2016 NFL free agency: Who will Derrick Johnson sign with?
Will Derrick Johnson close out his career with the Kansas City Chiefs, or will he head elsewhere in free agency?
Despite entering his 12th season in the NFL at 33 years old, Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson figures to generate some interest in free agency this offseason. Johnson is still playing at a high level well into his 30s, and could help a number of teams for the next couple of seasons.
Vitals
Age: 33
Notable stat: 820 career solo tackles
All-Pro teams: 1 (2011 first-team)
Pro Bowls: 4
Contract comparison
Johnson’s contract situation is tricky to project, as he is a bit of a unique case. The veteran is clearly still a starting-caliber linebacker, as he racked up four sacks and 95 solo tackles in 2015 en route to being selected for his fourth Pro Bowl.
However, no team is going to be willing to sign a 33-year-old to a contract that production warrants, even for a player like Johnson who continues to defy his age. Expect Johnson to get a short contract with a high AAV and fair amount of guaranteed money.
The closest comparison to Johnson would be Karlos Dansby, who signed a four-year, $24 million deal with the Cleveland Browns in 2014. Johnson is a year older than Dansby was then, but is more productive at this point in his career.
Estimation: 3 years/$21 million/$11 million guaranteed
Will he stay?
The Chiefs face a difficult decision with Johnson’s contract situation. Johnson has spent his entire career in Kansas City while becoming a beloved member of the franchise, but it might be in the team’s best interest to let him walk.
Kansas City is projected to have a solid $31 million in cap space, so the money is there to re-sign Johnson if the teams wants. However, other free agents like Eric Berry, Sean Smith and Husain Abdullah will likely take priority over Johnson.
Johnson has stated that he wants to remain with Kansas City, and franchise tagging Berry or Smith while retaining him on a short contract makes sense for the team. There’s a good chance that a deal gets done, but the Chiefs won’t bring Johnson back at the expense of losing one of their younger free agents.
If he leaves…
Even if it doesn’t work in Kansas City, Johnson will have a place in the NFL next season. A contending team with a need for depth at inside linebacker may be willing to invest in a short-term contract for Johnson, giving him a number of options.
The New York Jets figure to lose some depth at linebacker this offseason and could use Johnson to help solidify a strong defense. After cutting Stephen Tulloch, the Detroit Lions need some help at linebacker, while the Oakland Raiders will be spending plenty of money on their defense this offseason.