NFL Players Who Must Make the Most of Contract Years in 2015

When there is money to be had, none of us have an issue signing on the dotted line.

But what happens when that set of papers isn’t readily available, or the opportunity isn’t suddenly so automatic?

Here we are taking a look at six NFL players who are in the final year of their current deal. Or in the case of a once-celebrated running back prospect, can he make the most of another chance?

On a personal note, I’m not a believer that a player can suddenly turn on the switch when he is in a contract year. There have been exceptions to this like anything else, but more times than not, it just hasn’t worked out that way.

In any case, here are some key performers who may eventually ink new deals with their current teams or hit the free-agent market next March.

QB Eli Manning, New York Giants

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Does a two-time Super Bowl champion and 11-year veteran really have to make the most out of the final year of his current deal?

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning now ranks 13th in NFL history in touchdown passes (259) and 15th in passing yards (39,755) and has started 167 consecutive games.

In 2013, he led the NFL with 27 interceptions and a total of 30 turnovers while throwing just 18 touchdown passes. This past season, he cut back on the miscues (14 interceptions, four lost fumbles) and threw for 30 scores.

As training camp approaches and Manning’s latest contract is set to expire at the end of the 2015 season, the Giants are getting set to negotiate with their productive signal-caller, right?

“No discussions yet,” said Manning to Gary Myers of the New York Daily News earlier this month. “I don’t know if there will be or not.”

Does the franchise want to see Manning succeed in a second season under offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo before it moves forward? It’s hard to fathom the club parting ways with the veteran quarterback, and perhaps the parties will agree to a new deal later this year.

All told, it has made for an intriguing story surrounding the first overall pick in the 2004 draft.

RB Trent Richardson, Oakland Raiders

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It’s one of the bigger mysteries when it comes to a current player. Maybe it's not worthy of a look by Sherlock Holmes, but it's somewhat intriguing regardless.

What exactly has happened to running back Trent Richardson, currently a member of the Oakland Raiders, after what was a promising rookie season with the Cleveland Browns? The third overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft is with his third team in four years after the disappointed Indianapolis Colts released him this offseason.

What was the bigger surprise? The fact that the Browns dealt him in September 2013 to Indianapolis (for a first-round draft choice in 2014), or that he flamed out like a burnt steak at St. Elmo's?

In 17 games with the Browns, Richardson totaled 1,473 yards from scrimmage and scored 12 touchdowns. In 29 regular-season tilts with the Colts, he managed a mere 1,471 yards from scrimmage and seven scores.

He is a mystery indeed. And with the likes of Latavius Murray and Roy Helu already in the mix in the Raiders backfield, will he indeed get enough opportunities to make amends? Then again, when you rank 32nd in the NFL in rushing as a team in 2014, you need all the help you can get.

RB Doug Martin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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Like Trent Richardson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Doug Martin was a first-round draft choice in 2012. Unlike Richardson, the former Boise State RB had more than just a good rookie season.

The 31st overall pick in the draft that year amassed an impressive 1,926 yards from scrimmage and scored 12 touchdowns on his way to a Pro Bowl invitation. That included 1,454 yards rushing (12 scores) and 49 receptions for 472 yards.

But in his last two seasons, injuries have limited him to a combined 17 games and a mere 1,080 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns. The offseason, the Buccaneers did not pick up the option on the three-year pro’s contract. But as general manager Jason Licht told Tom Pelissero of USA Today, don’t read too much into that.

"

I hit him right between the eyes and said, ‘Hey, before you see this, we’re not picking up your option, but this could be a good thing for you.’ This doesn’t mean that we don’t want you here long-term. It just means basically you have a carrot in front of you right now. Hopefully, we’re sitting here in a few months talking about an extension.

"

Will the Bucs give Martin ample opportunity to prove he can still be the main man in the backfield with 2014 third-round pick Charles Sims and others who are waiting in the wings? It has been so far so good, according to Pelissero.

In any case, Martin must prove he can still perform at a decent level (and stay healthy) should he indeed hit the free-agent market in 2016.

T Russell Okung, Seattle Seahawks

Scott Eklund/Associated Press

There’s little doubt that Seattle Seahawks Russell Okung is a solid tackle and was worthy of being the sixth overall pick in the 2010 NFL draft.

He has started every game he has played in for five seasons and was named to the Pro Bowl in 2012.

But there’s the rub. Okung has yet to play all 16 contests in any campaign and has missed 21 regular-season games in five years.

Yes, the problem has been availability. And that makes this an important year for the man who blocks for quarterback Russell Wilson and running back Marshawn Lynch.

The Seahawks aren’t afraid to make bold decisions when it comes to upgrading their team. Okung’s future in Seattle may depend on his ability to stay on his feet the entire season in 2015.

DE Muhammad Wilkerson, New York Jets

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Is there truly a contract extension in the works for New York Jets defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson?

“It’s going to be a process,” said general manager Mike Maccagnan to the New York Post two weeks ago.

One week later, after threatening to skip the team’s mandatory OTAs, Wilkerson showed up, per Sean Wagner-McGough of CBS Sports, and now we wait and see where it goes from here.

Even before the Jets opted for talented defensive lineman Leonard Williams with the sixth overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft, there was speculation about the future of Wilkerson with the club. The four-year pro has totaled 24.5 sacks and seven forced fumbles and is a pivotal part of the defense.

“I'm very confident that, hopefully, a long-term deal will get done with (the) Jets,” Kimberley A. Martin of Newsday quoted Wilkerson as saying on Twitter.

OLB Von Miller, Denver Broncos

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

Did anyone else find this to be interesting in late April?

The Denver Broncos not only selected outside linebacker Shane Ray in the first round of this year’s NFL draft, but they traded up with the Detroit Lions and dealt offensive lineman Manny Ramirez to the Motor City in order to obtain the University of Missouri standout.

There is probably not much to read into here. But it is worth noting that three-time Pro Bowl outside linebacker Von Miller is in the final year of his contract. There have been off-the-field issues in the past, but in 2014, the talented performer started all 16 games and registered a team-high 14 sacks.

The addition of Ray (who is off to a good start, according to Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post) shows that the team knows that veteran DeMarcus Ware is in the final stages of a brilliant career. It also shows that Miller, with 49 sacks in 56 regular-season games, must keep his career on the right course.

All free-agent information and player signings/transactions are courtesy of Spotrac. Depth chart information comes via Ourlads. Unless otherwise noted, all player and team statistics come from Pro Football Reference and ESPN.com.