Measuring the QBs
Flacco is the richest, but not necessarily the best
Joe Flacco’s impeccable timing earned him the richest contract for a quarterback in NFL history. That doesn’t mean he’s the game’s best QB.
Flacco agreed to a six-year, $120.6 million deal Friday after leading the Baltimore Ravens to the Super Bowl title. He gambled by playing out his five-year rookie contract rather than renegotiate before last season. And it paid off, catapulting him to the top of the money list at the game’s glamor position.
Here’s a look at the resumes of other quarterbacks, in order of how much they will make in base salary for 2013:
Peyton Manning, Denver — His $20 million base is befitting the NFL’s only four-time MVP, all with Indianapolis. No one with the Broncos is complaining about Manning’s salary.
Eli Manning, New York Giants — Peyton’s younger brother will make $13 million in base salary and his salary cap hit, including signing bonus tops the league: $20.85 million.
Philip Rivers, San Diego — No Super Bowls to go with the $12 million the Chargers owe him in salary this year. Then again, Rivers has seen the talent base around him diminished by trades, free agency, injuries and bad management decisions, even as he entered the prime of his career.
Tony Romo, Dallas — Some would say Romo’s inability to produce in big games, regular season or playoffs, makes his $11.5 million payday (plus another $5.3 million against the salary cap) ludicrous. Others would argue the Cowboys never would contend without him.
Matt Ryan, Atlanta — After finally winning a playoff game following three losses, maybe Ryan won’t be heavily criticized for how much he makes ($10 million).
Drew Brees, New Orleans — Brees had the biggest QB contract at $100 million over five years before Flacco oneupped him. The unquestioned leader of the Saints, and a record-setting passer, Brees is in the perfect place with the perfect offense for his skills. At a $9.75 million salary in 2013, he’s a Big Easy bargain.
Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay — Probably the next quarterback to get a huge new deal, Rodgers has been so good the last three years, including one NFL title, that the folks in Titletown no longer miss Brett Favre. So his $9.25 million salary looks cheap.
Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh — At $2.6 million, the two-time Super Bowl winner is scheduled to make less in salary than Carson Palmer or Kevin Kolb this year. Again, this is a situation where the total compensation is wrapped up in bonuses — just under $11 million.
Tom Brady, New England — The three-time Super Bowl champ and twotime MVP renegotiated last week and upped his guaranteed money to $33 million over the next five years, but gets only $1 million in salary in 2013.
FEMALE KICKER: Lauren Silberman’s NFL tryout lasted all of two kicks, neither of which traveled 20 yards.
Silberman is the first woman to compete at an NFL regional scouting combine. She is 28 years old.
She left the New York Jets’ practice field after injuring her quadriceps. She tried two kickoffs, the first going 19 yards and the second about 13 yards. She then asked to see a trainer.
As more than two dozen media, including E! Entertainment network, watched her every move, Silberman was examined by a trainer. About 30 minutes later, while 36 other kickers continued their workouts, she called the scene “surreal.” Silberman left soon after that. “They certainly didn’t go as far as they were in practices,” Silberman said, “but I tried to work through the pain.”
The 28-year-old Silberman said she hurt her quadriceps while preparing for the tryout earlier in the week, and attributed her struggles to that.
“I tried staying off it and waited for today,” she said. “I didn’t even take kicks in warm-ups, and, it’s pretty hard to know that you’ll be in pain, and I wanted to work through it and I certainly tried to, but I just couldn’t do it today.”
Silberman, a former club soccer player at Wisconsin and ex-graduate student at MIT, appeared frustrated she couldn’t complete her tryout.
“I’ve always been an athlete, and I’ve always been a gamer,” she said while fighting back tears.
“I’m just really happy I had this amazing experience,” Silberman said. “I might be the first woman trying out for the NFL, but I certainly hope I’m not the last.”