Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean Price Went Significantly Up For Eagles After Christian Gonzalez Deal

The cornerback market continues to rise, and all the Philadelphia Eagles can do is wait.

Christian Gonzalez received his massive contract extension from the New England Patriots, a four-year, $135 million deal with $102 million guaranteed -- the richest deal for a cornerback in NFL history. The deal topped Devon Witherspoon's four-year, $132 million deal with $101 million guaranteed.

Witherspoon received $33 million a season, and Gonzalez topped it with $33.75 million. These are the two highest contracts to cornerbacks in NFL history, and they were both handed out this summer.

Imagine what Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean are going to receive.

The rising cornerback market just ups the price of the two Eagles stud cornerbacks, but neither can sign a massive contract extension this year. Mitchell and DeJean are entering year three in the NFL, meaning they aren't extension eligible until after the season.

All the Eagles can do is watch the market before they are able to strike. That market keeps going up.

The barometer for Mitchell

Mitchell is the cornerback to watch when it comes to the Gonzalez extension, since he plays primarily on the perimeter. A First Team All-Pro last season, Mitchell is already one of the elite cornerbacks in the game -- and will be paid like one.

The floor for Mitchell is $30 million a year and $100 million guaranteed -- already. Mitchell can have just a good (not great) season and he's going to make that money as a shutdown cornerback.

So how much is Mitchell going to make? Which cornerbacks are still eligible to receive extensions?

The Pittsburgh Steelers are still in a stalemate with Joey Porter Jr., which will come to a head soon. DJ Turner is also extension eligible, but the Cincinnati Bengals have not reached an extension with him. Those are the notable players who could sign before Mitchell.

Mitchell is likely to be the first $35 million a year cornerback if Porter and Turner don't reach new deals (Porter is more likely to get closer to $35 million a year than Turner).

The Eagles sign players early when they're extension eligible, based on their track record of locking up Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, DeVonta Smith, Jalen Hurts, and Jalen Carter in recent years. Carter was the latest one to sign a massive extension, and the Eagles still got him signed right before training camp started this summer.

They'll follow the same procedure with Mitchell.

What is DeJean's market?

The Witherspoon contract was significant for DeJean, since he noticeably plays the slot more than the boundary. Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald has actually played Witherspoon in the slot more by season, making the $33 million a season significant since Witherspoon is primarily a slot cornerback.

That will be the barometer for DeJean, who was also a First Team All-Pro last season playing in the slot. DeJean still hasn't allowed a touchdown pass in the slot in his two years in the NFL.

The Eagles are going to pay DeJean handsomely, just like how they're going to pay Mitchell. They have saved up the cash over the past few offseasons to make sure they can pay the premium players they drafted.

They did this with Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis this offseason. The same will happen with Mitchell, DeJean, and Jalyx Hunt next offseason. DeJean and Hunt will be at a premium since they do not have a fifth-year option like Mitchell (neither were first-round picks)

If DeJean gets paid before Mitchell, it shouldn't come as a surprise. Both players are likely to get north of $30 million a year and $100 million guaranteed next year.

That's the nature of the business. The Eagles have put themselves in the position to manage this.

Make sure you bookmark Philadelphia Eagles on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns, and so much more!

Add us as a preferred source on Google