NFL free agency rumors: Cornerbacks in for huge pay days
By Josh Sanchez
After the Green Bay Packers re-signed cornerback Sam Shields to a whopping four-year, $39 million contract, it became obvious that the market for cornerbacks was going to be much higher than we are used to seeing in the past.
For the top guys available this year, that is great news as Peter King says that the cornerback market will be “this year’s quarterbacks.”
After a so-so year in free agency that saw a number of defensive backs getting signed to bargain basement deals, we should be in for a wild ride in 2014.
From Peter King of Sports Illustrated’s MMQB.com:
"Specifically, Alterraun Verner, Vontae Davis, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Aqib Talib will be in the $8-million-plus neighborhood annually. Then there’s Tarell Brown of the 49ers on the next level, and Peanut Tillman and Captain Munnerlyn on the next (Tillman because of age). That’s seven quality starters, some better, on the hook. Davis is close to re-signing with Indy, according to Jason LaCanfora, and Rodgers-Cromartie is likely to return to Denver.The others? The Giants are pursuing Verner but I can’t see them paying $10 million a year. Washington and New England want Talib; Washington might be more desperate to make a free-agent strike, and the Patriots won’t overpay. I like Brown a lot, and I think he’d be money well spent for a team tighter on the cap that doesn’t want to go crazy for a corner."
Once the dominoes start to fall, the cornerback market should move quickly with teams being very aggressive.
We already have plenty of rumors linking the top cornerback to a number of teams, so it will just be a matter of who goes where. Regardless of where the destinations are, everyone is in for a fat check.
Be sure to stay tuned to FanSided.com leading up to and throughout the NFL Free Agency period as we keep you up to date with the latest news and rumors.