Report: Redskins Haven’t Made OLB Brian Orakpo A Contract Offer

Update:

Mark Maske of the Washington Post, citing a “person with knowledge of the situation,” reports that the Redskins haven’t extended free agent OLB Brian Orakpo an offer up to this point.

• Maske also spoke to two other sources who aren’t sure if Washington will elect to use their franchise tag on him, or continue working on a long-term deal this weekend.

Chris Russell of  ESPN Radio 980 spoke with a league source who mentioned that the Redskins may only have two options for free agent OLB Brian Orakpo.

• According to Russell’s source, those options are either use the transition tag on Orakpo or allow him to test the free agent market in the coming weeks.

This is fairly interesting given that Washington is projected to have around $29 million in cap space this offseason, according to OverTheCap.com’s most recent projections.

The transition tag would cost the Redskins a one-year contract that is either equal to the average salary of the top ten outside linebackers, or a twenty percent salary increase. The figure is ultimately determined by which of the two figures is greater.

However, unlike the franchise tag, the Redskins wouldn’t receive any compensation if Orakpo were to sign with another team, although they would have the right of first refusal for any contract he was offered.

Orakpo finished the 2013 season with 10 sacks and has 39.5 career sacks in just 64 games for the Redskins defense and is clearly one of the best edge rushers set to be an unrestricted free agent. He would have no shortage of suitors if he were to become available.

We have Orakpo listed as the No. 4 player in our Top 50 – 2014 Free Agents list.