Getty awill Davis #80 of the New York Giants is tackled by Will Compton #51 and Kevin Byard #31 of the Tennessee Titans.
Tennessee Titans Will Compton didn’t quite invoke Rod Tidwell (of Jerry Maguire fame), but the unrestricted free agent came close. In the midst of the 2019 NFL Free Agency spree, the former Nebraska Cornhusker tweeted out a gif with the caption, “Spare some change?”
The reference is to the South Park episode “Night of the Living Homeless,” where the homeless citizens of the animated Colorado town overwhelm the townspeople with the same phrase. In this context, Compton is sending a message that he wants more than the $1.25 million he received last fall.
The 6-foot-1, 235-pounder has battled ankle injuries the last few seasons, as he’s seen diminishing production in the process. Last year in Nashville, he appeared on injuries reports for much of November, which limited him to just 16 tackles.
The year before in Washington, he mustered just 17 tackles and an interception through 7 games after a season-ending Linsfranc injury.
When healthy, Compton is a highly productive NFL linebacker. From 2014-16 as a Redskin, he accumulated 252 tackles (6 for loss), 2 picks, 8 pass breakups and 3 fumble recoveries.
If he’s back to full strength, there are some healthy options for him on NFL rosters. Let’s take a look at the possible destinations:
Possible Destinations for Will Compton
Let’s first start with his current team in Tennessee. Titans general manager Jon Robinson currently has over $40 million in cap space for next season, or $42 million according to Over The Cap.
According to Dan Cotton at 247 Sports, Compton is currently listed at No. 9 on a recent list a potential resignings by the Titans organization. With Compton jokingly tweeting out about wanting a pay bump, it’s possible he could be seen as a low priority compared to the several edge rushers Mike Vrabel wants for his 3-4 defense.
A bigger salary for a current backup linebacker does not appear to be a pressing need. Fortunately for Compton, other teams are entering the market for such a prospect.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that the Eagles lost inside backer Jordan Hicks in free agency to the Arizona Cardinals.
#Eagles standout ILB Jordan Hicks intends to sign with the #AZCardinals on 4-year deal worth $36M with $12M to sign, source said. $20M guaranteed.💰💰
That move leaves only Paul Worrilow as the middle linebacker in Jim Schwartz’s 4-3 scheme. Worrilow and Compton are similar players in that both produced 100-tackle plus seasons early in their careers, but have fallen off over recent seasons.
Worrilow hasn’t eclipsed 30 tackles in each of the last 3 years, sitting out all of last season for the Eagles due to an ACL injury.
The Eagles are running out of cap space to lure a high-profile linebacker, so they may aggregate an effective inside one with the combination of Compton and Worrilow. This would be an inexpensive option, but one that could see Compton make at least $2 million.
Another option could be Baltimore, who just lost C.J. Mosley to the New York Jets for a 5-year, $85 million contract. The backup is second-year player Chris Board, who tallied just 12 stops as a rookie.
The Ravens also have a little more room in cap space, and could afford to throw a little extra at a veteran like Compton.
Please, who’s going to spare some change for Will Compton?
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