The thing about paying market value for a player is that the market is always changing...in favor of the players. The salary cap is constantly on the rise, which means teams want to lock up their long-term fixtures as early as they possibly can, at least in an ideal world.
The Denver Broncos took this approach with star cornerback Pat Surtain II, who signed a massive contract extension before winning NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Surtain was the first draft pick made by Broncos GM George Paton, and has become one of the truly elite players in the NFL regardless of position.