When you can have 4+ years of control over a first round rookie for the same money as the 1 year annual average salary of a free agent, makes sense. The middle class of the NFL continues to evaporate.
Think somebody is probably working a Hopkins trade as we speak. The guy has a cap hit of 19 this yr and 15 next yr for the team trading for him. He says he doesn't need an extension. Can easily get him under 8mil caphit this yr. And could just cost a 3rd. The team needs this.