Flipping through Pro Football Talk, CBS and Bleacher Report this morning, it occurred to me that a ridiculous ratio of NFL news this time of year pertains directly to the league’s quarterbacks and their contracts. But when you think about it, that’s utterly silly.
Eli Manning is entering “the final year of his contract” but for the 19th time this offseason we got a variation of a story stating he isn’t too concerned. Meanwhile, the daily coverage of Russell Wilson’s future continues to dominate headlines as the Seahawks pivot enters the final year of his rookie deal. And of course, everyone is still abuzz over Cam Newton’s new contract in Carolina.
But there was no reason to rush the Newton deal, there’s no reason to panic over Manning and even though the fifth-year option isn’t available for Wilson, we all know he isn’t going anywhere. Yes, the financial implications matter to a small degree here, but with the salary cap skyrocketing on an annual basis and about to grow higher as new television deals kick in, money really isn’t a major issue league-wide.
Teams don’t let franchise or even semi-franchise quarterbacks get away. Usually, they don’t like basically competent quarterbacks leave. It just doesn’t happen. Peyton Manning was a large exception to a ironclad rule in 2012, but it’s hard to recall any great quarterbacks becoming free agents in recent years outside of that.
That’s because safeguards are in place, including three years’ worth of franchise tags if need be. In reality, the Panthers, Giants and Seahawks own(ed) Newton, Eli and Wilson for another four years. There is no way that, barring major turns of events, Manning will be playing anywhere but New York or Wilson will be anywhere but Seattle in the upcoming years. No way, and everyone knows it.
Here’s a look at the best quarterbacks available from the last nine years of free agency:
2015: Brian Hoyer, Josh McCown
2014: Matt Cassel, Josh McCown
2013: Matt Cassel, Ryan Fitzpatrick
2012: Peyton Manning, Jason Campbell
2011: Matt Hasselbeck, Matt Moore
2010: Matt Moore, Jason Campbell
2009: Matt Cassel, Jeff Garcia
2008: Trent Green, Todd Collins
2007: David Carr, Jeff Garcia
Same scrub-like names, aside from Manning, who again was an anomaly. Good quarterbacks don’t move, so stop wasting your time worrying about their contracts.
