What’s the Going Rate for a Franchise Quarterback These Days?

by Grey Suit on Apr 2, 2009 7:49 AM PDT

Over the past three seasons Phillip Rivers has established himself as one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL. During his first three years as a starter Rivers has led the Chargers to three straight AFC west titles, an AFC championship game and a record of 33 and 18 in the regular season. Rivers has quickly become the face of the Chargers franchise and has offered great stability at one of footballs most important positions.

River’s rookie contract expires at the end of the 2009 season and he will probably be looking at a hefty pay raise in his next deal. There have been rumors that the Chargers have already started talking to Rivers about a contract extension and that they hope to have something done before the 2009 season starts.

To see what it might cost the Chargers to lock up the best quarterback they have had since Dan Fouts (sorry Brees fans) lets take a look at the contracts for some of the other top quarterbacks in the league who have already signed their second or third contract.

Quarterback	Contract Length(Years)	Total Money(Millions)	Guaranteed Money (Millions)	Average $/Year (Millions)	Year Signed
Palmer	6	118.75	15	19.79	2005
Manning	7	99.2	34.5	14.17	2004
Roethlisberger	8	102	33.2	12.75	2008
Romo	6	67.4	30	11.23	2007
Rodgers	6	65	20	10.83	2008
Bulger	6	65	27	10.83	2007
Brees	6	60	20	10	2006
Brady	6	60	26.5	10	2005
Garrard	6	60	18	10	2008
Hasselbeck	6	47	16	7.83	2005

One great thing about the Chargers is that they play in beautiful San Diego which I believe does factor into players contract decisions. Carson Palmer is the highest paid quarterback in the league and for good reason, when he is healthy he is one of the top 3 QBs in the NFL and he has to play in Cincinnati which isn’t exactly San Diego. This is where I think the San Diego discount comes into play could Rivers get Palmer type money if he had to move to a city like Detroit maybe but would he uproot his family from Americas finest city to go play for a bad team in a cold weather city just to get the extra cash I doubt it. The next highest paid QB on the list is Peyton Manning, Rivers is good but he’s not Peyton good so I think it may be hard for the Rivers camp to get the Chargers to pay him more. This brings us to the next level of QB which is Ben Rothlessburger I’m not sure how much Rivers ego will get in the way here. The Chargers chose Rivers over Rothlessburger in the draft, you could also argue that Rivers has had the better career when it comes to pure QB play but the one thing you can’t argue is that Rothlessburger has two rings and Rivers has yet to go to a superbowl.

In the end I think Rivers will take a bit less than Rothlessburger getting a deal done sometime before the beginning of the 2009 season somewhere in the neighborhood of 7 years and $80 mil with $40 mil of it guaranteed

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Comments

Hard to believe Palmer's contract is better than Peyton's.

But, I think you’re right. San Diego is a great place. I wouldn’t mind moving a bit further south. I would think Rivers would want to stay. He’s your franchise QB now. I think (and I hate to give him any compliments) he’s up there with Peyton and Brady in as far as a QB who their team will do almost anything to keep.

"I throw, you catch. It's NOT that hard!"
Peyton Manning, SNL, 2007

by peytonsthebest on Apr 2, 2009 8:42 AM PDT reply actions

It's not really bigger or better

Peyton got way more money up front, and that’s the real $ figure that matters when looking at NFL contracts.

1-10-DEN 18 (9:52) (Shotgun) 6-J.Cutler pass short right intended for 19-E.Royal INTERCEPTED by 93-L.Castillo (95-S.Phillips) at DEN 18. 93-L.Castillo to DEN 14 for 4 yards (62-C.Wiegmann). 6-J.Cutler pouts ob to DEN 25 for 11 yards.

by Wonko on Apr 2, 2009 10:02 AM PDT up reply actions

Roethlisberger

and Hasselbeck.

Somebody missed their Super Bowl XL spelling lesson.

by Wonko on Apr 2, 2009 10:04 AM PDT reply actions

fixed

by Grey Suit on Apr 2, 2009 10:50 AM PDT up reply actions

We should do a guess the Rivers contract number contest

6 years, $88 million, $31 million up front

by Wonko on Apr 2, 2009 10:09 AM PDT reply actions

closest without going over?

OK, I say 6 years, 88.1M, 31.1M up front. Now, no one pick after me.

by Lenny Suckerpunch on Apr 2, 2009 11:21 AM PDT up reply actions

$100M

I think 100M+ is the total value Rivers is going to get. Anything less than that is a big hit for his agent. So, I think his contract will look a lot like Roethlisberger’s. So I’m going to 8 years, 102.1M, 33.3 up front.

I waiting for someone to come in at $1

by Stephen (shaynes41) on Apr 3, 2009 6:28 AM PDT up reply actions

I'm not really sure why I'd take your contract over mine

You have him making $2 million more in guaranteed money, but less per year. Since he’ll never see the last two or three years of the $100 million deal, I think he’d make more with my contract. So the question is, does he get the $100M prestige or more money with a better contract, but lower numbers. The contract I’m offering is more on par with Mannings while yours is more on par with Roethlisberger.

by Wonko on Apr 3, 2009 10:29 AM PDT up reply actions

you're right

Lombardi over at National Football Post says the real value of a contract is how much is made in the first three years, and that is probably as good a measure as any other.

P Manning’s 1st three years = 77.0M
Ben’s 1st three years = 71.5M
Palmer’s 1st three years = 74.4M

Yours: 75M
Mine: 71.6M

I think he’ll fall closer to Roethlisberger’s than Mannings. Isn’t that Manning’s third contract? I think Rivers (and Ben) still have something to prove until they are worth P Manning money.

Plus, I think the $100M contract is a prestige thing that players and agents care about. In reality, I have no idea where this is going to go.

by Stephen (shaynes41) on Apr 3, 2009 11:08 AM PDT up reply actions

That's interesting

It seems like these contracts are more front loaded than back loaded, which is not the norm for other positions in the NFL. So, while the contracts are more team friendly in the backend (if only slightly), then the team wouldn’t mind holding onto the player for the duration (assuming a slow decline phase since, for someone like Rivers, an 8 year contract starting in 2009 would take him through his age 35 season). However, if the player was still having career years after the first 3 years (which would make rivers 31 for the 4th season), it would actually be in the player’s interest to renegotiate and get more guaranteed money. Needless to say, these are different beasts from the Haynesworth-like poision-pill-must-cut-or-renegotiate-after-X-years contracts. In fact, agents could try to get more prestige $ for their clients by getting even bigger deals that have the poision-pill-must-cut-or-renegotiate-after-X-years contract. You could get a contract where $70+ mill over the first 3 years and have another $80-$90 million over the final 5 years ($160-$170 million dollar contract!). It’s good to be a pro bowl caliber QB, the pay is pretty effing awesome.

by Wonko on Apr 3, 2009 11:34 AM PDT up reply actions

oops, bad math

I forgot to subtract out the signing bonus before figuring the yearly

P Manning 1st three: 62.2M
Ben R 1st three: 59
Palmer 1st three: 66.9

Yours 1st three: 59.5
Mine 1st three: 59.1

by Stephen (shaynes41) on Apr 7, 2009 6:41 AM PDT up reply actions

Apprarently 2 1sts, a 3rd

and Kyle Orton!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Being Who You Thought We Were Since 2005!

by Adam T on Apr 2, 2009 3:07 PM PDT reply actions

Culter ain't no franchise QB.

He’s an uglier Rex Grossman.

I want to thank the good Lord for making me a Philip Rivers fan.

by Sam (sdsuaztec4) on Apr 3, 2009 3:20 AM PDT up reply actions

He’s better than Rex Grossman. That’s the last positive thing I’ll say about Cutler if I can help it.

Bolts from the Blue // "Game over." - Jamal Williams
Bloody Elbow // "Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit upon his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats." - H.L. Mencken

by Richard Wade on Apr 3, 2009 2:16 PM PDT up reply actions