In IDP Dynasty Leagues, should you buy or sell these contract-year linebackers?
The contract status of linebackers in dynasty is relevant to their value. Rostering impending free agents whose situation and snap-count may alter with a move to a new squad likens to playing with fire. In holding such players, you run the risk of a Drue Tranquill situation, where a former LB1 enters a new system that is log jammed at the position, posing a threat to their usage.
Without the snaps, linebackers just aren’t as valuable. To put this sentiment into perspective, throughout Foye Oluokun’s IDP dominance over the last two seasons, he ranked first in defensive snaps played at linebacker in 2022 with the Jaguars and second behind only Bobby Wagner in 2021 while playing with the Falcons. This trend just goes to show that when linebackers are given more opportunities to be on the field, they are also afforded the opportunity to rack up more tackles and fantasy points. Therefore, any threat posed to a linebacker’s snap count due to their upcoming contract situation could be a reason for dynasty managers to assess their value on the trade market; this is especially true of those who are outside or just on the cusp of “contender” status.
However, the upside is there in terms of players extending with a team and establishing job security. Relative to those aforementioned contenders, the players on this list could be decent buys if rebuilding managers are panicking. Contract years can be a motivating factor for linebackers to stuff the stat sheet and secure a bigger pay-day. Recent examples of upcoming free agents having career years in terms of production include T.J. Edwards, Bobby Okereke and Alex Singleton.
With this information in mind, the way to handle linebackers with expiring deals in 2024 on your team or within the trade market may depend on the status of your team and its proximity to winning.
For the purpose of this article, we will skip players with “outs” in 2024, such as Foyesade Oluokun and Shaquille Leonard. However, it should be noted that players with such stipulations in their contracts pose similar risk should their respective teams opt to take those outs.
#1 Devin White (TB)
Devin White has been a bit polarizing over the last few seasons as an IDP asset, but a lot of it derives from the lofty expectations managers put on him due to his “big-name” label and accompanying ADP. However, even if the market comes to realize that White is more a middle to low-end LB1 for IDP purposes, he’s still a valuable asset to dynasty managers given his age and consistent LB1 production during his NFL tenure thus far. After signing a 4-year, $29.3 million contract with Tampa Bay in 2019, White is set to become a free agent in 2024.
After reports of a trade request a few months back, the 25 year-old linebacker appears to be staying put in Tampa for at least the 2023 season after his attendance to a voluntary photo shoot this offseason. Devin White is probably a hold in dynasty given his consistent production (even if it has tailed off a bit as of late). However, if you’re a contender that can catch a rebuilding owner panicking given the uncertainty around his contract status, he’d be worth the buy as a rock-solid LB2 that could put up big numbers next season in search of a pay-raise.
Dynasty Consensus: HOLD
#2 Jordyn Brooks (SEA)
Jordyn Brooks and his contract situation is really only relevant to dynasty leagues, as there is potential that recovery from a torn ACL at the end of the 2022 season could keep him sidelined or limited for the majority of 2023. The injury was extremely unfortunate timing for Brooks, as the 25 year-old linebacker is due for a new contract in 2024, and it’s already been reported that Seattle has declined his fifth-year option. In spite of that news, Pete Carroll has come out and said that the team remains committed to Brooks’ services and is part of their “long future”.
While there is little potential Jordyn Brooks comes out and produces big numbers in his contract year given the scope of ACL injury, he could be a buy in dynasty for savvy contenders and rebuilders alike that are willing to wait out the 2023 season and add a top-tier linebacker to their lineup for 2024.
Dynasty Consensus: BUY
#3 Logan Wilson (CIN)
After signing a 4-year, $4.94 million contract with the Cincinnati Bengals back in 2020, Wilson is due for a new contract at the conclusion of the 2023 season. The 26 year-old linebacker is a bit of a perplexing study in dynasty leagues. Although he’s had all the opportunity to produce with the Bengals over the last few seasons, he’s never had the tackle-floor to be an elite IDP option such as other options like Roquan Smith, Foye Oluokun, Nick Bolton and Bobby Wagner.
There has been speculation the Cincinnati wants to extend Wilson, which has the potential to be an eight-figure deal. Wilson is a talented-enough linebacker that managers don’t necessarily need to worry about him falling into a situation like Drue Tranquill where his snap-count will suffer with a move to a new team, as somebody paying that much would surely be looking to use him in an every-down role. In fact, it may be the case that entering a new scheme could work wonders for his production in IDP. With all that being said, Wilson is probably a hold in Dynasty, though I’m not sure contenders should deliberately pursue him with safer and cheaper options for 2023 out there, such as an Eric Kendricks or C.J. Mosley.
Dynasty Consensus: HOLD
#4 Frankie Luvu (CAR)
Frankie Luvu truly burst onto the IDP scene last year after racking up 111 tackles, 7 sacks, 1 forced fumble and an interception. In the seasons prior, however, Luvu didn’t even come close to those numbers, with his previous highest tackle total being 34 in 2021. After signing a 2-year, $9 million contract extension with the Carolina Panthers back in February of 2022, the 26 year-old linebacker will be a free agent entering 2024. With that situation in mind, Luvu is someone that may be a risky buy in dynasty.
The best-case scenario is that he re-signs in Carolina, where he can maintain a similar role to the one he excelled in during the 2022 season. However, there is no guarantee that is a certainty, and Luvu is one of the guys on this list that could find himself in a similar situation to Tranquill relative to IDP if he opts to chase a ring, or a pay-day from a team looking for depth in their linebacker room. Without the snaps, Luvu has shown that he is not fantasy relevant. With that in mind, Luvu is probably a good sell for most dynasty managers. Start him if he is on your squad for 2023 as a contender, but don’t go out and overpay via trade with free agency looming above Luvu.
Dynasty Consensus: SELL
#5 Josey Jewell (DEN)
Josey Jewell had a monster year for IDP in 2022. Even though he missed four games due to injury, his 127 tackles and tendency for big plays with 2.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries and 2 interceptions led to him having one of the highest points-per-game averages among linebackers. While Jewell is a nice player to own as a contender or in re-draft, he will be a free agent at the conclusion of the 2023 season. After drafting Arkansas linebacker Drew Sanders in the third round of the 2023 NFL Entry Draft, it’s possible the Broncos have already begun to prepare themselves for the scenario that they are priced out of Jewell’s services.
Even with his breakout last season, Jewell is a player I worry about consistently producing on another team in the NFL. He doesn’t quite have the same tackle floor as players like Eric Kendricks and Foye Oluokun, and his reliance on splash plays for fantasy production in 2022 may not translate well into other schemes. Once again, Josey Jewell is another player that is nice to own both in redraft or as a contender looking to win now. However, the disruption that a move in free agency could cause should make dynasty managers wary of giving up assets to acquire him via trade. Anyone outside of contender status currently rostering Jewell should heavily consider trade offers where there are younger players or draft capital coming back their way.
Dynasty Consensus: SELL
Honorable Mentions: Other Linebackers Poised to Enter the 2024 Free Agent Class
- Patrick Queen (HOLD)
- Eric Kendricks (SELL)
- Azeez Al-Shaair (BUY)
- Lavonte David (SELL)
- Bobby Wagner (SELL)
Conclusion on Contract-Year Linebackers
Free agency really takes on a different meaning for each player and their situation in the context of IDP. Ultimately, with the volatility of the linebacker position and shifting of the top-tier asset landscape, it may not be a bad idea to spend your draft capital on rookies poised for larger roles immediately or in the near future, or for players with established roles and job security through a trade. On the flip side, it makes sense for managers to do their due diligence on a player like Josey Jewell, who should produce during the 2023 season and could help to push for a championship, regardless of his future beyond next season.
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If you want to win an IDP championship trophy, make sure you check out RPO’s 2023 Linebacker Rankings.
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