Although he recently turned 30 years old, defensive tackle Javon Hargrave should land a significant deal when the free agent market opens in mid-March. Third contracts are a rarity around the NFL, but Hargrave has produced with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles. 2022 might have been the best season of his seven-year pro career, setting up a potentially handsome payday.
Javon Hargrave Agency Predictions
Update: According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Javon Hargrave is signing a four-year, $80 million deal that includes $40m guaranteed at signing with the San Francisco 49ers. With Hargrave off of the market, make sure to check out the best remaining free agents to see who your team might sign.
The Cleveland Browns Need Help at Defensive Tackle
For the most part, the Cleveland Browns haven’t been afraid to invest in their defense. Their roster is full of former first-round picks like Myles Garrett, Denzel Ward, and Greg Newsome, while they’ve also utilized free agency (John Johnson III, Jadeveon Clowney) and the trade market (Deion Jones) to supplement their existing talent.
The one position group where Cleveland has largely refused to devote resources is defensive tackle. While the Browns have used third- and fourth-round picks on prospects like Jordan Elliott, Tommy Togiai, and Perrion Winfrey, they haven’t expended exorbitant capital on their defensive interior.
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That approach has created a few issues along the inside of Cleveland’s front. No Browns defensive tackle managed more than 23 pressures a season ago, while Cleveland ranked 28th in run defense DVOA.
Hargrave could help solve both of those problems. Despite his age, it doesn’t feel like he’s hit a wall yet, and he was among the league’s best at generating interior pressure in 2022.
Plus, Hargrave worked with new Browns coordinator Jim Schwartz with the Eagles in 2020. After signing with Philadelphia that year, Hargrave called Schwartz’s system a “dream come true” for defensive linemen, so he could mentor Cleveland’s young defensive tackles on the finer points of Schwartz’s scheme.
Hargrave Could Form a Lethal Rotation in Cincinnati
The Cincinnati Bengals project to enter the offseason with more than $35 million in available cap space, the sixth-most in the NFL. Potential extensions for Joe Burrow, Tee Higgins, and Logan Wilson could eat into some of that total, but Cincinnati will have room to add at least a few external free agents.
Offensive line may be the primary need for Zac Taylor’s squad, but defensive tackle is a hidden area of concern. B.J. Hill played the third-most snaps of any interior defender last season, while the Bengals may look to reduce D.J. Reader’s usage after injuries cost him time in both 2020 and 2021.
Cincinnati has other options on the interior. Rookie Zach Carter flashed at times, while waiver claim Jay Tufele made a few nice plays early in the season before dropping off as the year progressed. Instead of relying on those inexperienced players, the Bengals may choose to fortify their defensive tackle rotation with a veteran like Hargrave.
A trifecta of Hargrave, Reader, and Hill would instantly give Cincinnati the best defensive tackle group in the NFL and take a bit of pressure off edge defenders Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard. The previously gun-shy Bengals have been strong free agent players in each of the last three offseasons, and Hargrave would be icing on the cake for Lou Anarumo’s defense.
The Chicago Bears Nearly Signed a High-Profile DT in 2022
Last March, the Chicago Bears agreed to a three-year, $40.5 million contract with free agent defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi. That pact, which contained more than $26 million in guarantees, was eventually voided when Ogunjobi failed his physical.
It might not have made sense for a rebuilding team like Chicago to heavily invest in an aging defensive tackle. Fast forward a year, and the Bears don’t seem that much closer to competing for division titles.
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However, general manager Ryan Poles now has nearly $100 million in cap space at his disposal. That money has to be spent somewhere, as the Bears must reach the NFL’s minimum spending thresholds. Even if a 30-year-old like Hargrave isn’t the best fit for Chicago’s young roster, we’ve already seen Poles try to add a veteran defensive tackle in the past 12 months.
The Bears, who are spending the fourth-least cap space on the interior D-line, posted the NFL’s eighth-lowest blitz rate in 2022. Matt Eberflus wants his defense to get pressure from the front four, and Hargrave could help Chicago’s front push the pocket from the inside.
Hargrave Would Boost the Las Vegas Raiders’ Defensive Line
The Las Vegas Raiders may have to use some of their $48 million in cap space to find a quarterback and augment their offensive line, but they’ll need to spend a hefty amount to fix a defense that gave up the fifth-most yards and seventh-most points in 2022.
Las Vegas’ defensive line rotation was subpar last season, and the club could lose Andrew Billings, Jerry Tillery, and Kyle Peko to free agency. The Raiders will have plenty of available defensive tackle snaps to fill, and Hargrave would team with Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones to give Vegas a fearsome defensive line.
Last offseason, Las Vegas largely refrained from entering the free agent market. They made a big splash by acquiring Davante Adams from the Green Bay Packers, but Jones was their only free agent addition who signed a deal worth more than $6 million annually.
Now that general manager Dave Ziegler has a full offseason and ample cap room to work with, he and Josh McDaniels could get to work fixing the Raiders’ defense. Hargrave would be an excellent on-field addition, but given his experience with winning teams in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, he could also help change the culture in Las Vegas.
Javon Hargrave Market Value, Career Stats, and More
The Eagles nearly broke the all-time NFL sack record in 2022, and Hargrave was a central part of that effort. Only three defensive tackles — Chris Jones, Quinnen Williams, and Daron Payne — posted more sacks than Hargrave’s 12, while Jones and Dexter Lawrence were the only interior players with more pressures.
Spotrac calculates Hargrave’s market value at $20.1 million. Among defensive tackles, that would rank behind just Aaron Donald, Leonard Williams, and DeForest Buckner on a per-year basis.
Hargrave has the production to validate that price tag, but I do wonder if teams might be wary of handing that much cash to a player on the wrong side of 30. However, tier-one defensive tackles can often have long careers, and Hargrave is a difference-maker. If the Commanders franchise Daron Payne, Hargrave will be the best defensive tackle on the market.
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Could Hargrave re-sign with the Eagles? Potentially, but Philadelphia only has $6 million in cap space and limited avenues to create more breathing room. General manager Howie Roseman admitted after the Eagles’ Super Bowl loss that it will be difficult for the club to retian their long list of defensive free agents.
“I think we go into [the offseason] with that understanding that it’s going to be impossible to keep every single person on this team,” Roseman said. “But we’re here to compete.”
Reports have already indicated the Eagles want to hang onto younger free agents like safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, so they could be willing to say goodbye to a veteran like Hargrave.
Javon Hargrave Career Stats
- Games: 111
- Tackles: 329
- Sacks: 37.5
- Forced Fumbles: 4
