Where will Terrance Knighton sign in 2016 NFL free agency?
In his first season in the NFC, Terrance Knighton turned in a workmanlike performance at nose tackle, as we’ve come to expect from the man known as “Pot Roast” over the past seven years he’s been in the NFL. A force to be reckoned with, Knighton still moves swiftly enough and plays with an uncanny athleticism considering his mammoth size and stature. He helped anchor a Washington Redskins‘ defensive front that was one of the best in the league against the run early last season before slipping down the stretch.
Vitals
Age: 29
Notable stat: has 14 sacks over seven seasons as a pro
All-Pro teams: 0
Pro Bowls: 0
Contract comparison
Knighton spent the first four years of his career toiling away for the Jacksonville Jaguars before being given the chance to play on a contender with the 2013 and 2014 Denver Broncos. He was part of the defense that helped the team reach the Super Bowl, but ultimately got blown out by Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks. In March of 2015 he signed a one-year deal with the Redskins worth $4.4 million, which in retrospect still looks like a good move by both parties.
While Knighton probably wasn’t as disruptive in D.C. last year as ‘Skins owner Dan Snyder may have hoped, he still played admirably enough and was a key cog in a defense that helped the team win its first division championship in three years. He probably deserves another short-term deal that offers him about the same as much as he made last season — or a longer deal that pays him a tad less.
Estimate: 1 year/$3.5 million/$3 million guaranteed
Will he stay?
If the Redskins’ defense had performed as well in the second half of the regular season as they did during the first, bringing Pot Roast back would be a no-brainer. He’s still a player in his prime with a lot to offer on the football field, and there’s a reason the Redskins swiped him away from Denver last year.
The real problem lies in Washington’s cap situation, which currently ranks dead-last among the 32 teams in the league. Agreeing to a more team-friendly deal would perhaps keep Knighton in Landover, but it’d be hard to fault Knighton for following the money elsewhere if and when teams come calling with more financial flexibility.
If he leaves…
He could go to a division rival in the Dallas Cowboys. Big D needs all the help they can get these days, particularly defensively, and specifically along the line and at corner. Adding Knighton up front would at least shore up one of the problem areas beleaguering America’s Team.
The Seattle Seahawks could also stand to benefit from adding a guy like Knighton to their vaunted defense. Most people don’t realize the Seahawks’ defensive dominance really starts and ends with their secondary, linebackers, and pass rushers; no disrespect to the big boys up front, but who outside of Washington is familiar with the names Ahtyba Rubin and David King? Knighton would fit in perfectly sandwiched in between Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett (though there’s a good chance Bennett could be headed out of town soon).