Brian Orakpo is one of several Washington Redskins defenders up for a new contract during the 2014 free agency run. After failing to negotiate an extension during the last offseason, the linebacker is scheduled to become as unrestricted free agent and will likely get plenty of attention from opposing teams. Despite the struggles of the Redskins this season, Orakpo is saying he would prefer to stay with the team in a long-term situation.
According to the Washington Post, Orakpo is not looking to explore free agency this summer. He would rather stay in Washington as sign a new long-term contract with the team. At 27, Orakpo will be one of the more sought after free agents, considering his impressive numbers. On a struggling defensive unit, Orakpo has 8.5 sacks through Week 13, including 5.5 in the last four games. In his 61 career games, he has 38 sacks total which more than justifies the first-round draft pick used on him. He is coming off a season where he missed most of the games due to injury, but has shown he can bounce back.
The Redskins have been eliminated from playoff contention, but that is not hurting the linebacker's confidence that the team can be Super Bowl contenders very soon and he wants to be a part of that.
"Right now this is home," Orakpo said, via the Post. "So I would love to continue to finish my career as a Redskin. Obviously we're 3-9 so it's a disappointing season. ... If we get our core guys back, add a few people here and there with all the money that we're receiving back from all the salary-cap issues that we had, I think we'll be up for running at another title shot again the following year."
Orakpo is one of seven defensive starters for the Redskins that will enter free agency at the end of the year. Washington can now spend money on free agents with the expiration of their two-year, $36 million salary cap reduction that was imposed by the league. Orakpo says he wants to stay in Washington, but it is easy to believe that other teams might be able to offer more money. Sources say Washington intends to keep him, but there have been no reports of ongoing negotiations.
"I wish you could be inside my head, man," Orakpo said. "I honestly do not care about the contract situation. I don't care. I really don't stress about it, worry about it, because I'm fine. Like I said, last quarter of the season, I want to finish strong and everything will take care of itself."
Along with the linebacker, London Fletcher, DeAngelo Hall, Santana Moss and Brandon Meriweather are some of the players eligible for new deals. Washington's offseason if about to get busy.
