AFC Championship Game 2012: 5 Players That Are Playing for a New Contract

Have you ever wondered why NFL players are usually thrilled to be in the playoffs, even though they only make about $20,000 per game?

Sure, these guys are all very competitive by nature and want to win championships, but all players know that players on winning teams will make more money than others. Soon-to-be free agents will want to showcase their talents and ability on the biggest stage and raise their stock for the offseason. 

Here are five players that plan on using this weekend to cash in once March rolls around. 

RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis, New England Patriots

"The Law Firm" may be on his way out of a crowded backfield after this season.

The only thing keeping him on the top of the depth chart is because Bill Belichick trusts him to never fumble the ball, but he is going to have to prove that he is more than just a non-fumbler if he wants to really capitalize in free agency. 

OG Ben Grubbs, Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens have already paid one of their guards, Marshal Yanda, last offseason. It will be interesting to see if they are willing to put in big-time money in their guards. 

If Grubbs can play well against the likes of Vince Wilfork, it will certainly go a long way to landing that big contract. 

CB Lardarius Webb, Baltimore Ravens

Few players have shown more improvement in their game over the past year than Lardarius Webb. With Ed Reed on the downhill, he may be the best player in the Ravens secondary at this point. 

He will be a restricted free agent upon the conclusion of the season, but he will want to make himself a more valuable commodity with a strong performance against the likes of Welker, Hernandez and the rest of the Patriots' potent offense. 

RB Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens

Rice will be the best runner to hit the market this offseason, so he does not necessarily need to turn in his best performance to raise his stock. 

The key for Rice is to just stay healthy for one (or two) more games. Should he sustain a serious injury so late in the season, it would severely dampen his market value and will make it easier for the Ravens to negotiate with Rice in the offseason. 

WR Wes Welker, New England Patriots

Welker is in a similar situation that Ray Rice is in; everyone know what he brings to his team and has proven his worth over and over, he just needs to stay healthy to maintain leverage in contract negotiations. 

However, unlike Rice, Welker has already torn one ACL. While he recovered very nicely from that injury, sustaining another substantial injury is going to make it hard for GMs to commit a lot of money in Welker.