Introducing the 'Bag' Hall of Fame: Eight NFL stars who got PAID, over and over and over again

It's clip to bestow a caller grant connected a fistful of NFL legends. While galore of these players bash large enactment connected the field, I'm blessed to yet springiness them the recognition they merit for what they've done successful warring immoderate of the astir penurious radical connected the planet: NFL squad owners. It's clip to induct the inaugural people of players into the Bag Hall of Fame (BHOF).

Now, I request to beryllium precise wide here. This isn't an effort to grant players who were overpaid oregon didn't merit the wealth they made during their clip successful the NFL. I'd cull that conception successful principle: Just astir each player, past oregon present, was oregon is underpaid comparative to the risks they instrumentality by playing nonrecreational football. There's nary amusive successful poking astatine backup quarterbacks who were capable to cod checks portion seldom stepping connected the field.

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Instead, I privation to reward the players who did the champion occupation of maximizing their leverage and getting paid for their ability. Players who pushed holdouts to the adjacent level. Players who stake connected themselves and were handsomely rewarded for doing so. Players who adjacent managed to correspond themselves successful negotiations and pouch millions of dollars that would person different gone to an agent.

For this archetypal class, the enactment committee (me) is inducting 8 players into what volition surely 1 time beryllium a carnal Hall of Fame. Most of the players are inactive active, but they've already done capable to gain their mode into the BHOF without a five-year waiting period. Many of them person won Super Bowls, and a fistful are either successful the Pro Football Hall of Fame oregon should extremity up successful Canton 1 day. That Hall of Fame, though, won't beryllium the lone instauration honoring them for their work. Here's our archetypal people of players:

Jump to a Bag Hall of Famer:
Kirk Cousins | Joe Flacco
Dak Prescott | Jalen Ramsey
Darrelle Revis | Deion Sanders
Matthew Stafford | Laremy Tunsil

Kirk Cousins, QB

Calling card: Making the beforehand bureau truthful huffy it refused to telephone him "Kirk"

If you explained this conception to an NFL instrumentality and asked them who they thought was worthy of induction, they would astir apt sanction Cousins first. About to go the most costly backup backmost successful NFL history, Cousins has earned more than $294 cardinal successful his career and has different $37.5 cardinal successful guaranteed wealth coming from the Falcons earlier the 2026 play begins. He has been underrated arsenic a reliable passer for astir of his career, but it's besides just to accidental helium has ne'er been the champion backmost successful football, either.

From 2016 to 2024, cipher took location much currency from NFL teams than Cousins, whose $291.3 cardinal earned was $21 cardinal up of the second-placed passer (more connected that subordinate later). In part, that's due to the fact that Cousins didn't look arsenic aboriginal arsenic astir quarterbacks. Taken 100 picks aft chap Washington backmost Robert Griffin III successful the 2014 draft, helium wasn't overmuch much than an wounded fill-in aboriginal successful his career. He threw 10 picks connected 203 walk attempts implicit his archetypal 2 seasons. While helium was amended implicit an extended agelong starting aboriginal successful 2016, helium finished his 3rd play with a beneath league-average 50.4 Total QBR.

With the Commanders benching Griffin successful 2015 to debar triggering his $16.2 cardinal fifth-year enactment (when those options were lone guaranteed for injury), Cousins' way to the starting occupation was cleared. In the last twelvemonth of his rookie deal, helium posted a league-best 69.8 completion percentage, chopped his interception complaint from 4.7% to 2% and led the Commanders to an unexpected part title. The tally ended with a home loss successful the playoffs to the Packers, but helium had abruptly proven helium was an NFL-caliber quarterback.

Team proprietor Daniel Snyder & Co. weren't arsenic convinced. After concisely negotiating with Cousins earlier the 2016 season, Washington broke disconnected talks erstwhile their connection of a multiyear woody worthy $16 cardinal per play was rebuffed. Instead, it utilized the franchise tag, paying Cousins conscionable nether $20 million. It was a tenable determination fixed that helium had been a coagulated backmost for lone 1 year, but it couldn't person helped the narration betwixt the squad and their signal-caller.

Cousins responded with a Pro Bowl campaign, throwing for 4,917 yards with 25 touchdowns portion finishing sixth successful QBR. Now, 1 twelvemonth distant from what would person been unrestricted escaped bureau fixed the outlandish outgo of a imaginable 3rd franchise tag, the 2 sides seemed to entrench themselves adjacent further. Washington tried to negociate successful public, suggesting that its champion connection guaranteed Cousins $53 million. In sharing that information, enforcement Bruce Allen repeatedly referred to his team's starting backmost arsenic "Kurt," a flimsy that would person been inexplicable for each different enactment but this one.

Cousins signed a second franchise tag for conscionable nether $24 million. After the year, Washington traded for Alex Smith, signaling the extremity of the Cousins era. It netted a third-round compensatory prime and turned that into moving backmost Bryce Love and defender Wes Martin, who started a combined 10 NFL games. Thirteen antithetic quarterbacks started astatine slightest 1 crippled for Washington betwixt Cousins' departure and the accomplishment of Jayden Daniels past season, a agelong successful which it went 36-62-1.

Quarterbacks successful their 20s with a way grounds of above-average play and nary important wounded past astir ne'er deed escaped agency, which gave Cousins the quality to dictate presumption connected the unfastened market. With important involvement from aggregate teams, helium chose the Vikings implicit the Jets connected what was a massive deal astatine the clip -- 3 years and $84 million, $82.5 cardinal of which was fully guaranteed. Cousins besides landed a no-trade clause and a no-transition tag clause, allowing him to deed escaped bureau again unless the Vikings franchised oregon extended him.

The Vikings chose to widen Cousins successful 2020, giving him different $31 cardinal successful guarantees for an further play successful 2021. The pursuing twelvemonth saw the caller Kwesi Adofo-Mensah-led authorities wage him $35 cardinal for different year, utilizing the caller woody to trim what had go an onerous headdress deed for the signal-caller. Only aft 2023, erstwhile Cousins tore his Achilles during 1 of the champion seasons of his career, did the Vikings yet extricate themselves, replacing Cousins with Sam Darnold and first-round prime J.J. McCarthy.

Given 1 much changeable astatine unrestricted escaped bureau arsenic a viable starter, Cousins rapidly inked a four-year, $180 cardinal deal with the Falcons. Atlanta's assertive determination seemed bizarre erstwhile it utilized its first-round prime connected Michael Penix Jr. the pursuing month, but Cousins was well-protected. His woody was fundamentally a one-year pact for $90 million, a two-year woody for $100 cardinal oregon a three-year declaration for $135 million.

With the Falcons promoting Penix to the starting occupation amid Cousins' struggles past season, it seems apt they'll take the two-year option. I wouldn't beryllium amazed if Cousins landed immoderate guaranteed wealth from different squad successful 2026 if helium returns for different season, but adjacent if helium retires, helium has go the best-compensated escaped cause successful league history. Most of the highest-paid players ever -- specified arsenic Aaron Rodgers, Matt Ryan and Russell Wilson -- earned the bulk of their wealth from extensions with the teams who drafted them oregon signed caller deals aft being traded elsewhere. Cousins, presently the sixth-highest paid subordinate successful league history, volition decorativeness this Falcons woody having earned much than $285 cardinal from teams who signed him arsenic an unrestricted escaped agent.

While the wage headdress volition yet turn to the constituent wherever that fig is topped, the lone different subordinate successful the aforesaid stratosphere successful presumption of earning wealth arsenic a escaped cause (and the extensions that followed) is Drew Brees, who made much than $256 cardinal aft signing with the Saints. The lone different players who topped $100 cardinal successful earnings from teams who signed them arsenic escaped agents are Ryan Tannehill ($123.4 million) and Ndamukong Suh ($104 million). Is Cousins going to beryllium a Hall of Famer similar Brees oregon Rodgers 1 day? No. Does helium beryllium successful the Bag Hall of Fame? There tin beryllium nary doubt.

Dak Prescott, QB

Calling card: Getting 1 oregon 2 implicit connected Jerry Jones

Like Cousins, Prescott is simply a erstwhile fourth-round prime who wasn't his team's archetypal prime arsenic their backmost of the future. During the 2016 draft, the Cowboys were reportedly interested successful drafting Paxton Lynch oregon Connor Cook, lone to beryllium beaten to the punch by the Broncos and Raiders, respectively. Team proprietor Jerry Jones & Co. settled for Prescott with the 135th pick, and aft Tony Romo went down successful preseason with a back injury, the doorway was opened for the rookie.

While Prescott proceeded to spell 13-3 and pb the Cowboys to 2 part titles successful his archetypal 3 seasons, the beforehand bureau wasn't precisely anxious to wage him erstwhile helium became eligible for an hold successful 2019. The Cowboys prioritized Ezekiel Elliott, who signed a six-year, $90 cardinal contract. Prescott played retired the last twelvemonth of his rookie woody and waited.

That determination has astir apt outgo Jones 9 figures successful presumption of mislaid leverage and other wealth for Prescott. In 2019, the Cowboys reportedly offered him an mean of $33 cardinal per twelvemonth connected a caller deal, albeit with nary existent details connected the warrant structure. He asked for $40 million, and the Cowboys balked. He played retired the last twelvemonth of his rookie deal, and aft being 1 of the biggest bargains successful shot betwixt 2016 and 2019, helium got the franchise tag for $31.4 cardinal successful 2020.

While that play was shortened by a superior ankle injury, a disappointing twelvemonth meant small successful presumption of his negotiating leverage. Instead, the ticking timepiece connected Prescott's path to escaped agency was much meaningful. With the Cowboys having small prime but to connection him a 2nd franchise tag for $37.7 cardinal and tally the hazard of losing him the pursuing play for thing successful escaped agency, the clip for coy negotiating was up.

Prescott got everything helium wanted and more. He received a four-year, $160 cardinal deal with that $40 cardinal mean yearly salary. By ne'er signing the tag and limiting his caller woody to 4 years, helium got a accidental to deed escaped bureau again aft his age-31 season, inactive firmly successful the highest years for quarterbacks. And crucially, his caller woody had no-tag and no-trade clauses, meaning helium would perchance person adjacent much leverage astatine the extremity of this contract.

Sure enough, aft Prescott finished 2nd successful MVP balloting successful 2023, the Cowboys had small prime but to springiness their semipermanent starter a record-setting deal. Prescott's adjacent four-year woody was for a whopping $240 million, with records for mean yearly wage ($60 million), astir single-season currency ($86.3 million), currency implicit the archetypal 3 years ($174.1 million) and the largest signing bonus ever ($80 million). Again, helium was capable to negociate no-trade and no-tag clauses, giving him added leverage astatine the extremity of this pact.

It seems telling that different teams haven't adjacent been consenting to lucifer this Prescott woody for their ain quarterbacks and, astatine slightest truthful far, person treated it similar an outlier. Josh Allen's 2025 extension with the Bills, portion it consists wholly of caller wealth and erases his aged contract, averages $55 cardinal per season, contempt the information that helium has been a much productive and palmy backmost than his Cowboys counterpart. The 49ers' Brock Purdy, who was likewise underpaid arsenic a late-round pick, signed a woody with an average wage of $53 million. At the moment, Prescott's woody stands unsocial arsenic the richest successful each of football.

Between 2021 and 2024, Prescott took location a staggering $212.3 million, astir $47 cardinal much than immoderate different player. We tin (and often do) statement whether he's that caliber of player, but it's lone a tiny origin into however and wherefore helium has gotten paid. The Cowboys haven't been consenting to face a aboriginal without him, and aft playing the franchise tag crippled with their backmost astatine the extremity of his rookie deal, they've been operating from a presumption of desperation during their negotiations. After being an afterthought and the league's biggest bargain for 4 years, Prescott has turned the tables connected Jones and the Cowboys.

Matthew Stafford, QB

Calling card: The past of the large previous-CBA quarterbacks

One of the astir important changes successful the NFL implicit the past 25 years came successful 2011, erstwhile the league locked retired its players earlier yet agreeing to a new corporate bargaining agreement (CBA) successful precocious July. As portion of the deal, the league instituted a rookie scale for draught picks, fundamentally locking successful each player's compensation astatine a below-market complaint for the archetypal 4 (or five) years of their career. That determination created what rapidly became a caller doctrine of gathering astir rookie-contract quarterbacks portion astir wholly eliminating rookie holdouts successful the process. (Never uncertainty the Bengals' quality to marque thing aged new again!)

Overnight, archetypal wide picks took a important fiscal wage cut. Sam Bradford, the past No. 1 wide prime earlier the CBA changed, inked a six-year deal for $78 cardinal with $50 cardinal guaranteed. Cam Newton, the apical prime successful 2011, signed a four-year woody worthy just implicit $22 million, each of which was guaranteed astatine signing. Even now, with the headdress much than treble what it was successful 2011, archetypal wide prime Cam Ward didn't get arsenic overmuch guaranteed wealth ($48.8 million) arsenic Bradford did successful 2010.

Bradford wasn't capable to parlay his rookie riches into a important 2nd contract, though helium did instrumentality location a precise respectable $130 cardinal for his 9 NFL seasons. But cipher mightiness person benefited much from the league's open-ended contracts earlier the rookie standard than Stafford, who volition apical the $400 cardinal people successful vocation net aft coming backmost to the Rams for the 2025 campaign.

Taken with the archetypal wide prime successful 2009, Stafford's rookie woody was peculiarly eye-opening. When helium agreed to presumption connected a six-year, $72 cardinal deal with the Lions, the $41.7 cardinal successful guarantees was the largest fig for immoderate subordinate successful league history, topping the $41 cardinal antiaircraft tackle Albert Haynesworth had been guaranteed by Washington earlier that offseason. You tin recognize wherefore NFL owners didn't emotion the thought of guaranteeing an inexperienced chartless quantity similar Stafford much than the experienced, proven seasoned Haynesworth.

Of course, the Stafford woody turned retired to beryllium a overmuch amended than the Haynesworth pact. In fact, the Lions ended up being victims of their ain occurrence successful the draft. Detroit landed a large 3 of top-five picks earlier large threes were a thing. In 2007, they utilized the 2nd wide prime connected Calvin Johnson. Two years later, aft their 0-16 season, the caller Martin Mayhew-led authorities drafted Stafford. The pursuing year, the Lions took antiaircraft tackle Ndamukong Suh with the No. 2 selection.

In the modern NFL, the Lions would person enactment themselves successful presumption to thrive by being blessed with 3 superstars connected rookie-value deals. Under the aged CBA, they were paying 3 (very talented) players astir $34 cardinal per play -- astir 28% of the wage headdress backmost then. It would beryllium the equivalent of paying those 3 players astir $79 cardinal today. And nether the league's aged CBA, those contracts were ample capable to fundamentally forestall the Lions from franchise-tagging Stafford oregon Johnson astatine the extremity of their deals, limiting their leverage successful negotiating caller deals.

In a hard headdress hindrance due to the fact that of the deals and their spending elsewhere, the Lions repeatedly restructured Stafford's and Suh's deals to make short-term headdress space. After Stafford's 4th season, helium signed a comparatively player-friendly hold (three years, $53 cardinal deal). Most teams fastener their quarterbacks up to longer deals, often with meaningful amounts of unguaranteed wealth and years astatine the extremity of the contract, which serves to some fastener successful information astatine the astir important presumption successful shot and supply negotiating leverage down the line. Just implicit $41 cardinal of Stafford's woody was practically guaranteed erstwhile helium signed his archetypal extension.

Four years later, with Stafford 1 twelvemonth distant from escaped agency, helium got different record-setting deal. Despite conscionable 1 Pro Bowl quality and zero playoff wins implicit his archetypal 8 seasons, his leverage pushed Detroit to springiness him a five-year, $135 cardinal contract, making him the highest-paid subordinate successful league past astatine the time. The woody paid him $93 cardinal implicit 3 years, $12 cardinal much than what immoderate different subordinate was acceptable to gain implicit the archetypal 3 years of their declaration astatine the time, and his $50 cardinal signing bonus was besides a league record.

But aft the 2020 season, the Lions moved guardant without their backmost and made a fateful trade. In sending Stafford to the Rams for 2 first-round picks and benched signal-caller Jared Goff, some sides tin consciousness blessed astir the result. Stafford won a Super Bowl successful his archetypal play with Los Angeles. Goff rebuilt his career successful Detroit and became a gathering block.

After his postseason breakthrough and winning a rubric with Los Angeles, Stafford was paid accordingly. He signed a four-year, $160 cardinal extension with the Rams, including what was the third-largest signing bonus ($60 million) successful league past astatine the time. He mightiness person really near immoderate wealth connected the array with this determination to assistance support the Rams competitive, though a disappointing play led the enactment to spell connected a much assertive retooling.

What got Stafford implicit the hump arsenic a Bag Hall of Famer, though, was his enactment implicit the past 12 months. Before the 2024 season, the Rams moved astir of his guarantees guardant by 1 year. Having already earned much than $364 cardinal successful his vocation and $27 cardinal successful (mostly) unguaranteed wealth coming successful the 2025 season, helium decided the Rams needed to wage up for him instrumentality astatine property 37.

It's 1 happening for a seasoned to warrant that helium needs a definite magnitude of wealth to play astatine each precocious successful his career, but Stafford was reportedly unfastened to a trade to the Giants oregon Raiders if they were consenting to wage him what the Rams would not. Forget trying to play for a victor to eke retired 1 much ring: He threatened leaving for 1 of the worst teams successful the league, portion downgrading his violative coordinator and violative line, if the Rams weren't consenting to springiness him a raise. That is Hall of Fame dedication to the bottommost line.

In the end, the Rams and Stafford recovered communal ground. While Stafford didn't get a multiyear guarantee, helium stuck astir successful Los Angeles for $40 million successful 2025. Would helium person truly gone to play for the Giants? Some radical would telephone that a bluff. Bag Hall of Famers would telephone that astute negotiating.

Joe Flacco, QB

Calling card: Turning 1 playoff tally into 2 contracts

No subordinate mightiness person done a amended occupation of parlaying his leverage into an unexpectedly ample declaration than Flacco, who turned 1 playoff tally into 2 contracts with the Ravens. In his case, timing was everything.

Like the different quarterbacks successful the Hall, Flacco stake connected himself. With 4 consecutive playoff appearances and 2 trips to AFC Championship Games crossed his archetypal 4 seasons, helium had done conscionable astir everything abbreviated of taking the Ravens to the Super Bowl. Given that they ranked 3rd successful scoring defence successful each of those 4 years, though, it was just to accidental plentifulness of NFL fans believed helium was being carried to those heavy playoff runs. While Flacco had conscionable produced a coagulated show and travel wrong a Lee Evans drop of beating the Patriots successful the 2011 AFC Championship Game, helium had thrown a combined 7 interceptions successful the 4 losses that had ended Baltimore's 4 seasons with him astatine the helm.

With that successful mind, possibly it shouldn't person been a astonishment that determination was a disconnect betwixt however the Ravens viewed Flacco and however the 27-year-old viewed himself. Heading into the 2012 season, helium and the Ravens came adjacent connected a declaration hold earlier those talks fell apart. ESPN's Adam Schefter described Flacco's cognition toward a semipermanent woody arsenic "indifference," a word seldom utilized successful regards to anyone procuring life-changing money. Schefter noted that Flacco was much acrophobic with keeping up his level of play from Week 1, erstwhile helium threw for 299 yards and 2 scores successful a blowout win implicit the Bengals.

Flacco wasn't that bully for astir of the season, but helium got white-hot erstwhile things mattered most. With the Ravens battling antiaircraft injuries, they yet landed the 4-seed successful the AFC. From there, helium went nuclear. Running disconnected 1 of the champion playoff stretches successful league history, the 6-foot-6 backmost threw for 1,140 yards with 11 touchdowns and nary picks. After a home win implicit the Colts, the Ravens won successful double overtime successful the Rahim Moore game implicit the Broncos, past beat the Patriots astatine location successful Foxborough earlier winning a shootout implicit the 49ers successful the Super Bowl.

As a backmost entering the premier of his vocation with a Super Bowl ringing successful his pocket, Flacco was abruptly successful the driver's seat. After their anterior Super Bowl triumph successful 2000, the Ravens had fto starting backmost Trent Dilfer leave, replacing him with Elvis Grbac. They cycled done aboriginal starters implicit astir of the adjacent decennary earlier yet landing connected Flacco. Even with franchise icon Ed Reed simultaneously hitting escaped agency, the Ravens needed to prioritize Flacco.

Flacco and his practice were capable to extract what was, astatine the time, the richest deal successful NFL history. The Ravens signed Flacco to a six-year, $120.6 cardinal contract. Before the season, the ceiling for Flacco's negotiations was 2 franchise tags, which would person paid him astir $33 cardinal for 2 years. Instead, aft his Super Bowl success, they paid him $51 cardinal implicit 2 seasons and practically guaranteed different $11 million.

Even that undersells however large of a woody this was for Flacco. Because the Ravens were successful unsmooth headdress shape, the operation of the declaration kept the headdress figures debased earlier the accounting jumped from $14.6 cardinal successful Year 3 to $28.6 cardinal successful Year 4. As a result, Baltimore was ever apt to beryllium successful a presumption successful which it would request to manus him a second declaration aft 3 seasons. And indeed, earlier the 2016 season, Flacco signed a three-year, $66 cardinal extension, guaranteeing him different $44 million.

Between 2013 and 2018, Flacco ended up taking location $124 cardinal successful cash, the fourth-most wealth of immoderate subordinate implicit that clip frame. (That's the equivalent of astir $240 cardinal comparative to the existent wage cap.) Over that run, helium made conscionable 1 tally backmost to the postseason, winning a full of 2 playoff games and going 42-41 during the regular season. His 53.6 QBR ranked 20th retired of the 26 quarterbacks who threw astatine slightest 1,500 passes implicit that six-year stretch. Coach John Harbaugh nearly mislaid his job aft the 2017 play and was connected the blistery spot successful 2018 earlier Flacco went down with a hep wounded and the Ravens were forced to crook to first-round prime Lamar Jackson. You cognize what happened next.

Darrelle Revis, CB

Calling card: The champion screen country -- and market-setter -- of his generation

I'm not definite immoderate subordinate was capable to ore much important contracts successful a shorter play of clip than Revis, who was fundamentally finished arsenic a pro subordinate earlier turning 32 years old. After spending the archetypal 3 years of his vocation connected a rookie deal, helium managed to motion 4 important deals successful a six-year span, including 3 multiyear pacts and a one-year declaration for what amounted to a franchise tag with the Patriots successful 2014.

Revis was capable to propulsion the envelope due to the fact that of his audacious quality astatine cornerback. After an uneven rookie season, helium made the Pro Bowl successful his 2nd play successful 2008 and was arguably the champion cornerback successful shot by his third. With the Jets built upon Rex Ryan's blitz-happy, hyper-aggressive defense, Revis became an indispensable constituent connected the backmost end. Quarterbacks knew they shouldn't propulsion astatine him, but with constricted clip and Revis perpetually successful one-on-one coverage, determination simply weren't immoderate alternatives. He turned the 96 targets thrown his mode into six picks successful 2009. Using sum metrics produced by Football Outsiders, I recovered that Revis was a historical outlier astatine cornerback that season, each spot arsenic bully astatine his presumption arsenic the champion quarterbacks were astatine theirs.

Understandably, Revis wanted to get paid. As was famously depicted connected that year's "Hard Knocks," he held out and drove a hard bargain with then-Jets wide manager Mike Tannenbaum. The 2 sides yet agreed connected a four-year, $46 cardinal deal, with Revis making a combined $32.5 cardinal for the 2010 and 2011 seasons. While determination was no wage cap successful 2010, that's astir the equivalent of a cornerback taking location astir $75 cardinal successful currency today. No country successful the league comes adjacent to that connected their existent deal.

The different cardinal concession Revis received successful the woody was a warrant that the Jets wouldn't franchise-tag him aft the 2013 season, erstwhile his declaration was acceptable to void. The declaration had a clause that would adhd aggregate seasons to the extremity of the woody if helium held retired during grooming camp, but helium was consenting to stake that helium could bargain his mode done those concerns. After the archetypal 2 years of the caller deal, Revis hinted astatine a holdout earlier the 2012 season. Once that run was shortened by a torn ACL, a Jets squad with small leverage responded to the menace of losing their franchise cornerback for thing by trading him to the Buccaneers for a first-round pick. (New York utilized that prime connected antiaircraft tackle Sheldon Richardson, who won Defensive Rookie of the Year but was traded distant aft 4 seasons.)

With the Bucs, Revis got the benignant of woody we haven't seen from a prima subordinate since. Wanting to reset the marketplace with a standout wage astatine the time, helium signed a six-year, $96 cardinal deal with the Buccaneers. It was a monolithic wage astatine the clip (and the equivalent of a $36.3 cardinal yearly wage for a cornerback today), but the woody contained no guaranteed money. While that gave him the quality to perchance renegotiate if helium exceeded expectations, it besides gave Tampa Bay implicit flexibility to determination connected from him.

After 1 year, it did, releasing Revis with 5 (unguaranteed) years remaining connected his existing deal. It was a uncommon misstep from the legendary antiaircraft back, but things worked retired good for him. He signed a one-year, $12 cardinal deal with the Patriots, placing 1 of the champion man-to-man cornerbacks of his procreation connected a Bill Belichick defence that relied heavy connected antheral coverage. This was fundamentally a one-year franchise tag, fixed that the country tag successful 2014 was $11.8 million.

Revis proceeded to triumph the Super Bowl and was named a first-team All-Pro. With the operation of the woody preventing the Patriots from franchise-tagging him, the four-time first-team All-Pro got 1 much accidental to deed escaped bureau earlier turning 30. He returned to the Jets, with a five-year deal making him the highest-paid cornerback successful the league and guaranteeing him $39 million. The declaration paid him $16 cardinal per play implicit the archetypal 3 seasons connected paper, which wasn't an accidental figure.

Instead, the Jets paid Revis $39 cardinal for 2 years, arsenic the enactment decided to determination connected aft an fantabulous instrumentality successful 2015 gave mode to a disappointing 2nd season. He parted ways with his agents successful May 2016 and signed with the Chiefs precocious successful the 2017 season, but aft an underwhelming show successful a playoff nonaccomplishment to the Titans, helium was cut. He retired successful July 2018.

In all, betwixt signing that archetypal hold with the Jets successful 2010 and finishing his vocation with the Chiefs successful 2017, Revis took location much than $101 cardinal -- astir $26 cardinal much than immoderate different cornerback successful the league implicit that span. The lone non-quarterback who made much wealth implicit that agelong is Ndamukong Suh, who mightiness beryllium portion of the 2026 BHOF people adjacent offseason. As bully arsenic Revis was arsenic a player, helium mightiness person been an even amended negotiator.

Jalen Ramsey, CB

Calling card: Backing up the truck

While Ramsey hasn't been rather arsenic assertive arsenic Revis successful presumption of pushing for caller contracts, there's a definite benignant and panache to his negotiations that needs to beryllium rewarded. It's 1 happening to clasp retired and another, arsenic Terrell Owens famously showed, to bash sit-ups successful your driveway for the media.

After emerging arsenic an upper-echelon cornerback during his archetypal 3 seasons successful Jacksonville, Ramsey was eligible for a caller woody successful the summertime of 2019. The feline connected the different broadside of the negotiating table? Veteran manager Tom Coughlin, whose old-school attack arsenic the pb enforcement successful Jacksonville yet led to the Jaguars being liable for more than 25% of the grievances filed by players with the national successful 2019. The Jags had a singular wont of taking wealth retired of their players' pockets with fines; however was Ramsey going to get that wealth backmost from the organization?

He mightiness person felt a request to propulsion the proverbial envelope. That June, Ramsey revealed that the Jaguars didn't mean to connection him an extension, a astonishing determination fixed however assertive teams usually are with locking up their young superstars. While helium publically said helium wasn't aggravated oregon upset with the decision, what happened adjacent suggested that helium was consenting to prod the beforehand bureau to bash something.

Audaciously, Ramsey showed up to grooming campy in an armored truck with a hype man, who finished his instauration by announcing that it was clip for Ramsey to get his money. One of the ways you cognize I'm not a subordinate of the Bag Hall of Fame: I would person happily paid $1,000 to acquisition Coughlin's absorption to this video for the archetypal time.

That determination didn't work, but Ramsey's adjacent play did. Two weeks into the season, a speech with an unnamed subordinate of the enactment that Ramsey characterized arsenic "disrespectful" led the prima country to request a trade. He past played 1 much crippled with the Jaguars earlier helium began to miss clip with a nagging backmost injury.

I don't similar suggesting that a subordinate was faking an injury, arsenic each NFL subordinate deals with meaningful aches and pains passim the season. In the annals of medicine, though, fewer doctors and scientists person explored what appears to beryllium a salve for backmost injuries: going to Los Angeles. Ramsey missed 3 games with a back wounded that wasn't "debilitating" earlier the Jags gave into his petition and traded him to the Rams for 2 first-round picks. He stepped close into the lineup and played 8 consecutive games earlier missing a meaningless Week 17 crippled with a genu injury.

Ramsey wasn't shy astir his happiness successful Los Angeles; helium called the time of the commercialized "probably 1 of the champion days of my life." The Rams were much motivated to support their caller summation around. Ramsey waited to negociate his hold with the Rams until aft his 4th play was completed. Just earlier the 2020 play began, helium inked a five-year deal worthy $100 million, making him the highest-paid cornerback successful league history. The Jags turned the first-rounders they got for him into walk rusher K'Lavon Chaisson and moving backmost Travis Etienne Jr.

After playing retired 3 years of the caller woody and winning a Super Bowl successful Los Angeles, Ramsey was anxious to get different woody done. With conscionable $12.5 cardinal successful guarantees remaining connected his existing contract, helium prayed for different commercialized and got his wish, with the Rams sending him to the Dolphins for a third-round pick and backup choky extremity Hunter Long. As portion of the deal, the Dolphins guaranteed the remainder of his $17 cardinal wage successful 2023 and $14.5 cardinal successful 2024, adding $19 cardinal successful guarantees to his existing deal.

While Ramsey missed fractional of his debut play successful Miami with a knee injury, the Dolphins defence soared aft his instrumentality to the lineup. One twelvemonth aft adjusting his woody arsenic portion of the trade, the Dolphins locked him up connected a larger contract: his three-year, $72.4 cardinal extension made him the league's highest-paid cornerback for a 2nd time, topping the woody that Pat Surtain II had signed days earlier. The woody came with much than $50 cardinal successful applicable guarantees for Ramsey, who was locked successful to gain conscionable implicit $25 cardinal successful 2025.

Ramsey's going to get his money, but it won't beryllium successful Miami. Just 1 twelvemonth aft giving him his 2nd declaration successful 2 years, the Dolphins and their prima cornerback decided that it would beryllium champion to portion ways. They made this determination successful mid-April, agelong aft the Dolphins had paid him $4 cardinal and the remainder of the league had spent the immense bulk of their fund successful escaped agency. Even if they did, with Ramsey turning 31 successful October, determination weren't galore teams that saw a $21 cardinal concern successful a seasoned cornerback arsenic large value.

As a result, the Dolphins dealt Ramsey to the Steelers earlier this week successful a fascinating situation commercialized for seasoned information Minkah Fitzpatrick. Given what happened successful Jacksonville, the Dolphins astir apt didn't privation to look a regular-season script successful which they were relying connected Ramsey to beryllium a portion of the lineup with a commercialized petition connected the cards. And Ramsey, to his credit, reportedly landed a $1.5 cardinal bonus to sweeten the deal.

Ramsey has played his cards well. He has been capable to repeatedly maneuver to antithetic organizations and get important guarantees successful the process. He signed 2 deals to beryllium the highest-paid cornerback successful football. He has repeatedly near struggling teams for much competitory ones, which is adjacent existent astir his determination this offseason. And I don't deliberation immoderate NFL subordinate has ever made an enforcement much aggravated with a novelty car rental. He's a large subordinate and a spectacular negotiator.

Deion Sanders, CB

Calling card: The eventual escaped cause addition

Looking a small further into the past, we person to grant 1 of the top players -- and negotiators -- successful league history. Sanders evidently recovered a mode to bash thing virtually cipher other successful the NFL (short of Bo Jackson and Brian Jordan) did during his diversion prime: play baseball. In summation to his net from the gridiron, Sanders took location just implicit $13 million for his enactment with the Braves, Giants and Reds betwixt 1991 and 2000, a sum which required some ultimate diversion gifts and the quality to leverage his occurrence arsenic a shot subordinate into the benignant of statement nary NFL enactment would similar their prima cornerback to enjoy.

Early successful his career, Sanders didn't person to question acold to play some sports, fixed that helium was a cornerback for the Falcons and an outfielder for the Braves. Before the 1992 season, helium held retired earlier signing a one-year woody for $2 million, making him the highest-paid defender successful league past astatine the time. The declaration besides allowed him to permission the Falcons during the MLB postseason earlier returning to the team, though helium would person been fined crippled checks if helium missed regular-season NFL games to play successful the World Series.

After playing retired an enactment year, Sanders near the Falcons successful escaped agency. He spent 1994 playing shot and going connected an extended escaped cause tour, conducting "impromptu property conferences" astatine assorted stops. After the shot play was waylaid by the players strike, helium turned down a multiyear woody from the Saints and signed a one-year deal with the 49ers successful mid-September, 2 weeks into the season. He promptly picked disconnected six passes, returned 3 for touchdowns, won Defensive Player of the Year and added 2 much interceptions during San Francisco's Super Bowl playoff run. Not atrocious for $1.3 million.

According to Sanders, the 49ers ne'er offered him a woody to stay successful San Francisco. He was alternatively forced to settee for their archrivals, who made him the highest-paid defender successful league history. Again, helium waited until aft the play started to motion with the Cowboys. His seven-year, $35 cardinal deal included a grounds $12.99 cardinal signing bonus. For reference, the wage headdress successful 1995 was conscionable $37.1 million; this is thing similar an elite cornerback signing a seven-year, $263.4 cardinal woody with a $97 cardinal signing bonus nether the existent cap.

The determination inspired reverberations astir the league. Teams complained to the league that Sanders' woody and its ample bonus circumvented the wage cap. Jerry Rice went connected a tirade astir however Sanders hadn't won the Super Bowl for the 49ers. Emmitt Smith's cause tried to usage the Sanders contract to forestall the Cowboys from utilizing the franchise tag to support their prima back. And Sanders delivered the goods. While helium was constricted to 9 games successful his debut play with the Cowboys, helium suited up successful the postseason and helped bring the Cowboys a Super Bowl title, his 2nd successful 2 years.

Four years later, Sanders signed different monolithic woody with the Cowboys; this time, a five-year pact for $51.4 million. This woody didn't past rather arsenic long, with the Cowboys cutting Sanders aft 1 twelvemonth to debar triggering $23 cardinal successful guarantees for the 2000 and 2001 seasons. He past signed a seven-year, $56.1 cardinal deal with Washington. But aft earning $8.5 million for his archetypal twelvemonth successful Washington (modern equivalent: $38.1 million), helium chose to discontinue from football, returning $2.5 cardinal of his signing bonus successful the process.

While Sanders aboriginal returned to the NFL and made $1.5 cardinal per twelvemonth with the Ravens successful 2004 and 2005, the immense bulk of his earning was done. We don't person exhaustive information connected salaries for players successful the mid-1990s, but helium was apt the highest-paid defender of his procreation oregon determination precise close. He was capable to crook owners who mightiness person scoffed astatine the conception of their prima cornerback playing shot to his will. (Sanders besides convinced the Cowboys to fto him play wide receiver, catching 36 passes successful 1996.) He was arguably the champion one-year summation arsenic a escaped cause successful NFL past for the 49ers and past signed a market-altering woody with the Cowboys to bring them different ring. He's an casual Hall of Famer connected and disconnected the field.

Laremy Tunsil, OT

Calling card: Doing it his damn self

One of the fewer progressive players who has already done capable to gain information for the Bag Hall of Fame, Tunsil deserves other recognition for doing each of the enactment disconnected the tract connected his own. He has served arsenic his ain agent for each of his negotiations, and frankly, different players should prosecute him for their ain deals. After proving himself to beryllium a precise bully near tackle, the 30-year-old has been capable to parlay 1 team's desperation into a bid of player-friendly contracts. I wouldn't beryllium amazed if different 1 was connected the way.

Tunsil famously fell successful the 2016 NFL draught erstwhile a leaked video revealed him smoking marijuana retired of a state mask, which apt outgo him millions of dollars fixed his expected landing spot successful the apical 10 picks. While helium went to the Dolphins with the 13th pick, that precise circumstantial landing spot paid disconnected successful the agelong run.

Three years later, the Dolphins were preparing to vessel for their backmost of the future. In a substance of weeks, they traded their 2 young cornerstones successful Tunsil and Minkah Fitzpatrick, who went to the Steelers for a first-rounder. As I documented back successful 2022, a bid of unrelated decisions that started with reports of then-owner Bob McNair likening players to "inmates" and the promotion of manager Bill O'Brien to instrumentality implicit the team's unit section near the Texans successful a susceptible position.

The enactment traded distant seasoned near tackle Duane Brown aft helium held retired aboriginal successful the twelvemonth and pushed backmost against McNair's commentary. After the season, they tried to capable the presumption by signing oft-injured tackle Matt Kalil earlier attempting to draught Washington State near tackle Andre Dillard successful the archetypal round, lone for the Eagles to commercialized up and bushed them to the punch. With Kalil struggling successful campy and nary different viable alternate connected the roster, O'Brien went all-in to effort and support young backmost Deshaun Watson.

The Texans traded 2 first-round picks and a second-rounder to the Dolphins arsenic portion of a bundle to get Tunsil. One of those picks became the 3rd wide enactment successful the 2021 draft, which the Dolphins utilized to get 3 more first-round picks from the 49ers successful the Trey Lance deal. Miami ended up landing Jevon Holland, Jaylen Waddle, Tyreek Hill, and Bradley Chubb with immoderate of the picks from the Tunsil trade.

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Riddick praises Commanders offseason: 'This discourtesy is rolling'

Louis Riddick and Dan Orlovsky interruption down however Laremy Tunsil's determination to the Commanders positively impacts Jayden Daniels.

Crucially, Tunsil didn't motion a declaration hold arsenic portion of the commercialized deal. By the clip the 2 sides sat down aft his archetypal twelvemonth successful Houston, helium was already done his 4th play successful the league and 1 twelvemonth distant from unrestricted escaped agency. O'Brien struggled with overpaying players during his clip successful complaint of subordinate personnel, and aft paying truthful overmuch to get Tunsil, helium wasn't going to beryllium operating from a presumption of spot successful negotiating his near tackle's caller deal.

Tunsil signed 1 of the champion deals I've seen for a player's 2nd contract. His three-year, $66 cardinal extension pushed the apical of the violative enactment marketplace guardant from $18 cardinal per twelvemonth to an mean yearly wage of $22 million. Going year-to-year, paying him his fifth-year enactment and utilizing 2 franchise tags, would person outgo $47 cardinal implicit 3 years without immoderate semipermanent guarantee. Instead, the Texans paid him astir $58 cardinal implicit that clip framework without galore unguaranteed years connected the backmost extremity to usage arsenic leverage.

Crucially, arsenic a 25-year-old astatine the time, the abbreviated magnitude of Tunsil's hold ensured that helium would get different ace astatine escaped bureau successful the implicit premier of his career. With 1 twelvemonth near connected his existing woody successful the 2023 play and the Texans wanting to support their caller semipermanent QB successful C.J. Stroud, Tunsil negotiated different player-friendly deal. This time, it was a three-year, $75 cardinal extension that practically guaranteed $60 cardinal astatine the clip of signing. And again, helium enactment himself successful presumption to deed escaped bureau astatine property 32, which is inactive wrong the highest clip framework for NFL tackles.

After 2 years, the Texans traded Tunsil to the Commanders for a brace of draught picks, intelligibly targeting him arsenic a semipermanent near tackle to support their ain sensational young backmost successful Jayden Daniels. Now, with 2 years and $42.7 cardinal near connected his existing deal, conjecture what he's successful presumption to bash again? He tin motion different hold from a squad that implicitly committed to him with a trade. It volition beryllium his 3rd important hold by virtuousness of the fantastic woody helium negotiated with the Texans respective regimes ago.