Tag or Long Term for Scherff?

Redskins Pro Bowl guard Brandon Scherff will be staying around in Washington, which is a solid plan but one with plenty of reservation on my end.

There's no doubt the Redskins need him but do they need to do a long-term deal?

The answer for them is apparently, yes.

While NFL business is mostly on hold in CBA limbo, teams are still attempting to get deals ready. The #Redskins, for instance, are working to lock up Pro Bowl G Brandon Scherff long-term to avoid franchise tagging him, sources say. The Cardinals did the same with DJ Humphries.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 6, 2020

I understand not wanting a $15+ million dollar cap charge (franchise tag) and no guarantee of a future if Scherff bounces back and stays healthy for the first time in a couple of years.

The problem is this: What happens if that doesn't happen?

What happens if the Redskins sign Scherff to a right guard market defining deal which would top $14.05 million on an average annual value?

That's what Brandon Brooks of the Eagles makes on average right now. He's going to be 31 during the 2020 season.

I strongly believe Scherff is going to get that and more. Why? He's younger (29) and he's a free agent, not signing an extension, which always is going to mean you have less leverage.

Scherff has that juice of free agency plus need because the Redskins can't afford to lose Trent Williams and Scherff in the same offseason.

Not to mention the franchise tag value was expected to exceed $15 million for 2020.

According to Spotrac.com, Scherff's calculated market value is a lot lower than an average of the top of the market at right guard.

They project a four-year, $49.8 million dollar deal as his "Calculated Market Value" moving forward with an average of $12.4 million per year.

So here's the problem: If Scherff signs a 4-year, $60 million dollar deal, that would get him to $15 million on average (way above the guard market) but it would not be as much overall money as Andrew Norwell received from Jacksonville a few years ago at $66.5 Million and it would be way short of the overall money Zack Martin received from the Cowboys of $84 million.

Martin was younger, better, healthier and is still all of that and a bag of chips compared to Scherff.

It really depends on what Scherff is asking for. Is he looking for the highest overall value or the top average annual value?

Per ProFootballFocus.com (PFF), Scherff only allowed one sack last year, just ten pass rush pressures but had nine penalties (tied for 2nd).

His overall run blocking grade was a 76.3/100.0 which is good.

When I evaluate Scherff - I see a good to at rare times, great player. He's occasionally dominant. He's far from that on a regular basis.

Others see complete dominance. I don't get that, if I'm being honest.

The bottom-line is this: If the Redskins could get Scherff for the 4-year, $50 million cost, I'd probably be willing to say that's a reasonable deal and a good move for the Redskins.

If it's five or six-year deal. No thanks.

If we're talking an average of $15 million per year with large guarantees, I can't go there but I'm guessing the Redskins will.

Anything more than $15 million AAV is a waste of money and cap space, especially considering that Scherff has only played 19/32 games in the last two seasons.

Chris Russell is the Publisher of RedskinsReport.com & Sports Illustrated's Washington Redskins channel. He can be heard on 106.7 The FAN in the Washington D.C. area and world-wide on Radio.com. Chris also hosts the "Locked on Redskins" Podcast and can be read via subscription to Warpath Magazine. You can e-mail Chris at russellmania09@Gmail.com or follow him on Twitter at @Russellmania621.