Bama Pros Who Are Looking for 2021 Contracts

NFL free agency begins March 17 and with 68 Alabama Crimson Tide alumni spread across the league, it comes as no surprise a handful of these Bama pros will be looking for new contracts in 2021.

In total, 15 former Crimson Tide players will be looking to sign their names on fresh contracts to start the new league year.

Mark Ingram

Mark Ingram signed a 3-year, $15 million contract with the Baltimore Ravens in 2019 after spending his first eight years with the New Orleans Saints. However, after just three games with more than 10 touches, Ingram was released in January as the Ravens offense moves forward with JK Dobbins as its feature back.

Ingram scored 15 total touchdowns for the Ravens in 2019 while racking up 1,018 yards on the ground. However, he was responsible for just two scores and 299 rushing yards in 2020 while appearing in 11 games.

Even at 31 years old, Ingram should see a few offers from squads looking for a veteran presence in the locker room. Still, he shouldn't expect the $5 million per year he was earning in Baltimore. He'll still be on the books for $1.3 million in 2021, and teams will want him at a much-reduced price tag.

Kenyan Drake

Since being traded to the Arizona Cardinals midway through the 2019 season, Kenyan Drake has seen a bit of a career resurgence.

In 2019 Drake scored eight touchdowns in eight games in the desert, earning himself a 1-year deal worth nearly $8.5 million.

In 15 games in 2020, Drake rushed for 955 yards and 10 scores. After a successful "prove-it" season, Drake should be one of the top running backs on the market alongside Todd Gurley, James White and Leonard Fournette.

At 27 years old, Drake should be expecting to sign his final big contract, and even then it likely won't surpass three years. Spotrac expects him to sign at minimum a 2-year, $16 million contract in free agency. Whether that contract will keep him in Arizona will be the biggest question.

AJ McCarron

AJ McCarron threw just one pass in 2020, a 20-yard completion in Week 17.

Still, seven-year NFL veteren backup should still see another contract.

McCarron has signed back to back one-year contracts in Houston to be Deshaun Watson's backup, making $2.5 million in 2019 and $4 million this past season. With Watson looking for an exit from Houston, McCarron may see a playing opportunity in Texas should the team trade its once-believed franchsie quarterback.

Regardless, McCarron has been reliable in Houston and should continue to be a valuable backup quarterback in the NFL for as long as he likes.

Reuben Foster

Reuben Foster is looking to hit the restart button in 2021.

After being waived by the San Fransisco 49ers in 2018, Foster was picked up by the Washington Football Team and hasn't seen the field yet due to suspensions and injuries. As such, Foster's 5th-year option wasn't picked up.

Foster will in all likely hood receive a cheaper one-year prove-it deal with little guarantees due to his past. Still, when he was on the field, Foster proved to be one of the better linebackers in the NFL.

Cam Robinson

The Jacksonville Jaguars drafted Cam Robinson in 2017 and four seasons later his rookie contract is at its end.

Though the Jaguars ended the 2020 season with the worst record in the NFL, Duval County will likely welcome Trevor Lawrence as its next quarterback. With that in mind, Robinson should expect a massive payday from the front office.

Spotrac expects Robinson to see a 4-year, $45.6 million deal this offseason. That deal squashes his rookie deal, as Robinson would haul in about $11.3 million per year compared to the $1.7 he received per year to begin his career.

Jacksonville has nearly $80 million in cap space, most in the NFL. With its franchise quarterback coming to town, the Jags will no doubt look to keep its left tackle around.

Dalvin Tomlinson

The New York Giants Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee, Dalvin Tomlinson has carved out a respectable role in the Big Apple.

He nearly mirrored his 2019 numbers, racking up 49 tackles, 10 for a loss and 3.5 sacks.

Spotrac estimates his next deal 4 years, $38 million dollars. Though the Giants are very appreciative of his services both on and off the field, the team only carries $8 million in cap space to start the offseason.

The Giants aren't where they'd like to be in terms of competitiveness, and with so many holse to fill, letting a prime defensive tackle test free agency will be the likely outcome here.

Wherever Tomlinson plays football in 2021, expect consistency and class to follow him.

Read more on Tomlinson's story and the many organizations he supports.

Read More: 3 Alabama Alumni Named Walter Payton Man of the Year Finalists

Levi Wallace

Through three seasons in Buffalo, Levi Wallace has earned just short of $2 million. Not bad for an undrafted corner.

Wallace had a solid 2020, snagging two interceptions, deflecting eight passes and allowing just 57.7% of passes headed his way to be completed.

Wallace isn't one of the premier cornerback free agents, but he is in an advantageous position as a restricted free agent. Though he won't have a say so in how much money he makes or where he plays in 2021, his value with the Buffalo defense could place a good price tag on his services.

Kareem Jackson

The Denver Broncos have a decision to make with Kareem Jackson. Technically his contract isn't up, but rather the team has an option to release him to save some cash.

The 32-year-old defensive back has made nearly $70 million over his 11-year NFL career and would make an additional $10 million if Denver holds onto him for the 2021 season.

Jackson started all 16 games for the Broncos last season and has taken on a leadership role. With AJ Bouye released, the Broncos are getting thin at cornerback and though Jackson plays all over the field, the Broncos are a team expected to look hard at the cornerback position in the 2021 NFL Draft.

The Broncos have until March 17 to make its decision on Jackson. Until then, his fate is out of his hands.

Damion Square

It took Damion Square some moving around, but he found a home in LA with the Chargers over the past six seasons as a rotational defensive lineman.

Still, Square just turned 32 and has been on year-to-year deals for most of his career. Los Angeles has a solid front defensively and may look in another direction.

Square should wind up somewhere, but after just 20 tackles and a sack in 16 games, his signing won't be making headlines wherever he plays in 2021.

TJ Yeldon

TJ Yeldon has just 27 carries and one receiving score over the past two seasons with the Buffalo Bills.

Buffalo invested two second-round picks over the past two seasons in Devin Singletary and Zach Moss, both of whom saw most of the work in 2020. Still, the team isn't where it'd like to be in the ground game and with several mocks suggesting the Bills take a running back in the first round, it seems unlikely Yeldon will return to the 2020 AFC East champions.

Yeldon is just 27 years old and should still expect to get another chance to start 2021 with a fresh team. The Jets, Dolphins and Steelers are the teams with the biggest need at tailback that could send a few carries his way.

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Ryan Anderson

Ryan Anderson's time in Washington is over. That comes as little surprise as the Football Team drafted Chase Young and paired him with Montez Sweat to create a formidable duo on the edge.

On top of that, Anderson doesn't fit Ron Rivera's scheme.

With six sacks to his name over four years, Anderson heads into free agency as an option for teams looking for reliable depth in its pass-rushing rotations. Luckily for Anderson, the NFL is constantly looking for these sorts of players.

Dre Kirkpatrick

In his first season away from Cincinnati, Dre Kirkpatrick put in a solid season for the Arizona Cardinals at 31 years old.

Though he disputed the report, it doesn't look like the Cardinals are bringing back long-time leader Patrick Peterson in 2021, so it wouldn't be too surprising if Kirkpatrick is brought back on another 1-year deal for a bit more than $1 million.

Reggie Ragland

The Detoit Lions brought on Reggie Ragland in 2020 hoping he'd be a fit in Matt Patricia's multiple 3-4 scheme. Unfortunately, few Lions were able to do so as the team sported one of the worse defenses in the league, and Patricia himself was fired mid-season.

As for Ragland, he appeared in all 16 games, starting six, and tallied 52 tackles, a sack and forced a fumble.

Teams haven't been able to find a scheme that works for Ragland it seems, who plays a thumping style of linebacker that the NFL is starting to move away from. Nonetheless, Ragland is still a formidable football player and will land on his feet for another team, in all likelihood.

Robert Foster

After an exciting rookie season in Buffalo, it's all been sort of downhill for Robert Foster.

Over the past two seasons, he has just five catches for 101 yards.

Foster should wind up in a team's camp looking to tap back into that rookie version that made defensive backs fear his speed.

JC Hassenhauer

JC Hassenhauer was called into emergency duty in 2020, starting two games at center for the Pittsburgh Steelers and seeing some action at guard as well.

With the retirement of Steelers legend Maurkice Pouncey, the Steelers will at the very least bring Hassenhauer back to either compete for the starting center role or revert back to the swing interior back up.

Either way, Hassenhauer earned his place with the Steelers, and that says enough to the start of his NFL career.