Are second contracts worth their value?

[Brax]

The great Brock Purdy!!! The Niners have paid Garrappollo so that doesnt really qualify.

HG was back up money, you still hurting I see.

 

[CATCH17]

So lets just let everyone walk and keep drafting rookies as their replacements...

Yes, SOME, second contracts are worth it.

Yes some are worth it but it was clear at the time Dak and Zeke were not worth it.

 

[Brax]

I know it hurts huh? But that further proves my point. Garrappollo while hes not making 40 million, is still not worth the what he's being paid.

6.5 million isn’t bad

 

[Cas2800]

That’s peanuts.I would take Garappalo at 20 mil Dak at 40.

 

[RS12]

I can think of two off the top of my head that weren't.

 

[Creeper]

Purdy has a low ceiling and that will become evident in time.

 

[darthseinfeld]

When you look at the QB's of the final 4 teams in the playoffs you have Purdy, Burrows, Hurts and Mahomes. Three of the four QB's are playing under their rookie contracts. Only Mahomes is making big money. No doubt Purdy, Burrows and Hurts will all cash in on their next contract but at what expense to the team? Is QB's like Dak, Rogers, Brady, Carr....ect worth 40 Million Dollars more than Purdy, Burrows and Hurts? HELL NO! How in the world did we get to the point where average QB are making 40 million Dollars PER YEAR?? Think how much 40 Million dollars really is. Now if there was no salary cap then by all means a GM he can pay a QB whatever he wants. But in a league of salary caps how can you justify paying 1/4 of your team's salary into 1 player? Something is broken!

When it comes to running backs......The days of giving a RB a second big contract should be over. We all no matter how great RB are when they come out of college, they very seldom worth the big money they are paid in the second contract. When you have a QB making 1/4 the of the team's salary, and you are paying a wore down RB a big salary you are pretty much doomed. When you're talking millions of dollars, who can say Zeke has been more productive than Pollard? Who can say Zeke's production was Millions of dollars over Malik Davis??

No doubt its time to let Zeke go, but what about Pollard? Do we sign him to a Multi-Million dollar contract or do we go with someone like Jerrick Mckinnon and Malik Davis and draft another RB in the 5th? Now of course these are just names in a hypothetical scenario. Let's face it all of them are PRO football players and damn good athletes, but at what price are you willing to pay when you have a limited bank account and 50 + others you have to pay? Is the 150.00 Tomahawk steak that much better than the 40.00 Ribeye when shopping on a 300.00 budget??

This is no way a shot at Dak or Zeke. It's more a question of are second contracts really worth the money these guys are paid? Far too often we see these guys get paid and they lose their drive or their bodies just cant handle the wear and tear.

You are just looking at a 40+ figure, and failing to realize the cap has risen too. The percentage of cap QB's make is the same it has been for some time now

 

[darthseinfeld]

It’s confirmation bias. Mahomes has been to 5 AFCCG, 3 on the megadeal. Tom Brady made umpteen on his big contracts, Matt Stafford won the SB on his, Peyton Manning won the SB on his AND not being a contributing factor. Aaron Rodgers was already on his second deal when he won his, as was Eli for 2011

It can be done both ways

Exactly. Having a rookie scale QB is not some magic tonic for success, nor is having a QB making big money an insuperable burden. Those ideas have gotten way too much air here.

 

[NoLuv4Jerry]

Let's get something straight. These owners would love to only have to pay all of them the veterans minimum. Which is just disgusting in of itself. Thanks God for a union that mandates a certain percentage of NFL revenue HAS to go to the players.

Secondly, these men have played for free there entire lives for our entertainment. People are making money off of them on their entire journey until they get to the NFL. I know the NIL has just recently been adopted, but that is after DECADES of these young men creating generational wealth for lots of people but their OWN family.

The budget (salary cap) is something the OWNERS want in place. I know they say it is to create competitive balance. But it is also so they can become rich beyond the wildest imagination. I'm not pushing back on the owners getting their money, but why are we always questioning if players are worth what they are making? The players are who we show up to watch. The players are the people risking life, limb and life expectancy. I get the impression that no matter which player gets paid, there are fans that will simply hate the fact that they get paid.

If the owners choose the wrong players to compensate, the fans turn on the players, rarely the owners. And to be clear, I am not a Dak lover or hater....but Dak also won 13 games and had the Cowboys with homefield advantage during the 2016 postseason...making around 500k/year. I did not hear fans or owners complaining about how underpaid he is. That is the way the system is set up. He was a 4th round rookie. And he got paid what a 4th round rookie gets paid. Not what a 13 win QB with the best record in the NFC is worth.

Finally, if we had a competent front office...Dak would not be making ~50m dollars a year. Dak could have been had for 31 - 33m a year...but Jerry did not even want to pay that (see my note about owners really wish they only had to pay the vet min. for all of these guys). So he kicked the can down the road and wound up paying more. But at the end of the day...WE the fans suffer. Because in spite of not having won ANYTHING....the value of the franchise has gone up...Jerry will get his billions and Dak will get his 50m. And just to add a cherry on top...Jerry will be in the same seat next year he's always been...and Dak will be in the same seat next year that he was in this year....and the fans will show back up crossing our fingers that year 29 will be different.

 

[stinkface]

I know it hurts huh? But that further proves my point. Garrappollo while hes not making 40 million, is still not worth the what he's being paid.

Jimmy G if he hadn't been injured would have also been in the NFC Championship game and no one would have questioned his salary this year because he would have been damn cheap at 7 million. . Because Brock replaced him with zero drop off pretty much means any QB that could make a few throws and not throw Ints could have taken San Fran places. They are flat loaded. No one is going to give Jimmy G big money next year because now everyone will think its Shanahans system (which it is). I do see him being able to get what he got this year. 7 million is a bargain for a QB that is still playing good football and who protects the ball. If Dak was gone for whatever reason, I could see them signing Jimmy G in a heartbeat. I expect him to be in New York next year playing for the Jets.

 

[baltcowboy]

I think the question is should you pay a good quarterback elite money and the answer is a resounding “No”. As of right now only one highly paid quarterback has worked out, Mahomes. Dak, Russ, Murray, Carr, Rodgers, Allen, and Watson contract extensions appear to be a disaster. The Ravens are scared to death of paying Lamar because of the failures of others. Hindsight is 20/20 maybe the Cowboys should have just let Dak play on two tags then let him go. I think Baltimore might do that with Jackson.

 

[USArmyVet]

Look at recent Dallas second contracts:

Jaylon Smith
Demarcus Lawrence
Zeke Elliott
Dak Prescott


All of them regressed since getting their new deals (and in the case if Smith he was released) so why would anyone think second contracts in Dallas are worth it?

 

[MyFairLady]

The contracts this team hands out are absurd. It is great to be a player and a Jerry Jones draft pick. Look at the money they tried to throw at a complete turd like Randy Gregory. Collins, Ratliff, Crawford and on and on and on. The list is endless. No one overvalues their players like we do. When your GM thinks they are best friends with the players it causes problems.

 

[Cmac]

Yes some are worth it but it was clear at the time Dak and Zeke were not worth it.

Not sure how you equate that Dak and Zeke were not worth it:
Zeke, at the time of contract: Leading rusher, high carries & durable, OL better....rated as best NFL RB. 6 games suspension hindered another rushing title
Dak: Market value for starting QB...winning record....stats looked good.....former ROY, became "face of the franchise" (many obviously don't like), rated as an ascending QB

People get confused that NFL money paid, is simply for new expectations only, when it's really what the player has rendered on the field of play, thus far, while outperforming a current or prior contract and what the market value for such should pay).

The Elephant in the Room: The only expectation is that the play level or benchmark is hoped & expected to be continued. That may get hampered by an injury, new coaching philosphy, have a bad year or having peaked out. That's a gamble Franchises make and the gamble a player may endure. The Player has gotten his worth from outperforming the prior contract. The Franchise & fans may not, if the bad variables surface. The dice have been rolled. The Franchise alternative is to say no when it's contract talk time, or watch the player walk out the door. Hindsight never works with this, never. It wasn't clear at the time Dak and Zeke were not worth it.

Perfect Examples
Tony Romo (became highest paid QB at the time of new contract), while Tom Brady, Peyton Mannning still in the league. No problem with Tony gettting his money.
Do you think Tony Romo lived up to the value of that contract, after receiving it? Do you think the Franchise got the play it paid for? (Please don't start with excuses......just his play.)

Micah Parson.....in a few years, if play continues.......headed to being a high paid pass rusher. Got to continue playing at a high level until the rookie contract ends? But what if it doesn't in the next two years, by any variable mentioned.......value will be dropping, by the game, by the season.

Tony Pollard......played well to earn a new contract. You can not tell me the injury didn't knock some dollars off his worth. And if a doctor say's he's done......all the Cowboys need to do is ensure his medical is completed, tell Tony, sorry we can't risk the investment, settle injury-wise.....and then call it a day. Fortunately now, he is a vested player.

 

[CATCH17]

Not sure how you equate that Dak and Zeke were not worth it:
Zeke, at the time of contract: Leading rusher, high carries & durable, OL better....rated as best NFL RB. 6 games suspension hindered another rushing title
Dak: Market value for starting QB...winning record....stats looked good.....former ROY, became "face of the franchise" (many obviously don't like), rated as an ascending QB

People get confused that NFL money paid, is simply for new expectations only, when it's really what the player has rendered on the field of play, thus far, while outperforming a current or prior contract and what the market value for such should pay).

The Elephant in the Room: The only expectation is that the play level or benchmark is hoped & expected to be continued. That may get hampered by an injury, new coaching philosphy, have a bad year or having peaked out. That's a gamble Franchises make and the gamble a player may endure. The Player has gotten his worth from outperforming the prior contract. The Franchise & fans may not, if the bad variables surface. The dice have been rolled. The Franchise alternative is to say no when it's contract talk time, or watch the player walk out the door. Hindsight never works with this, never. It wasn't clear at the time Dak and Zeke were not worth it.

Perfect Examples
Tony Romo (became highest paid QB at the time of new contract), while Tom Brady, Peyton Mannning still in the league. No problem with Tony gettting his money.
Do you think Tony Romo lived up to the value of that contract, after receiving it? Do you think the Franchise got the play it paid for? (Please don't start with excuses......just his play.)

Micah Parson.....in a few years, if play continues.......headed to being a high paid pass rusher. Got to continue playing at a high level until the rookie contract ends? But what if it doesn't in the next two years, by any variable mentioned.......value will be dropping, by the game, by the season.

Tony Pollard......played well to earn a new contract. You can not tell me the injury didn't knock some dollars off his worth. And if a doctor say's he's done......all the Cowboys need to do is ensure his medical is completed, tell Tony, sorry we can't risk the investment, settle injury-wise.....and then call it a day. Fortunately now, he is a vested player.

I guess I should say they were worth it in terms of doing the dumb team crushing deals that other teams do.

If you want to be a championship team you don’t pay guys like Dak and Zeke what they got paid.

 

[LittleD]

When you look at the QB's of the final 4 teams in the playoffs you have Purdy, Burrows, Hurts and Mahomes. Three of the four QB's are playing under their rookie contracts. Only Mahomes is making big money. No doubt Purdy, Burrows and Hurts will all cash in on their next contract but at what expense to the team? Is QB's like Dak, Rogers, Brady, Carr....ect worth 40 Million Dollars more than Purdy, Burrows and Hurts? HELL NO! How in the world did we get to the point where average QB are making 40 million Dollars PER YEAR?? Think how much 40 Million dollars really is. Now if there was no salary cap then by all means a GM he can pay a QB whatever he wants. But in a league of salary caps how can you justify paying 1/4 of your team's salary into 1 player? Something is broken!

When it comes to running backs......The days of giving a RB a second big contract should be over. We all no matter how great RB are when they come out of college, they very seldom worth the big money they are paid in the second contract. When you have a QB making 1/4 the of the team's salary, and you are paying a wore down RB a big salary you are pretty much doomed. When you're talking millions of dollars, who can say Zeke has been more productive than Pollard? Who can say Zeke's production was Millions of dollars over Malik Davis??

No doubt its time to let Zeke go, but what about Pollard? Do we sign him to a Multi-Million dollar contract or do we go with someone like Jerrick Mckinnon and Malik Davis and draft another RB in the 5th? Now of course these are just names in a hypothetical scenario. Let's face it all of them are PRO football players and damn good athletes, but at what price are you willing to pay when you have a limited bank account and 50 + others you have to pay? Is the 150.00 Tomahawk steak that much better than the 40.00 Ribeye when shopping on a 300.00 budget??

This is no way a shot at Dak or Zeke. It's more a question of are second contracts really worth the money these guys are paid? Far too often we see these guys get paid and they lose their drive or their bodies just cant handle the wear and tear.

Never worth it unless you have a Burrow, Brady or Mahomes. We don't and never will as long as Jerry shops for bargains.

 

[Cmac]

I guess I should say they were worth it in terms of doing the dumb team crushing deals that other teams do.

If you want to be a championship team you don’t pay guys like Dak and Zeke what they got paid.

...then why is that Dak & Zeke's fault....you must mean Jerry then.
You got to pay to play, you got to pay to win.....who should get paid then?
Micah...you reading this?

 

[McKDaddy]

You have to be very selective on who to retain and who to let go and frankly that's beyond the capabilities of this front office.

Even then there will still be disappointments because no matter how much the player deserved a contract they just don't deliver the value.

But the first criteria should be "has their performance to date justified a discussion of a contract in the $ range?"

In too many cases, our FO seems to "hope" the future performance will rather than use the answer above as a starting point

 

[McKDaddy]

...then why is that Dak & Zeke's fault....you must mean Jerry then.
You got to pay to play, you got to pay to win.....who should get paid then?
Micah...you reading this?

Ultimately it is Jerry's fault for both ..... but that doesn't mean the players & agents aren't to blame as well.

I don't blame Zeke for trying to force his pay because it's long established they will use a RB up and never fairly pay him for what he provided. The fact that Zeke is done proves the point. Did we get the value? No, probably not. But you are paying for all the blocking not just the running so you did get production. If we are being honest, it's the blocking that has taken more of a toll on him than the running. Having said that, I would not have given him everything Jerry gave him in that contract. But at least Zeke had shown elite production up to that point.

Dak had not shown anything close to elite production and in fact all the warts that have been his downfall were in plain view if you were willing to look. So, Jerry should have stuck to his guns and if Dak declined they should have let him walk. Today all this drama would be on some other team's message board.

 

[Motorola]

Jimmy made $7 million this year, $11 million with incentives.

Lance made $9. So no, not even close to the 36 you claim. Want to unmoot that or is 20 million off close enough for you?

Edited to add Lance.

And Purdy's rookie contract is $3.7 over 4 years = $925K
Of course, him unexpectedly playing this past season (and deep into the playoffs), the amount of compensation based on the league's "Performance-Based Pay program will net Prudy 3-4x his salary.