NFL Trade Rumors
If veteran G Brandon Scherff elected to hang up his cleats instead of playing another season in 2025, it would be a well-earned retirement. The former top-five pick out of Iowa has played a decade in the NFL and been named to the Pro Bowl in half of those seasons. He was a first-team AP All-Pro selection in 2020 and has over $110 million in career earnings. Playoff success has been fleeting but Scherff has accomplished just about everything else that a player could hope to achieve.
But if he wants to keep playing, either to chase a ring or just because he loves the game, there should be options for Scherff. Competent linemen are too hard to find, and Scherff still meets that criterion. While his play slipped the last three years with the Jaguars compared to his first act in Washington, he remained an above-average guard last season. Pro Football Focus still grades him as a strong pass protector, though his run-blocking grades have slipped the past three seasons.
At his age, Scherff likely won’t mind missing OTAs and a chunk of training camp, so it could be a while before he signs. An injury could also create more demand for his services. But the bottom line should be that if Scherff wants to play, there should be a spot for him on an NFL roster.
Scherff, 33, is a former No. 5 overall pick by Washington out of Iowa in the 2015 NFL Draft. He signed a four-year, $21.215 million fully guaranteed rookie contract and played out the fifth-year option on that deal.
Washington picked up Scherff’s option in 2018 and paid him $12,525,000 for the 2019 season. The team opted to franchise him in 2020 for $15 million.
Washington tagged Scherff for the second straight year in 2021 at a figure of $18 million. From there, Scherff signed a three-year deal with Jacksonville worth $49.5 million in 2022.
In 2024, Scherff appeared in and started all 17 games for the Jaguars at right guard. Pro Football Focus had him graded as the No. 36 guard out of 77 qualifying players.
We have him included in our Top 100 Available NFL Free Agents list.
Some teams have philosophies against signing players to third contracts, believing that once a player has gone through their rookie contract and a second deal in free agency, they’re more likely to break down or lack upside compared to other options. The Ravens aren’t one of those teams and have had tons of success with veterans other teams believed to be at the tail end of their careers. One recent example was veteran G Kevin Zeitler, who signed a three-year deal when he was 31 and was a quality starter for three years.
Baltimore eventually moved on last year and went for more of a youth movement at guard, but had to rely on veteran OL Patrick Mekari for most of the year. Now Mekari has defected in free agency...
