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With the NFL offseason drawing to a close, there are some talented players still on the market left over from free agency. Interestingly enough, most of them are former starting safeties.
Those who play the safety position have not had much luck finding new homes this offseason. As a result, former Pittsburgh Steelers safety Mike Mitchell said during an appearance on SiriusXM that they are forced play the waiting game.
“Our sport isn’t like basketball, it isn’t like baseball where contracts are guaranteed, so definitely the teams are taking advantage of the leverage that they have and they don’t have to sign guys,” Mitchell said. “They can obviously go out and get cheaper, younger players, I guess, if that’s what they want to do. I think there’s something to be said about the veteran talent that’s out there, still a lot of guys that have played this game awhile and just done it at a high level for a long time, so we’ll just see how the rest of the summer plays out.”
It is a bit perplexing to see how many quality safeties are still available after this offseason. Between players like Tre Boston, Eric Reid, and Kenny Vaccaro, one would assume that they would have no problem finding a new home. Unfortunately, it appears the market has died down for them.
What makes this phenomenon even more interesting is that it comes at a time when the league is throwing the ball now more than ever. This has seen quarterbacks and pass-rushers sign the most lucrative deals in NFL history. However, it is clear that the same cannot be said for those that defend the pass. Even Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas, who is widely considered the best safety of his generation, is having a tough time garnering a new extension from his team.
It appears teams would rather take their chances on a cheaper option as a replacement. That is until that particular player gets beat countless times throughout the course of the season. Today's offenses are well-aware of who is defending over the top, and they will not hesitate to take their chances downfield if they can get away with it.
