why wouldn't the keep him then? His cap hit in 2021 is $22.5 million with a $17.5M team option that needs to be exercised by the start of the new league year in mid-March. This is a J.J. Watt-type player likely entering the market -- soon. Miller can absolutely still perform and while the injury makes him a little le s appealing, the three-time All-Pro can be that veteran presence who elevates a team in 2021. BUF WR #1 Likelihood of release: High2021 impact: ModerateSanders didn't quite have the season the hoped for when they signed him in early April. But he wasn't a liability, either, catching 61 pa ses for 726 yards with five touchdowns. He e sentially never was able to act as J. C. Ramirez Jersey a complement to because of the star's nagging injuries.Even at 33, Sanders proved he still can separate and stretch the field vertically when needed. He'll be 34 in March and is set to represent a $10M cap hit for a team nearly $70M over the cap. Sanders will save New Orleans $6M if released, so it's very likely to happen. Clubs looking for a quality veteran presence in the locker room to mentor some young receivers and/or get reliable production from a secondary wideout, should look to add Sanders as a relatively low-cost option. GB OLB #91 Likelihood of release: Moderate2021 impact: ModerateIf the sign J.J. Watt, Smith's future in Green Bay will seriously be in jeopardy. Even if they don't, there's a decent chance Smith doesn't return in 20201. The Packers take on an $8M dead-cap hit if they cut ties but save $8M on the cap. And a Cameron Maybin Jersey $16M cap figure is probably too high for someone who only tallied 29 pre sures on 446 pa s-rush snaps in 2020.A versatile inside-out rusher, Smith can play base defensive end, kick inside when needed, or rush as a stand-up linebacker at 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds. Although he's coming off his worst production season in his career, if suddenly available, Smith's varied skill set would make him a hot commodity. On a team where he wouldn't have to be the top rusher and could be used more on the defensive line than as a pure edge rusher, Smith could ultimately be one of the best value signings in 2021. NYJ OLB #9 Likelihood of release: High2021 impact: LowAlexander is an athletic, no-hesitation linebacker who's play is extremely up and down. For every splash play he puts on film, he mi ses a tackle or two, and he's not quite as impactful in coverage as his frame and physical profile would suggest.The former fourth-round pick of the has now played for three teams in six seasons. After signing a lucrative deal in free agency with the in 2019, he tore his pectoral during the middle of the season and mi sed the rest of the year. This past November, he was traded to the Saints and tore his Achilles tendon in late December.Alexander is only turning 27 in August, and despite returning from a serious injury to his lower half that could, in theory, sap some of his twitch and range at the second level, he boasts over 4,000 snaps of NFL experience. There'd be far worse veteran depth options on the market. Andrelton Simmons Jersey PHI DE #96 Likelihood of release: Low to moderate2021 impact: Moderate to highBarnett has been productive in Philadelphia after the team made him their first-round pick in 2017. He had 42 pre sures as a rookie and a career-high 50 on 490 pa s-rush snaps in 2019. This past season, on 308 rushes, Barnett registered 32 pre sures of the quarterback. For his career, he's hovered right around a 10% pre sure-creation rate, which teeters on good but is certainly not great, especially considering the slightly lower amount of pa s-rush attempts he's getting every year.And he's dealt with his fair share of injuries. In 2020, Barnett was on the field for 48.5% of the defensive snaps and witne sed 2018 fourth-round pick show encouraging signs behind him, Yes, there's a chance Philadelphia just lets Barnett play out the fifth-year option in 2021, but it's a hefty $10M for someone who plays right around half the snaps.Barnett doesn't turn 25 until June, so if released, he'd absolutely have a sizable market for the litany of teams looking to upgrade depth in their pa s-rushing unit. BUF WR #89 Likelihood of release: High2021 impact: Low to moderateBrown had a 1,000-yard season in 2019 as part of the duo -- with -- that brought the pa s game to Reggie Jackson Jersey respectability. As Buffalo's offense erupted in 2020, Brown wasn't a focal point due to the acquisition of . However, Brown battled through a knee injury for most of the early part of the season then mi sed a handful of games after an awkward fall on an amazing scramble-drill grab in Week 10 against the .Still with high-level speed -- although he's lost a step or two from the 4.34 he ran at the 2014 combine -- Brown has good route-running savvy and a bigger catch radius than his 5-10 frame would suggest, He can be a quality contributor as a No. 2 in 2021.He restructure his deal in Buffalo, but a release would clear $7.9M for the Bills. |
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发表于 2023-4-10 18:08:03