Nine players who could cash in on Super Bowl LI success

Making a huge impact on the biggest stage of all has helped many NFL players earn big paychecks, and that’s not going to change in Super Bowl LI.

We’ve seen players like Joe Flacco of the Baltimore Ravens (2013), Larry Brown of the Dallas Cowboys (1995) and even the likes of Dominique Rhodes of the Indianapolis Colts (2006) parlay outstanding Super Bowl performances into lucrative contracts in years past.

So which players have the best chance of riding Super Bowl success to a huge payday this year? Who is set to gain the most from playing their best in Houston on February 5?

1. Martellus Bennett, tight end, New England Patriots

Without Rob Gronkowski in the lineup for most of the year, the Patriots have relied on Bennett to make big plays in his absence. And despite an ankle injury that has been very painful for Bennett to endure (more on that here), the soon-to-be 30-year old tight end has delivered.

With 55 receptions for 701 yards and a career-high seven touchdown receptions, Bennett has impressed the Patriots with his toughness and has been an invaluable weapon in the red zone.

It’s been a while since he lit up the stat sheet, with his last 100-plus-yard performance coming in Week 10 against the Legion of Boom Seattle Seahawks defense. That said, Atlanta’s defense was somewhat vulnerable to tight ends this year, allowing 84 catches for 975 yards and eight touchdowns.

If Bennett can use his athleticism and speed to get behind the intermediate coverage and make a few big plays, he’ll see his already decent free agency stock rise. If he ends up having a huge impact, scores a couple of touchdowns to help the Patriots win their fifth championship, then his value could spike.

Remember, this is a guy who caught 90 passes for 916 yards and six touchdowns just three seasons ago (2014) with the Chicago Bears. And he did most of what he did this year on a bum ankle. Either the Patriots or some other team will end up paying him nicely to continue his fine play in the years to come.

2. Matt Ryan, quarterback, Atlanta Falcons

While Ryan isn’t going to be a free agent next season, he is about to get paid. The Falcons are reportedly interested in getting Ryan extended before the start of the 2017 season, and they could be on the hook for quite a bit of dough depending on how the quarterback performs this February.

Engineering the NFL’s most dynamic offense for the 2016 season, Ryan was spectacular all year long. He finished the regular season having completed darn-near 70 percent of his passes for 4,944 yards (No. 2 in the NFL) with 38 touchdowns (No. 2) and just seven interceptions.

With him as the trigger man, Atlanta ranked No. 2 in total offense, No. 2 in passing offense, No. 5 in rushing offense and No. 1 in scoring offense.

Then when the playoffs took off, so also did Ryan’s production. He completed 70.7 percent of his passes the past couple of games against the Seahawks and Green Bay Packers to the tune of 770 yards, seven touchdowns and no interceptions. Oh, and Ryan — never known for his wheels — also added a rushing touchdown.

If he continues his hot play and leads the Falcons to a win in Super Bowl LI, we can be sure Ryan is going to see his value skyrocket. And no doubt, owner Arthur Blank is going to happily pay the bill.

3. LeGarrette Blount, running back, New England Patriots

Set to become an unrestricted free agent, 30-year-old running back LeGarrette Blount realistically has just one final chance to earn a decent contract with some nice guaranteed cash.

As an extremely unheralded star for the Patriots, Blount led the NFL this past regular season with 18 rushing touchdowns, racking up 1,161 yards along the way (No. 8 in the league).

While the likes of Dion Lewis and Chris Hogan made headlines for their spectacular performances during the Pats’ first two postseason wins (for extremely viable reasons), don’t be surprised if Blount ends up as the primary battering ram against Atlanta’s better-than-advertised defensive front.

Also, there just isn’t anyone else in the NFL right now who can carry a pile like this guy (watch here).

Regardless of his Super Bowl performance, Blount isn’t going to get a jaw-dropping payday heading into 2017. He’s a running back over the age of 30, and running backs over the age of 30 just don’t get paid like that. However, he will see a nice bump in his value if he stars for New England in Super Bowl LI.

4. Taylor Gabriel, wide receiver, Atlanta Falcons

Once a Cleveland Browns cast-off, Gabriel established himself nicely as the third-best receiving option for the Falcons in 2016. Thanks to some breakout performances, he’s entering the 2017 season with some nice leverage.

Not surprisingly, he’s not taking the upcoming contract negotiations with Atlanta lightly (he’s a restricted free agent in 2017).

After spending two seasons in Cleveland where he tallied 64 catches for 862 yards and a touchdown, Gabriel was cut by the Browns. Cleveland’s loss was Atlanta’s gain, because Gabriel ended up catching six touchdowns this season and gained 579 yards on 35 catches — something the Falcons didn’t let the Browns forget after he racked up two touchdowns in a game last November.

It’s been a relatively quiet postseason run so far for Gabriel, who has six catches for 95 yards and no touchdowns the past two games. However, given the fact that New England features some tremendous cornerbacks who’ll be tasked with shutting down Julio Jones and Mohamed Sanu, don’t be surprised if this diminutive receiver ends up coming up huge in the biggest game of the year.

5. Dont’a Hightower, linebacker, New England Patriots

Staying healthy for an entire season has been a problem for Hightower the past few years, but he’s a tremendous inside backer when he is on the field. The 2016 season wasn’t a banner year in terms of statistical dominance for the former Alabama superstar, but he is still highly regarded (No. 13-ranked linebacker by Pro Football Focus).

Hightower finished the season with 12 starts, tallying 65 total tackles, 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble and a safety.

He’s going to be a key player for the Patriots next Sunday in Houston, as New England has its hands full on the back end defensively trying to slow down Atlanta’s offense. This means that it’s going to be absolutely critical for Hightower to be a stalwart defender against the run, which is also a strong suit for the Falcons’ dynamic offense.

A critical forced fumble or interception in a game like this could result in MVP honors, as we’ve seen in the past. Should Hightower come up with a key turnover for his team, he’ll ride a hot streak into free agency this March. Of course, there’s always the chance that New England will lock him up before he hits the open market. After all, they did pick up his fifth-year option this past offseason, paying him $7.75 million for the 2016 campaign.

6. Ricardo Allen, safety, Atlanta Falcons

Stopping Tom Brady and the Patriots is never an easy task, and it’s all the more difficult when you’re not at full strength defensively. The Falcons have lost some key starters this year, including cornerback Desmond Trufant and defensive end Jabaal Sheard. While pressure has been something Atlanta has been able to generate up front, there is no doubt the back end is still a liability.

This is where a free-ranging safety like Ricardo Allen’s value shines through so brightly.

In his third year out of Purdue, Allen has emerged as one of Atlanta’s most dependable players. Only Green Bay’s Ha Ha Clinton-Dix logged more snaps at the safety position around the NFL this past year than Allen, who racked up 90 tackles and two interceptions during the regular season and then picked off Aaron Rodgers in the NFC Championship Game.

Not bad for a fifth-round pick who didn’t play a single snap defensively as a rookie in 2014. He signed with Atlanta’s practice squad that year after being cut initially because he wanted to face Julio Jones every day in practice.

Since earning the starting job in 2015, he’s done a lot more for Atlanta that hasn’t shown up on the stat sheet, too.

It’s worth pointing out that the Falcons have full control over Allen at this time, as he’ll be an exclusive rights free agent next year. That said, given his value the Falcons would be crazy not to give him a contract that is commensurate with his true worth. And if he is a key player for them in Super Bowl LI, that comes into play all the more.

7. Logan Ryan & Malcolm Butler, cornerbacks, New England Patriots

An impact player for the Patriots since being drafted in the third round out of Rutgers in 2013, Logan Ryan is going to have a huge impact on Super Bowl LI, one way or another. Both he and Malcolm Butler, who will be a restricted free agent this upcoming offseason, have the tall task of shutting down Julio Jones and Mohamed Sanu with all the marbles on the line in Houston.

Based on what we’ve seen this year, it’s an almost impossible task, especially as it concerns Jones.

Playing on a bum foot in the NFC Championship Game, Jones torched the Packers with nine catches for 180 yards and two touchdowns, including a 73-yard romp that had our jaws on the floor (watch here).

But if any cornerbacks are up to the challenge, it’s these two. They combined to effectively shut down Antonio Brown in the AFC Championship Game and did the same against DeAndre Hopkins in the Divisional Round.

Another shut-down performance from either, or both of them, will boost their already hot stock. And if either of them manages to make an interception or, better yet, takes one to the house on a pick-six, we’re talking about some serious currency when it comes to contract negotiations this offseason.

8. Devonta Freeman, running back, Atlanta Falcons

As a fourth-round pick out of Florida State in 2014, Devonta Freeman is playing well above his pay grade.

A player who possesses breakaway speed and who can work well in between the tackles, he’s now strung together two straight seasons in which he has rushed for over 1,000 yards and 11 rushing scores. During the same period of time, Freeman has developed into one of the league’s best receiving options out of the backfield, catching 127 passes for 1,040 yards and five touchdowns.

The going has been tough on the ground for Freeman during the playoffs, but he’s more than made up for it with his pass-catching prowess. With 209 total yards and two touchdowns, he’s definitely been a key weapon for Atlanta’s offense thus far. A huge Super Bowl LI performance will only further clarify his value.

There are two caveats to discussing how Freeman can cash in on Super Bowl success. First off, he’s not going to be free agent this spring. That will happen in 2018 if the Falcons choose to let this thing play out. Secondly, second-year Tevin Coleman is also a rock solid running back and has one more year on his rookie deal than Freeman.

However, given the fact that Freeman has proved himself among the NFL’s elite, nobody should be surprised when he ends up landing a sizable contract extension this offseason if he ends up triggering a Super Bowl win for the Falcons.