2016 NFL free agency: Where will Brandon Brooks go?
In 2016 NFL free agency, will Brandon Brooks stay in Houston or test the market?
The Houston Texans will definitely be looking to hang onto Brandon Brooks. The question becomes at what price? Brooks is only coming off of his rookie contract, but has three years of starting experience. He is also regarded as one of the better run blocking lineman in the league, likely making the most sought after guard in free agency. He will hear big numbers from his agent, and the question is will the Texans, whose offensive line was a strength last year, pay the price.
Vitals
Age: 26
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 343
Notable: 44 career starts in four career years
Contract Comparison
Brooks is coming off of a four-year deal in which he made 2.8 million dollars given his third round pick status. With his age and upside he should be in for a major pay day. The average for top 10 lineman per year is 6.8 million dollars. Last year the highest paid guard was Mike Iupati who went to the Cardinals. He signed a deal that was for five years at $40 million.
Iupati was 27, and his stock was probably a touch higher than where Brooks is right now, but that should be in the neighborhood of what he is looking for. The Cardinals gave Iupati a six million dollar signing bonus, and that could be a way to for the Texans to keep Brooks, while still limiting his cap number for the future.
Estimate: 5 years/$35 million/$20 million guaranteed
Will he stay?
There should be a good chance that the Texans will retain Brooks. They have been dedicated to their offensive line for years, and the fact that they don’t even have an in house replacement in case he leaves means they think that they can get it done.
For Brooks, if he is looking at the deal projected, he is looking at a yearly six million dollar raise, and more than likely a five or six million dollard bonus in year one.The Texans are currently in good graces with the cap and shouldnt have a problem supporting their offensive line with the guard in which they drafted.
If He Leaves?
The only thing keeping him from leaving Houston would be if someone threw some lucrative money his way. There is a chance that can happen, and he may make a decent amount depending on if the salary cap jumps by a lot.
That said the Los Angeles Rams have cap space and a need to build a line in front of running back Todd Gurley. They have a talented defense, and could be a team that would make splash on a lineman like Brooks in an effort to stick to their run first ways.
The New York Giants are another team that could be a suitor with cap space, and Brooks may also see the better quarterback situation and jump on that. The Giants typically do not over spend on free agents, but they just so happened to part ways with Geoff Scwartz, which opens up a not only cap space, but a starting job for a potential, and need for them to upgrade.