Logan Ryan is one of the NFL's biggest enigmas during the 2020 NFL offseason. Initially thought of as one of the top free agents on the market, the 29-year-old defensive back remains unsigned with about a month before the start of the regular season.
In an effort to possibly reignite interest in his client, Ryan's agent recently e-mailed all 32 NFL general managers, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. In the e-mail, Ryan's agent stated that his client views himself as a safety and not a cornerback, which is what he is typically referred to as. The e-mail included Ryan's 2019 statistics and how they compare to several of the league's top-tier safeties.
As you can see, Ryan's 2019 totals do rival the numbers of what some the league's best safeties were able to compile last season.
The Bears' Eddie Jackson, with an annual salary of $14.6 million, is currently the league's highest-paid safety. Tennessee's Kevin Byard ($14.1 million), Kansas City's Tyrann Mathieu ($14 million) Washington's Landon Collins ($14 million) and Baltimore's Earl Thomas ($13.75 million) round out the league's highest-paid safeties heading into the 2020 season. While Ryan's agent clearly considered his client to be among the league's top players at that position, it's a stretch to think that Ryan would receive a similar offer this close to the start of the season, with most teams having already used the majority of their cap space. At this point, it appears that Ryan may have to sign a one-year deal before restarting his quest for a longterm contract next offseason.
During his first seven NFL seasons, Ryan did his best work in the slot as a nickelback. Last season, he set career highs with four interceptions, 18 passes defensed, 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and 113 tackles while helping the Titans win two road playoff games before bowing out in the AFC Championship Game. Ryan essentially ended the Tom Brady-Bill Belichick era in New England with his pick-six that sealed the Titans' wild-card win over the Patriots.
Before helping the Titans get to within a game of the Super Bowl, Ryan played in -- and won -- two Super Bowls with the Patriots, recording an interception and breaking up four passes during New England's 2016 playoff run. In all, Ryan has appeared in 15 playoff games, tallying two interceptions, eight passes defensed, a forced fumble, 92 tackles and four tackles for loss.
While the Jets reportedly had internal conversations about signing him, New York never pulled the trigger on signing Ryan, whose initial contract requests reportedly impacted his odds at signing with a team during the start of free agency. While his current contract requests are not public knowledge, it can be assumed that Ryan, given the fact that he remains unsigned, is willing to compromise those wishes if it means signing with a new team before the start of the season.
