Demario Davis

2020 salary cap hit: $9.9 million

Projected contract: Three years, $37.5 million with $25 million guaranteed

Davis has beaten all expectations after signing with the Saints a few years ago, rebounding from a couple of so-so years with the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets to immediately earn the nod as team captain in New Orleans. He then played his way onto the Associated Press All-Pro list, and has made an even bigger impact off the field as an advocate for social justice.

Now that he’s entering the final year of his contract, it’s time for the Saints to keep their best defensive player not named Cameron Jordan in the fold. Davis is 31, and has enjoyed his young family’s relative proximity to his hometown of Brandon, Miss. He should be open to re-upping with the Saints to finish his playing career in New Orleans.

A $12.5 million annual salary would rank seventh-best among NFL inside linebackers, just behind Dallas Cowboys phenom Jaylon Smith ($12.75 million), though it doesn’t compare to the top tier of contracts belonging to Bobby Wagner ($18 million) and C.J. Mosley ($17 million). Over The Cap dove deeper into how this would be fair compensation for Davis.