Five NFL players who should be extended next after Broncos sign Nik Bonitto

Denver Broncos edge-rusher Nik Bonitto became the latest player to sign an extension this offseason after agreeing to a deal worth up to $120 million through 2029 on Thursday.

As NFL teams turn their attention to regular-season action, there are still outstanding contract negotiations that need to be resolved. Below, we look at some of the most notable.

Five players who deserve a contract extension

Baltimore Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum | The clock began ticking on Linderbaum's extension when Baltimore declined the 2022 first-rounder's fifth-year option in late April. 

"The decision," ESPN Ravens reporter Jamison Hensley wrote, was "based on the unusually high financial commitment and not performance.

"Linderbaum's fifth-year option would have been $23.4 million in 2026... $5.4 million more than the NFL's highest-paid center in terms of average per year," Hensley continued.

The two-time Pro Bowler ranked fourth in ESPN's pass-block win rate rankings among interior offensive linemen (centers and guards) in 2024. As a unit, Baltimore's offensive line ranked third in both pass- and run-block win rate.

Linderbaum, 25, is vital to the Ravens offense's production, and it's essential the front office keeps him in Baltimore. 

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce | One of the league's best deep threats, Pierce led the NFL by averaging a staggering 22.3 yards per catch last season, ending the year with 37 receptions, 824 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.

The 2022 second-round pick ranked first among wide receivers in ESPN Analytics' catch score. Pierce also led qualifying wideouts in air yards per target (21.7) and deep target rate (43.5 percent), per NFL Pro. The league's top deep threat could do a lot more damage on a team with a pro-caliber quarterback. But until Indianapolis finds one, it should keep the cupboard full.

Green Bay Packers left tackle Rasheed Walker | With 2024 first-rounder Jordan Morgan on the roster, a Walker extension might not be likely. But that doesn't make him any less deserving.

A great recent NFL Draft success story, Walker went from being a seventh-round pick (No. 249 overall) to earning a prime starting spot at left tackle along the Packers offensive line following longtime starter David Bakhtiari's season-ending knee injury in Week 1 of the 2023 season.

Per Pro Football Focus data, Walker allowed three sacks last season, tied for the 11th fewest among 42 linemen with at least 500 pass-block snaps. He recently beat out Morgan for starting left tackle entering Week 1, but unless Walker gets an extension, it could only be a matter of time before Morgan supplants him on the first-team offense.

Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean | Like Walker, Dean might have difficulty receiving an extension despite earning one. The fourth-year linebacker is coming off a torn patellar tendon he suffered in last season's playoff wild-card round against the Packers, and Philadelphia may have found his replacement via the draft after spending its first-round pick on linebacker Jihaad Campbell.

Dean, a 2022 third-rounder, had a career-best season a year ago, ending the 2024 regular season with 128 tackles, three sacks, two fumble recoveries and an interception. If 2025 is the end of the road for Dean in Philadelphia, it will be another team's gain.

Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen | Since entering the league as a 2022 fifth-round pick, Woolen is the NFL's only player with at least 10 interceptions and 40 passes defensed, entering 2025 with 11 interceptions and 41 passes defensed.

Per NFL Pro data, when targeted, Woolen forced throws into a tight window, defined as allowing less than one yard of separation in coverage, 39.3 percent of the time, which ranked first among outside corners with at least 50 targets.

Woolen has allowed a 52.5 percent completion percentage when targeted, which ranked fifth best among outside corners.