7th means he is already not over paid and as time goes by a new contracts hit he will slide further down the chart. LTs in their prime at his price are not cap casualties barring a performance drop.
In his 10th and 11th years in the league, Duane isn't going to be in his prime, Icak.
Even in his 9th year (2016), don't you that it's the average beginning of the tail end of a LT's prime year?
Like I said, an injury can heavily impact a LT's play.
If Brown can stay healthy, he will be worth the money.
The Pats drafted Nate Solder in the first round in 2011, with Vollmer as a second rounder a few years earlier.
They were still willing to shell out $7M in guaranteed money to Matt Light (in his 11th year.)
He never saw the second year of that final contract even though he was healthy and was playing well.
He was a true warrior, but come on, when a team draft an OT in the first and another in the 2nd, the writing is on the wall.
Matt Light may have retired in 2012, but it was more for PR, IMO).
And he was playing well in 2011.
http://m.espn.go.com/general/story?storyId=7903017&city=boston&src=desktop
If Brown stays the warrior; sure, his $9.5 M salary will be worth it in 2016.
What I was saying is that a non-major injury could render him "non-elite".
With dead money at just $2.5M while having$7M available to pay, it's quite feasible to find a free agent that can play better than Brown at 80-90% of his game.
That is just one scenario that I think Brown can be a cap casualty in 2016.
Another is that OB can't deliver early and the Texans have to go back to square one.
Why would a team wants to pay a LT premier money in rebuilding mode; he's not going to be all that on the next stretch run.
Wasted money, IMO.
I can come up with at least one more possible scenario, but basically, it will also be speculation.
But I think I have speculated enough for a few months already.
Just passing the time, ya know.