Silverman: The 6 NFL Free Agents That Must Stay Where They Are
By Steve Silverman
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Put a ribbon on the 2015 NFL season. The glory of Super Bowl 50 has entered the history books.
While Denver Broncos president John Elway may still feel the pride of having built the team's first Super Bowl championship since he was playing quarterback for them, the time for pats on the back is over.
Elway has a lot of work to do in the offseason, and much of that assignment has to do with signing his own free agents. The Broncos must retain Super Bowl MVP Von Miller if they are going to have any chance of repeating their success.
The free agent signing period is vital to all 32 teams, and the key is often retaining the most valuable free agents rather than signing another team's perceived stars.
In this piece, we look at six free agents who have to be retained if their current teams are going to build a strong foundation for the 2016 season.
OLB Von Miller, Denver Broncos -- Miller's value to the Broncos is obvious to the most casual follower of the sport. He led the way to the title for a team that simply did not have any semblance of a competent offense.
Miller simply refused to allow Tom Brady to take the Patriots to the AFC Championship and he dominated against Cam Newton in a nearly shocking display in the Super Bowl. While Newton is not the accurate passer that Brady is, he is a far superior athlete and had just earned the regular-season MVP award. Miller shut down the game's most explosive player when he was at his peak.
The Broncos have just over $12 million in cap space, which is not a lot compared to some teams. They can franchise Miller to make sure he doesn't leave, but they can set a tone by signing him to a new contract and franchising another player like Malik Jackson, whom they can't afford to lose, either.
CB Josh Norman, Carolina Panthers -- Norman emerged last year as one of the top cover corners in the game and he is still on the rise. He intercepted four passes and returned two for scores.
The Panthers have more than $22 million in cap space available, and it is clear that head coach Ron Rivera needs Norman in his secondary. However, this is going to be a very difficult contract to work out because the Panthers would like to pay Norman somewhere between $7 million and $9 million per year, but Norman wants more than $10 million per season.
This looks like a situation where the Panthers will place their franchise tag on him and hope that a longer-term deal can be worked out.
S Eric Berry, Kansas City Chiefs -- The story of the Chiefs' 2015 season is quite remarkable, and Berry played a huge role in that success.
Early in the year, the Chiefs were 1-5 and going nowhere and their secondary was particularly vulnerable. But once Berry came back from his bout with cancer, that area became one of the team's strengths.
Berry was thrilled just to get back on the field, but once he got there, he was one of the best safeties in the league and he ended up making the Pro Bowl. As an inspirational player and an effective performer, the Chiefs must find a way to re-sign him with the more than $32 million they have in cap space.
Franchising him is not the best option, because it would send the wrong kind of message to his teammates. The Chiefs need to swallow hard and get Berry back in the fold as soon as possible.
DE Muhammad Wilkerson, N.Y. Jets -- The Jets have a problem because they have about $14.1 million in cap space available, and that's a huge issue. Obviously, they have to pay quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick after his career year.
The Jets have the kind of depth up front that makes most teams envious, but Wilkerson is a difference maker who needs to stay with them. They almost certainly will have to use the franchise tag on him to keep him from going elsewhere.
Wilkerson had 12.0 sacks last year and was one of the most effective defensive ends in the league. A great case can be made that he is the second most valuable defensive lineman in the league behind Houston's J.J. Watt.
WR Anquan Boldin, San Francisco 49ers -- The 49ers have holes up and down their lineup and more than $55 million to spend.
So why is Boldin one of the most important free agents for any team to retain? Because he represents credibility that the 49ers are lacking in so many other positions.
The signing of Boldin, who caught 69 passes for 789 yards and four TDs last year, to a new deal not only gives the 49ers a receiver whom they know will fight for every 50-50 ball, but it sends a message to other free agents that this team is willing to pay to get back into contention.
QB Kirk Cousins, Washington Redskins -- There are a lot of teams that find a way to rise above expectations and make the playoffs. It happens nearly every year.
But how many of those teams can turn it around after years of struggle and become a consistent winner? It rarely happens.
It won't happen for Jay Gruden and the Redskins if they lose Cousins to free agency after his brilliant season that saw him win the starting job in training camp and complete 379 of 543 passes for 4,166 yards, along with 29 TDs and only 11 interceptions.
The Redskins have a bit more than $13 million in cap space available, but that figure will jump significantly when they cut Robert Griffin III.
While talks between Cousins and the Redskins have not gone anywhere, expect the Redskins to franchise the quarterback once they part company with RGIII.
Follow Steve on Twitter at @ProFootballBoy
