Three-time Pro Bowl guard Brandon Scherff of the Washington Redskins is signing his franchise tender, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Scherff will be paid $15.03 million this season, all guaranteed, after signing the tender. The Redskins had placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Scherff on May 14.
The Redskins’ previous regime had negotiated with Scherff during the season, but he rejected their offer. New coach Ron Rivera has said he views Scherff as one of the team’s core players and that he wants to build a strong offensive line. Washington likely will make one or two more offers to Scherff before the July 15 deadline to see if they can work out a long-term extension.
Rivera, in his first offseason, has been reluctant to offer extensions to current players, notably tackle Trent Williams and linebacker Ryan Kerrigan. Williams has asked to be traded or released. Kerrigan has one more year left on his contract. Corner Quinton Dunbar wanted more money on the final year of his contract, but Rivera declined and they traded him to Seattle for a fifth-round pick. Rivera has told players he wants to get to know them better before making a long-term financial decision.
There is no doubting Scherff’s talent, but he has struggled to stay healthy the past two seasons, missing a combined 13 games. Scherff suffered a torn pectoral muscle and missed eight games in 2018, ending on injured reserve. This past season, he missed five games because of elbow and shoulder issues, again landing on injured reserve.
Scherff, who turned 28 in December, earned praise not only for his blocking at the line, but with his ability to block well in space on screens or on runs where he had to pull.
The Redskins drafted him fifth overall in 2015, initially considering him a right tackle. But they switched him to right guard early in his first training camp and he flourished. Scherff did not miss a game in his first two seasons.
ESPN’s John Keim contributed to this report.