The Washington Commanders have placed the franchise tag on right guard Brandon Scherff for the past two seasons. There will not be a third tag in Scherff’s future, and the prevailing thought is the Pro Bowl offensive lineman has played his last snap in Washington.
Washington’s upcoming decision on Scherff is not about his talent or character. Head coach Ron Rivera loves Scherff as a player and leader. He knows what Scherff brings to the table in the locker room and on the field. But after trying for two consecutive seasons to reach a long-term deal with Scherff, Washington appears ready to move on from the 2015 first-round draft pick.
Scherff earned $18 million on his second franchise tag in 2021. That means Scherff and his agent will be looking for a long-term deal with an average annual value of at least $18 million. That’s a lot of money for a player who hasn’t played an entire season since 2016 and missed six games in 2021. Also, Scherff will turn 31 next season.
Then, you realize the Commanders lost all six games Scherff missed last season. Sure, Scherff’s absence isn’t the only reason Washington lost those games, but it did play a part. Scherff’s ability at guard opens up Washington’s offense because of his ability to move.
Pro Football Hall of Famer Gil Brandt believes the Commanders must do whatever it takes to retain Scherff this offseason. Brandt, who is now an analyst for NFL.com, made the Hall of Fame due to his 28-year run in Dallas’ front office.
Scherff missed significant time for the fourth straight season, losing several games to a knee injury in 2021. Having been franchise tagged two seasons in a row, he’ll also surely be aiming to secure a hefty paycheck. But the Commanders are projected to have cap space, and he was still their eighth-best offensive player last season, according to his PFF grade, and would make life easier on whomever ends up playing QB.
Everything Brandt said is valid. Ideally, the Commanders would retain Scherff. In a perfect world, the two sides would have agreed to a long-term deal in either of the past two years. Now, it appears too late.
This has played out much like the Kirk Cousins’ situation. Does the player even want to be here? According to Washington general manager Martin Mayhew, the team offered Scherff a deal last offseason that would’ve made him the highest-paid guard in NFL history.
Sometimes, it’s just not up to the team. And at this point, how wise would it be for the Commanders to give Scherff that type of contract with his age and injury history?