The Drought is Over
Caleb Downs scores Ohio State’s first punt return touchdown since 2014.
While the rest of the sports world is on hold, NFL free agency appears set to proceed forward as scheduled this week, and a multitude of former Ohio State players will be among those looking to cash in with new contracts.
The new NFL league year begins on Wednesday at 4 p.m., which is also when this year’s free agency period will officially begin, but teams are allowed to begin formally negotiating with free agents at noon Monday. That means a flurry of deals will be struck over the next three days.
One former Buckeye has already cashed in: Cornerback Bradley Roby reportedly agreed to a three-year, $36 million extension that includes roughly $17 million in guaranteed money with the Houston Texans on Sunday, as the Texans enticed him to stay with a lucrative multi-year deal rather than allow him to become a free agent this week.
At least nine other Buckeyes, though, are set to hit the open market this week, which could mean some of them will be switching teams while all of them will be hoping to land big bucks.
Before the market opens this afternoon, we take a look at which former Ohio State players are set to become free agents – or still possibly could – and who among them could be in line to land the biggest payouts this offseason.
New Orleans Buckeyes No More?
The New Orleans Saints have become known for stockpiling former Ohio State players – they had five Buckeyes on their 2019 roster, the most in the entire NFL – but that could potentially change this week.
Three of those Buckeyes – Vonn Bell, Eli Apple and Ted Ginn Jr. – are all set to become free agents, with Apple and Bell both hitting free agency for the first time in their NFL careers.
Bell, who led all NFL defenders with five fumble recoveries and also had 89 total tackles, five pass deflections and one interception in 2019, is likely to be the most-coveted of those Buckeyes as one of the top safeties on the free-agent market.
Apple’s NFL career has been a roller-coaster ride so far – the New York Giants, who selected him with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft, traded him in 2018 to the New Orleans Saints, who declined his fifth-year option before last season – but he did start 15 games at cornerback for the Saints last season and at just 24 years old, he should attract a significant market, too.
Ginn, who turns 35 in April, isn’t likely to be a top free-agency target at this point in his career. That said, Ginn still made his share of plays in 2019 – 30 catches for 421 yards and two touchdowns – and he should draw some interest from contenders looking to add a short-term boost of speed to their receiving corps.
Hyde, Lee Likely Headed Elsewhere
While Roby opted to sign an extension with the Texans on Sunday, Carlos Hyde has already declined a contract offer from the team and is expected to hit free agency, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. That could mean Hyde – who has been with four different teams (Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs and Texans) in the past two years – will be headed to yet another team this offseason.
Even with all that bouncing around, Hyde should have some suitors on the free-agent market after rushing for 1,070 yards – the first quadruple-digit rushing season of his NFL career – in 2019. With 4,370 total rushing yards in six NFL seasons, Hyde has a proven track record of solid production that should warrant consideration from teams looking to add a rotational running back.
Coming off his most productive NFL season yet, Carlos Hyde will likely be headed to another new team this offseason. Jay Biggerstaff – USA TODAY Sports
Former Ohio State linebacker Darron Lee won a Super Bowl ring this past season with the Chiefs, but it’s unlikely he’ll be back in Kansas City for another year. Lee was a healthy scratch for all of the Chiefs’ playoff games, so the fifth-year linebacker will likely be looking for a new home and ideally, an opportunity to play more for another NFL team’s defense.
Vannett, Ebner Could Stay Put
After trading for former Ohio State tight end Nick Vannett in September, the Pittsburgh Steelers will likely have at least some incentive to try and keep him in the fold. He started six games and caught 13 passes for 128 yards after his move to Pittsburgh, and general manager Kevin Colbert said in February that the Steelers – who are known to prioritize retaining their own free agents over spending big for others – “hope we can find a way to keep Nick in the mix,” according to Joe Rutter of the Tribune-Review.
Vannett, like Apple, Bell and Lee, is entering his fifth NFL season and going into free agency for the first time in his career.
Nate Ebner has been a special teams stalwart for the New England Patriots for the past eight years, and though he’s also set to become an unrestricted free agent, he has said he hopes to stay in New England. He won’t command a huge salary with the role that he plays, so as long as he and the Patriots can agree on a deal that’s fair for both sides, the former Buckeye will likely remain in New England for a ninth season.
| Player | Position | 2019 Team |
|---|---|---|
| ELI APPLE | CB | SAINTS |
| VONN BELL | S | SAINTS |
| MICHAEL BENNETT (RFA) | DT | FALCONS |
| KURT COLEMAN | S | BILLS |
| NATE EBNER | S | PATRIOTS |
| TED GINN JR. | WR | SAINTS |
| CARLOS HYDE | RB | TEXANS |
| DARRON LEE | LB | CHIEFS |
| ROD SMITH | RB | RAIDERS |
| NICK VANNETT | TE | STEELERS |
Other Free Agents
Former Ohio State safety Kurt Coleman played in 14 games for the Buffalo Bills last season, but recorded only three tackles in a reserve capacity. Set to turn 32 in July, Coleman isn’t likely to land more than a one-year deal and will likely have to wait for the top safeties to come off the board before his market picks up.
Former Ohio State running back Rod Smith appeared in three games each for both the Tennessee Titans and Oakland (now Las Vegas) Raiders last season but did not have any rushing attempts. Like Coleman, he isn’t likely to have an early market or receive a guaranteed contract, but a wait could ultimately benefit him as it could enable him to find a team with limited running back depth where he’ll have a chance to compete his way onto a 53-man roster.
Michael Bennett is designated as a restricted free agent after spending all of last season on the Atlanta Falcons’ injured reserve with an ankle injury. That means the Falcons will have an opportunity to place a qualifying offer that allows them to match any other Bennett receives, but it’s uncertain whether they will before Wednesday’s 4 p.m. deadline. If they don’t, he’s only likely to receive a one-year non-guaranteed deal on which he’ll have to earn his way onto another team’s roster, as he has been plagued by injuries and appeared in only three regular-season games over his past four NFL seasons.
Jenkins Could Hit the Market
Former Ohio State defensive back Malcolm Jenkins isn’t set to be a free-agent yet, but it’s still possible he could become one. The Philadelphia Eagles have a $7.6 million team option on Jenkins for 2020, but Jenkins has already said he will not play under that deal this fall.
That leads to three potential scenarios that could play out this week. If the Eagles want to keep Jenkins, they’ll ideally look to agree to a new contract with Jenkins over the next couple days. If that doesn’t happen before Wednesday at 4 p.m., they could pick up his option and work on re-negotiating his contract later, or trade him to a team that will pay him what he wants if they are unable to come to an agreement. Or the Eagles could decline his option, allowing him to test the market and see what offers he can get from other NFL teams.
If Jenkins does hit free agency, he’ll certainly become a quickly coveted player. Even though he’s now 32 years old, Jenkins is still regarded as one of the league’s top safeties. The Eagles should be inclined to do what they can to keep him, as he’s been one of their top team leaders since he arrived in Philadelphia in 2014, but he knows his value exceeds his current contract.
Malcolm Jenkins is looking for a raise this offseason, even if that doesn't come with the Philadelphia Eagles. Eric Hartline – USA TODAY Sports
XFL Buckeyes Join the NFL Free Agent Pool
Because the XFL season was cut short due to the coronavirus outbreak, the three former Buckeyes who played for the D.C. Defenders – quarterback Cardale Jones, defensive tackle Tracy Sprinkle and cornerback Doran Grant – are now free to sign NFL contracts, as well, should any teams be interested in signing them.
They were in the XFL for a reason, so it’s unlikely that any of them will be targeted during the first wave of free agency, but once the market starts to dry up, it’s likely that some XFL players will get NFL opportunities, even if they come on non-guaranteed deals that don’t ensure a roster spot beyond the preseason.
While they surely would have liked to have had the opportunity to play out the full season with the Defenders, it could come as a blessing in disguise if any of them land NFL contracts, as they originally would have had to wait until after the end of the XFL season in April.
