2024 cap hit: $18.6 million

You have to be willing to pay a premium here. It’s not worth risking the short-term health and long-term psyche of your young quarterback. Wirfs isn’t cheap, but he’s entering a walk year at age 25, and you can give him a nice, long new deal with plenty of early-year cap wiggle room. Regardless, he’s a proven star with plenty of years ahead of him.

2024 cap hit: $8.2 million

Ditto for Sewell, who might be the best young right tackle in football. He’ll soon become a lot more expensive with that new long-term contract, but you do have the ability to let Wirfs walk and move the 23-year-old to the blind side in the next year or two.

2024 cap hit: $18 million

Another premium here, but Lindstrom has been to back-to-back Pro Bowls and is in his prime at 27. His contract doesn’t get much more expensive and keeps him in place through 2028.

2024 cap hit: $3.7 million

Coming off a Pro Bowl sophomore season in Dallas, this is a guy who can grow with your young franchise quarterback and remains cheap for two more years.

2024 cap hit: $3.6 million

See the balance we’re shooting for here? Linderbaum is another under-25-year-old who has a high ceiling and a low salary for at least a couple more years. He joined Stroud, Sewell and Smith on PFF’s list of the league’s top 25 players under 25.