Three Stars Earn Massive Extensions as the Season Looms
With the season under a week away, the offseason is officially over, and the games are ready to be played. Before that though, some players earned a big payday from their respected teams. Let us analyze each deal and how it impacts each team’s success in 2020.
Deshaun Watson, QB Houston Texans
Through the first three years of his career, Deshaun Watson has quickly shown the entire league that he can put a team on his back and carry them to success. The Texans have had solid teams, but never elite, sometimes leaving Watson with a lot on his plate. Despite this, Watson has still been able to single-handedly win football games, like the playoff win against the Buffalo Bills in 2019. Early Saturday morning, the Texans and Watson agreed to a massive four-year $156M contract extension, with $110M guaranteed. He is now the second-highest paid quarterback to Patrick Mahomes, earning $39M per year. If you are Houston, this is a deal that had to get done before Watson crept any closer to free agency. With a solid offense around the franchise QB, Houston will now turn its attention to winning a Super Bowl within the four years of this contract, and who knows how much Watson can be worth when that day comes.
Keenan Allen, WR Los Angeles Chargers
Despite totaling 3,788 yards and 18 touchdowns over the past three seasons, Keenan Allen is very rarely regarded as one of the top receivers in the game. His numbers show the talent, but he somehow still flies under the radar. Now, one aspect that will not fly under the radar is Allen’s contract. The Los Angeles Chargers and the pro bowl receiver agreed to terms on a four-year, $80M extension, making him the second-highest paid receiver in the NFL. Does Allen deserve this? You can argue that he doesn’t, but with a rookie quarterback who will not need a new deal if he is good for five years, now is a good time to lock up your stars if you want to make a run for a Super Bowl ring. The Chargers are coming off a bad season but will look to get back to their 2018 success in 2020 and bring a championship to Los Angeles.
Tre’Davious White, CB Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills will feature one of the top secondaries in the NFL in 2020 and one that will now feature a very well-paid cornerback. Tre’Davious White burst onto the scene in his age-24 season, earning his first all-pro and being selected to his first pro bowl. His 25-year-old season will now include a nice contract. Buffalo and White agreed on a four-year deal that is worth $70M, $55M guaranteed. The value of this deal can reach $82.1M also based on incentives. This deal gives the all-pro corner the most guaranteed money ever by a cornerback and has the highest annual pay of any cornerback in the NFL. With the Bills on the cusp of stardom and White had only a few years left on his rookie deal, it was extremely important to get this deal done. Buffalo does not have to pay QB Josh Allen, if they decide they want to, for two years. The Bills are all-in and now they just must go out and win football games led by the strong Bills secondary.
Contract info from spotrac.com
Stats from profootballreference.com
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