With the Dolphins keeping cornerback Brent Grimes via a deal worth, per multiple reports, $32 million over four years, it could be that the market for veteran cornerbacks has begun to rebound.
The $8 million annual average trumps all free-agent cornerback deals from last year, by far. Former Dolphins cornerback Sean Smith led the way with a three-year, $8 million deal. Grimes settled for a one-year, $5.4 million contract, a season after playing under the franchise tag in Atlanta.
That’s good new for other members of the free-agent class, which includes (among others) Titans cornerback Alterraun Verner, Patriots cornerback Aqib Talib, Packers cornerback Sam Shields, Bears cornerback Charles Tillman, Seahawks cornerback Walter Thurmond, Colts cornerback Vontae Davis, Broncos cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromarte, 49ers cornerback Tarell Brown, and Panthers cornerback Captain Munnerlynn.
Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall previously signed a four-year, $17 million contract to remain with the team, a year after signing a one-year, $1.25 million contract to extend his stay in D.C.
So the numbers seem to be going up -- especially with the Seahawks demonstrating the link between strong secondary play and a Super Bowl championship.