The Cleveland Browns are a shining example of what a bad team must do if it wants to retain its best players.
Head coach Hue Jackson and the Browns don’t have a choice but to overpay to keep linebacker Jamie Collins in town this offseason—even if it means paying him more than Luke Kuechly.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, this is the action the Browns will take with Collins:
Source: The impending extension for #Browns LB Jamie Collins will eclipse the per-year salary of #Panthers LB Luke Kuechly ($12.36M).
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 20, 2017
CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora says a deal should be done over the weekend:
The Browns have made significant progress on an extension with pending free-agent Jamie Collins, sources said. Deal to be done by weekend
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) January 20, 2017
It’s clear Collins is going to make huge cash on this deal—he wouldn’t sign a deal more than a month before free agency otherwise. He and his agent clearly used the leverage to their advantage and will rake in the cash, so much so a trip to market is irrelevant.
To be fair, the comparison to Kuechly isn’t necessarily as bad as it sounds. He’s one of the NFL’s best, but is also on an affordable deal and inside linebackers don’t make as much as versatile outer players.
Still, a risky move by the Browns. The team has money to blow, but bad contracts can keep a sunk ship at the bottom for a long time. If Collins turns around and doesn’t perform as expected, this is a step in the wrong direction.
Don’t fault the Browns for making a necessary move. But rest assured they understand the risks.
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