New contract puts Tannehill in top six of all quarterbacks

“New money” puts Tannehill in top six of all quarterbacks

by Mike Florio

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/05/19/new-money-puts-tannehill-in-top-six-of-all-quarterbacks/

Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill doesn’t currently rank among the top six quarterbacks in the NFL. His contract does. Sort of. For now.

As so-called “new money” analysis goes, Tannehill gets $77 million over four years. That’s an average of $19.25 million, putting him behind only Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers ($22 million), Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan ($20.75 million), Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco ($20.12 million), Saints quarterback Drew Brees ($20 million), and Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger ($19.8 million).

But the “new money” analysis assumes that all quarterbacks will earn every dollar of their contracts. For Tannehill, who has $21.5 million fully guaranteed at signing (including a signing bonus of $11.59 million), the challenge will be earning a back end that at some point could spike beyond his performance.

Then again, the market could spike even higher, making Tannehill a relative bargain and known quantity by 2019 or 2020, when his “new money” average will have been surpassed by guys like Andrew Luck, Russell Wilson, Cam Newton, Eli Manning, and Philip Rivers.

Before too long, Flacco and Brees could have new deals, too. And young quarterbacks like Blake Bortles, Jameis Winston, and Marcus Mariota eventually could be in line for big-money deals that nudge the market higher.

Still, for what Tannehill has accomplished in three NFL seasons (63 touchdowns, 42 interceptions, 84.0 passer rating, issues with the deep ball), a second contract with “new money” that puts him in the top six is impressive. It’s now up to him to earn it all — and then to cash in again at some point before the current deal expires in 2020, when he’ll be 32 and eligible for a deal that puts him back in the top six, or higher.

Until then, $77 million over four years is a pretty good second deal for a guy who played receiver for much of his college career.