The Top of the 2013 Draft was Horrible, and the Fifth-Year Option Decisions Yesterday are Just Further Proof
By Jason Lisk
In addition to being the first Monday post-draft, and the day to release next year’s mock drafts, it was also deadline day for teams to exercise the fifth-year options on their first round draft picks from the 2013 draft. It wasn’t nearly as eventful as last year, when Washington surprised everyone by exercising the option on Robert Griffin III, in a move that incentivized them to then not play him at all for fear of injury, once Kirk Cousins won the job.
The fifth-year option must be exercised before the start of the fourth season. It guarantees the fifth-year salary for the player, at pre-established costs (differing for top ten and other first rounders, and by position), for injury only. As we saw with Griffin, the team can still release the player before the fifth season, as long he wasn’t injured at the time.
Still, there’s little risk, other than catastrophic injury, for the team to exercise the option if the player is borderline worth the cost. They can always release them if they have a bad season and were on the bubble.
Even with all that said, yesterday’s decisions are just further proof of how awful the top of the 2013 draft was.
Lane Johnson already agreed to an extension with the Eagles. Of the remaining players, only Ezekiel Ansah, Eric Fisher, and Tavon Austin had their options exercised. Dion Jordan is ineligible since he was suspended all of last season (though he would seem to be another to log in the bust category). Jacksonville declined the option on Luke Joeckel, as did the Browns with Barkevious Mingo, the Patriots with Jonathan Cooper (after trade with Arizona), the Jets with Dee Milliner, and the Titans with Chance Warmack.
Even among those with the option exercised, only Ezekiel Ansah is a clear no-brainer. Eric Fisher and Tavon Austin may have had the option exercised, but unless they make big leaps this year, they look like candidates to be released. It’s very likely that only two of the top ten from 2013 end up signing a second contract with the team that drafted them.