Ray Edwards may be the giddiest guy in the NFL without a contract right now, and for good reason.
The defensive end for the Minnesota Vikings is arguably the top free agent at his position now that Charles Johnson has re-upped with the Carolina Panthers for a hefty sum.
And it's that hefty sum that likely has Edwards excited. The Panthers awarded Johnson today a six-year contract worth $72 million, including a whopping $30 million in guaranteed money. Johnson enjoyed a breakout year for the lowly Panthers in 2010, recording 62 tackles and 11.5 sacks, with both numbers not only standing out as career highs, but also more than doubling his total productivity from his first three NFL campaigns.
Edwards, on the other hand, showed steady improvement over the course of his five years since leaving Purdue for the NFL. Edwards' numbers from 2010 (37 tackles, 8.0 sacks) might not sparkle quite as much as Johnson's, but they are more reflective of a pattern in Edwards' career than are Johnson's. Case in point: in 2009, Edwards totaled 51 tackles and 8.5 sacks to Johnson's 25 tackles and 4.0 sacks. In 2008, Edwards held the overall edge at 54 tackles and 5.0 sacks to Johnson's 25 tackles and 6.0 sacks.
In short, the Panthers are banking on Johnson demonstrating that 2010 was no fluke, while whoever ponies up for Edwards will be paying for proven production.
However, in a "what have you done for me lately?" league like the NFL, Johnson, who appears to just be actualizing his considerable potential, still merits more money than does Edwards, who may soon be petering out. Furthermore, Edwards has had the privilege of spending his career opposite Jared Allen, whose command of double teams has opened up more lanes for Edwards than Johnson has every enjoyed.
Either way, Edwards is going to cash in sooner or later and whichever team is lucky enough to get him may be laughing all the way to the bank while Carolina's cacophonic defense crumbles around Charles Johnson.
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