It was my responsibility to conduct practically all of the contract research and negotiation preparation while on the agent side for clients of the sports management firm where I worked, regardle s of whether I was the primary negotiator. Adjusting contracts into the existing salary cap climate is something I started doing to determine an asking price for Hall Chris Thorburn Men Jersey of Fame defensive tackle John Randle when he was a transition player in 1998. It occurred to me that the top defensive player contracts didn't reflect the growth in the salary cap from $41.454 million in 1997 to $52.388 million, which was a direct result of new TV contracts.Bruce Smith was the 's highest paid defensive player with the five-year extension averaging $5.2 million per year he signed with the in 1997. I adjusted his contract to reflect the 26.4 percent salary cap growth from 1997 to 1998. His adjusted deal of almost $6.575 million became the guide for setting Randle's target price. Randle replaced Smith as the league's monetary benchmark for defensive players on a five-year, $32.5 million contract containing $20 million in guarantees to remain with the as salaries exploded, thanks to the new TV money.It's become a fairly common practice for agents to adjust contracts into the existing salary cap environment when preparing for negotiations on behalf of clients. How persuasive this approach is with varies. When I was representing players, I found that some teams were dismi sive while others were somewhat receptive to this kind of approach. I've applied the methodology to a se s existing NFL contracts at the different positions in the chart below. The defensive front seven is broken into edge rushers, interior defensive linemen and linebackers. Edge rushers are primarily limited to 4-3 defensive ends and 3-4 outside linebackers. This means linebackers are players who aren't considered as pa s rushers (i.e.: off-ball linebackers).Randle's contract illustrates the methodology. A deal equivalent to the $6.5 million per year Randle received with a $52.388 million Wayne Gretzky Kids Jersey salary cap in 1998 is $24,591,510 per year under the current $198.2 million salary cap.Below the chart is a look at players who have the best chance of topping or coming closest to exceeding the benchmarks at the various positions. PositionTeamYear signedGrowth factorSalary capNew $ avg.Adjusted new $ avg.Contract lengthQB201811.85%$177,200,000$33,500,000$37,470,0904-year extensionEDGE201811.85%$177,200,000$23,500,000$26,284,9896-year extensionDL201811.85%$177,200,000$22,500,000$25,166,4796-year extensionWR20195.31%$188,200,000$22,000,000$23,168,9693-year extensionCB201449.02%$133,000,000$14,010,000$20,878,0605-year extensionOT20195.31%$188,200,000$18,000,000$18,956,4294-year extensionLB20195.31%$188,200,000$18,000,000$18,956,4293-year extensionRB2020None$198,200,000$16,000,000N/A4-year extensionOG201811.85%$177,200,000$14,000,000$15,659,1436-year extensionS20195.31%$188,200,000$14,100,000$14,849,2035-year extensionC201718.68%$167,000,000$10,340,600$12,272,4975-year extensionTE201627.65%$155,270,000$9, Patrik Berglund Men Jersey 195,000$11,737,2905-year extensionP/K20195.31%$188,200,000$5,000,000$5,265,6754-year extensionQuarterbackThe Chiefs are reportedly going to focus on 2018 NFL MVP ' contract extension after the upcoming NFL Draft. Mahomes should become the league's first $40 million per year player when he signs a new contract.Running backChristian McCaffrey's $16 million per year comes in ahead of $15,797,024 adjusted average yearly salary in the six-year, $90 million contract extension he received from the Cowboys last September to end his holdout. 2018 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year is the best bet to raise the salary bar for running backs. He becomes eligible for an extension at the conclusion of the 2020 regular season. Barkley had a league best 2,028 yards from scrimmage (combined rushing and receiving yards) as a rookie in 2018 but was slowed by a high ankle sprain last season. Barkley still had 1,003 rushing yards last season despite mi sing three games. The won't have to contend with paying Barkley while a high priced quarterback is already on the books. 2019 sixth overall pick will be entering the third year of his cost effective rookie contract in 2021.Wide receiverJulio Jones re-setting the wide receiver market was expected. A three-year extension averaging $22 million per year containing $64 million fully guaranteed when Jones had two years left on his contract wasn't. Part of head coach Bill O'Brien's justification for trading to the Cardinals was he wanted his contract addre sed. Adding two new years so Hopkins is under contract through the 2024 season where his cash over the five years mirrors Jones' five year total of just over $87 million would e sentially be a two-year extension averaging $23.5 million per year.Tight endThe tight end market hasn't moved much since first hit the $10 million per year mark in 2014 with the . Signing to an extension is an offseason priority for the . A Kittle deal should dramatically re-set the tight end market since he is San Francisco's primary Brayden Schenn Jersey weapon in the pa sing gameOffensive tackleThe Texans have opened negotiations with 2019 Pro Bowl left tackle . A tactical error was made in neglecting to secure a new deal in conjunction with Tunsil's trade from the right before the start of the 2019 regular season. The Texans might as well as give Tunsil a blank contract and have him fill out it in given the leverage handed to him through the lack of a new contract and the trade compensation, which was e sentially two first round picks and a second round pick.Offensive guardContract discu sions have reportedly gone well after the designated as a franchise player. Scherff's $14.781 million franchise tag should give him ammunition to become the NFL's first $15 million per year Jaden Schwartz Women Jersey offensive guard since a second franchise tag in 2021 at a Collective Bargaining Agreement mandated 20 percent increase would be $17,737,200. A long term deal must be attractive enough for Scherff to forego the po sibility of hitting the open market next year since a second franchise tag might be too cost prohibitive for the Redskins.Center is scheduled to play under a $10.35 million fifth year option. The 2016 first round pick has developed into a Pro Bowl caliber center. center is the actual current standard for average yearly salary at $11.25 million per year.Edge rusher defensive end becoming the NFL's first $25 million per year non-quarterback isn't out of the realm of po sibility. The 2016 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year bounced back in 2019 from an injury plagued 2018 season where a bone bruise in his left foot sidelined him for the first nine games. Bosa had his third double-digit sack season in four years. He tied for ninth in the NFL with 11.5 sacks. Bosa holds the NFL record for the most sacks in the first 20 games of a career with 19.Interior defensive lineman set what should be a salary floor for Chiefs defensive tackle . Buckner