Scenario 1: Big-ticket EDGE
Using Spotrac, I took a look at the AAV of the top EDGEs and these are the players who are projected to make $15 million or more.
Names to know: Shaq Barrett, Bud Dupree, Matt Judon, Yannick Ngakoue
That is a group of above-average players, but I really don’t know if there is anyone on that list that I think is a team-changing talent.
-Barrett is obviously very productive, but I think people are getting caught up in the moment with him. Barrett’s presence wasn’t enough to keep the Broncos from drafting Bradley Chubb in the top-5 a few years ago, and if you remove his amazing year in 2019, he has 22 career sacks in 76 games (or an average of 4.5 every 16 games).
-Dupree is interesting and despite starting his career as a rotational player, he averages 8 sacks per 16 games. That is a nice rate and he has really taken off over the last two seasons. However, Dupree is coming off of an ACL injury and who knows when/if he will return to that rate?
-Matt Judon’s red flags are obviously his age and his lack of high-end production. Though he has been consistent, Judon has never had a 10-sack season and he will be 29 this season.
-Yannick Ngakoue is the one player on this list who has superstar potential in my mind. He is just 26 years old and he averages a whopping 9.5 sacks per 16 games. His one big flaw is that you just aren’t going to get very much from him as a run defender and that isn’t a reason not to sign him, but it might be a reason not to break the bank for him. (Side note, one of the funnier stories this season was how it helped the Titans that Ngakoue didn’t make the Pro Bowl)