@CouchCoach Can the Cowboys afford to pay a QB $40M? Yes, they can structure the contract and push the money to the later years. Not a wise strategy in my opinion. This just kicks the can down the road and the team will eventually pay the price. Look at the Stealers right now. Cap hell trying to figure out what to do with Ben. The Stealers are just going to have to bite the bullet, eat Ben's dead cap, and hope Rudolph or Haskins can hold the fort down until they draft a new QB or get the money to pay a FA.
Putting $40M in one position is just playing with fire. One injury to that player and the season is over. If that player has a bad year or an off year, the season is over because too many eggs in one basket.
I believe there is a psychological component to paying one player extremely more than most on the team. If I am a WR, that $40M QB better put that ball right on the money if I am going across the middle. That $40M QB better not be high on his throw and expose me. Don't be throwing behind me. Don't be making me dig it out of the turf. $40M QBs do not ever point the finger at another player or coach. That will lead to team dissension in record time.
Fans expect the world from $40M QBs. I don't want to hear about pressure up the middle. You make $40M, shut up about pressure. I don't want to hear abut tipped balls. Why is the $40M QB afraid to run any more? No one wants to see a $40M QB imitating Eli going fetal rather than taking a hit. The fan base can turn on a dime with losses. There just aren't any valid excuses when one makes that type of money. You better be competing for the SB or you are stealing money.
Same thing happens in all companies. Pay one person a ton of money and the other employees will sometimes slack off (I'm swamped, give that job to the one making the big bucks). Why do I have to do this when the guy making $40M should be doing it? Companies don't want to put too many eggs in one basket because that employee could leave or get sick or quit.