This past week, NFL news has been hard to follow with all of the trades and roster cuts. During this hectic week, there was news of two significant extensions. Now starting quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts, Jacoby Brissett, and Cowboys offensive lineman La’el Collins were both extended.
Brissett’s reward
With news breaking last week that starting quarterback, Andrew Luck, was retiring, that put Brissett into the spotlight. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Brissett and the Colts agreed on a two year 30 million dollar extension, with 20 million guaranteed.
The #Colts and QB Jacoby Brissett have agreed to terms on a 2-year extension worth $30M, source said. He gets $20M guaranteed at signing. Some security for the new Indy starter.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 2, 2019
Brissett, 26, was drafted by the Patriots in the third round of the 2016 NFL draft. He was traded to the Colts the following season. Last season, he played in four games but had little impact on the games.
It was in 2017 when Luck missed the entire season that we had our first look at Brissett as a starter. He threw for over 3,000 yards and 13 touchdowns that year, but the team went 4-11. It is important to keep in mind that his play was behind an awful offensive line in 2017. Pro Football Focus had them ranked as the 25th line in all of football. They had 10 different linemen suffer injuries and play less than 140 snaps.
Last season, after investing a flurry of draft picks, the Colts offensive line was ranked fifth in the NFL. They added sixth overall pick Quenton Nelson and 37th overall Braden Smith. Both players had Pro Bowl performances and gave Luck all the time he needed to become the NFL’s comeback player of the year.
This season, Brissett will be protected long enough for us to really see if he will bring any sort of value at 30 million dollars. If not, the Colts brought in journeyman quarterback Brian Hoyer to back up Brissett.
Collins to be a Cowboy for a long time
Collins was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in 2015. He had long been assumed to be a first-round talent, but baseless claims that he was involved in a murder saw his draft capital fall. The Cowboys took a chance on him, and he has shored up that excellent offensive line ever since.
The two sides have now agreed on a deal that adds five more years to Collins’ contract, tying him to the Cowboys through the 2024 season.
Cowboy and OT La’el Collins reached agreement on a five-year contract extension that ties him to Dallas for the next six seasons, per source. It will make Collins one of the NFL’s five-highest paid RTs.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 3, 2019
Collins’ long term deal is similar to that of his other offensive linemen. They have guard Zack Martin signed through 2024, starting left tackle Tyron Smith and center Travis Frederick signed through 2023. The line will be strong for America’s team for years to come.
What is most interesting about the Collins’ deal is that it reportedly frees up 5.7 million dollars of cap space this year.
La’el Collins’ five-year extension actually created $5.7 million in cap space for the Cowboys this season, per source.
Wonder where that cap space might go….
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 3, 2019
With the news that running back Ezekiel Elliot is on his way back to Dallas, assumptions are that the Cowboys will use this cap space to sign him. Elliot has been holding out since the beginning of the offseason.
We will be updating once reports about the conditions of the Collins deal are revealed.
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