Not much has been heard of Eric Winston since teams began OTAs and minicamps. The free agent right tackle has been quietly sitting on the market waiting for a team to bite. As an aging veteran, the market is not being too kind to Winston and at this point, he risks going unsigned unless there is an injury. As teams prepare for training camp at the end of July, two teams might be interested in bringing him in, the Detroit Lions or the Jacksonville Jaguars.
As a starting offensive lineman, Winston is looking to get paid what he deems a fair wage. He just finished a four-year, $22 million contract with the Kansas City Chiefs and is aware that he will not get paid that kind of money, but wants something in the ball park range. The Chiefs released Winston in order to avoid his $4.9 million salary in 2013. The free agent went on Sirius XM NFL Radio to say he is looking for something close to $3 million a year.
"In the $3-4 million range is something that I think is more than fair for a starter who has played pretty well throughout his career," Winston said.
Winston called free agency "frustrating" noting that veterans are not exactly getting treated fairly. There is very little optimism that Winston will play in 2013, but the Detroit Free Press is reporting that the Lions are showing some interest. The team has considered adding another tackle for depth purposes and Winston would be the best fit. They would likely not be willing to pay him the salary he is currently demanding, but as they look to protect Matthew Stafford, they might give Winston something favorable.
The Jacksonville Jaguars are the only other team in the Winston market. The team has the No. 2 overall pick Luke Joeckel as the centerpiece to their offensive line, but they are still considering Winston a candidate to add to the line.
The Jaguars have uncertainly with their quarterback and will be desperate to protect however ends up under center. Adding a veteran like Winston alongside a rookie like Joeckel could end up giving Jacksonville one of the better lines in the league.
If Winston goes unsigned after August, he will likely just be banking on an injury to get him on a team. Late June is not the time to have a high price tag attached to a player, but Winston is not backing down.
