Braxton Berrios could be looking for a surprisingly lucrative contract
With only 36 days to go until the NFL’s legal tampering period opens at 12 p.m. ET on March 14, 2022, the free-agent rumor mill is beginning to heat up.
The New York Jets‘ most oft-discussed impending free agent is undoubtedly Braxton Berrios, a reigning All-Pro kickoff returner who also emerged as the team’s most reliable offensive weapon down the stretch of the 2021 season.
Our first rumor regarding Berrios’ potential contract demands has arrived.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini reports that one agent at the Senior Bowl “speculated that Berrios, a pending free agent, might be looking to be paid as one of the top slot receivers, which would put him at about $9 million per year.”
Cimini also notes that contract discussions between Berrios and the Jets “probably will get serious at next month’s scouting combine.”
An average annual value of $9 million would currently tie Green Bay’s Randall Cobb for 24th-highest among wide receivers, per Spotrac. Here is a look at some other wide receiver contracts in that price range:
- 22. Tyler Boyd, Bengals ($10.8 million per year)
- 23. Sterling Shepard, Giants ($10.3 million)
- 24. Randall Cobb, Packers ($9 million)
- 25. JuJu Smith-Schuster, Steelers ($8 million)
- 25. T.Y. Hilton, Colts ($8 million)
- 27. Ja’Marr Chase, Bengals ($7.7 million)
- 28. DeVante Parker, Dolphins ($7.6 million)
- 29. Cole Beasley, Bills ($7.3 million)
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Among slot wide receivers (WRs who lined up in the slot on over 50% of the plays in which they were targeted), an average annual value of $9 million would currently tie Cobb for eighth-highest. Here are the top 10 active contracts for slot receivers in terms of average annual value:
- 3. Keenan Allen, Chargers ($20 million per year)
- 6. Tyreek Hill, Chiefs ($18 million)
- 13. Cooper Kupp, Rams ($15.8 million)
- 15. Jarvis Landry, Browns ($15.1 million)
- 19. Curtis Samuel, Commanders ($11.5 million)
- 22. Tyler Boyd, Bengals ($10.8 million)
- 23. Sterling Shepard, Giants ($10.3 million)
- 24. Randall Cobb, Packers ($9 million)
- 25. JuJu Smith-Schuster, Steelers ($8 million)
- 29. Cole Beasley, Bills ($7.3 million)
Would signing Berrios to a deal worth $9 million be a smart move for New York? The Jets would have a difficult decision on their hands if he truly does demand that number.
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Here’s how I look at it. He’s a fan favorite. Now if they’re serious about building the team long term they really can’t bow to that if the analytics and budget say “We can do better both talent wise and salary wise.” Fine. Follow the data. I get it. But……while you can’t do fan service and be a serious football team, there’s one other thing that you do have to contend with that a lot of moneyball types seem to overlook, especially in football, which is a more teamwork based game than baseball. What are they overlooking? Chemistry!
Not only do the fans love Braxton, but the team seams to love him. There was a rumor that Zach told friends off the record that Braxton was his best friend on the team. Mike White, who looks like he’ll be our long term backup seems to be best buds with him too. Think of the reindeer outfit at Christmas. You don’t wear that in a locker room unless you’re liked. A lot of the new players seem to be good locker room guys. Carter, Moore, EVT. Braxton seems to get along with them too.
You add this to the fact that, analytics aside, he just seems to be a baller. One of those guys who just excels on game day when given the opportunity like he got this year. And he’s a four year veteran now! With a new batch of first round rookies coming in next year!
Can we get a better receiver for less? Sure. But as a Jet fan I keep thinking about Sanchez losing Braylon Edwards. Not that it would have made a huge difference, but that third year sucked for him. That’s when it starting going down hill.
I don’t understand the salary cap. But if they can make it work I say at least try to keep him a couple more years.
Braxton needs to fire his agent
See Ya. I’ll pass on anything over 4.5.
It’s as simple as this for me: barring injury, Berrios will not be the starting slot WR for the NYJ on opening day 2022. And 9 mil per is starter money.
Berrios isn’t getting 9m from anyone if he chooses to walk. Most I can see him getting is 6-7 and that’s a reach
I gotta say, I’d rather have Brax than JuJu or Cole Beasley. The good news is that we’ve got the cap space to waste this year. Unless we’re shooting for Davante Adams at close to $30 mil per we should keep Brax.
At 9 Braxton can walk.
We should do whatever it takes to sign that young man . If we don’t he will haunt us his entire career. Belicheck would do almost anything to get him back .
He brings much more to the table than just a tuff kid in a helmet and shoulder pads. Mark my word.
Yeah. You have to calculate that into the equation. If he ends up in the division and scores on us endlessly twice a year for the next decade by catching passes from Mac Jones, this fan base will explode!