Are quarterbacks overpaid in the current NFL?

[Circle Orange]

I posed a question in another thread about the value of an Elway or Marino under the current salary structure. For a league with 'salary cap' these numbers keep escalating at a ridiculous rate. Even second and third stringers or unproven veterans can get 40 and 50 million contracts (cleverly worded with incentives and loopholes).

Does anyone know what the top qbs are all making? The only ones I remember being over the 100 mil mark are Manning and Favre (there's another I think). Hard to believe in the last 15 or so years that the top quarterbacks now make 10 to 20 times as much as they did in the eighties. Will they price themselves out of the market like baseball players? It's crazy...I know the NFL makes billions of dollars but this is over the top. :contract: It will soon be at the point teams can't afford to pay for balanced teams with all the money tied up in one or two players (a la the Colts).

[Kaylore]

I don't think so. There are some overpaid QB's in the league but it's one of the hardest jobs to do in the NFL. Not just because of what they do in games, but because you become the face of the franchise and shoulder a lot of the blame and criticism of the media.

[Killericon]

They might be overpaid, but considering how slim the talent is at the QB posistion, they're underpaid when compared to their market value...Most of them, anyways.

[listopencil]

No.

[daniel80111]

Not at all, they touch the ball around 70 times a game. They should be paid more when compared to basketball or baseball players who have less risk of being injured.

[Bronco Billy]

Everyone is overpaid. In contrast to what other players make, I do believe that top-tier QBs should make significantly more than other positions.

[Jason in LA]

McNabb, Palmer and Vick all signed for $100 million plus.

[Kaylore]

McNabb, Palmer and Vick all signed for $100 million plus.
And I don't think a single one of those guys is overpaid. Yes even Vick, whose game I have no respect for, can win games for them in the near future - until his injuries take away his talent and he's exposed as a complete moron.

[Circle Orange]

So that's at least five qbs at the plus 100 mil mark. Unbelievable, half a billion dollars tied up in five football players. Of course, it's really about ratings, television and endorsements too. Not to mention advertising dollars and sports paraphenelia.

[No1BroncoFan]

So that's at least five qbs at the plus 100 mil mark. Unbelievable, half a billion dollars tied up in five football players. Of course, it's really about ratings, television and endorsements too. Not to mention advertising dollars and sports paraphenelia.
Personally, I think every player in the league, right down the the 53rd roster spot is overpaid.

Ben

[69bronco]

i think Vick and Alex smith are overpaid.

[ludo21]

For the amount of money the NFL and teams rake in, they arent overpaid at all.

But for what they do for a living (playing the best sport of all time) they are definitely overpaid.

[ward63]

I think the ENTIRE NBA is overpaid!!!

[Clockwork Orange]

Does anyone know what the top qbs are all making?

Carson Palmer: 7 years, $118.75 million
Peyton Manning: 7 years, $98 million
Donovan McNabb: 12 years, $115 million
Daunte Culpepper: 10 years, $102 million
Brett Favre: 10 years, $100 million
Michael Vick: 10 years, $130 million
Tom Brady: 6 years, $60 million
Drew Brees: 6 years, $60 million

[Bob's your Information Minister]

Here's a nice list:

<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2" width="467"><tbody><tr bgcolor="#cccccc"><td width="24">Rk
</td> <td width="120">Player</td> <td width="75"> Team
</td> <td width="92"> Average
</td> <td width="44"> Starts
</td> <td width="74"> Career TDs/INTs
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1
</td> <td>Carson Palmer</td> <td>Bengals
</td> <td>$16.16 million
</td> <td>29
</td> <td>50/30
</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#cccccc"> <td> 2
</td> <td>Peyton Manning</td> <td> Colts
</td> <td> $14.0 million
</td> <td> 128
</td> <td> 244/130
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>3
</td> <td>Michael Vick</td> <td>Falcons
</td> <td>$13.0 million
</td> <td>51
</td> <td>51/39
</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#cccccc"> <td> 4
</td> <td>Brett Favre</td> <td> Packers
</td> <td> $11.5 million
</td> <td> 221
</td> <td> 396/255
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>5
</td> <td>Tom Brady</td> <td>Patriots
</td> <td>$11.45 million
</td> <td>78
</td> <td>123/66
</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#cccccc"> <td> 6
</td> <td>Drew Brees</td> <td> Saints
</td> <td> $10.0 million
</td> <td> 58
</td> <td> 80/53
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>7
</td> <td>Donovan McNabb</td> <td>Eagles
</td> <td>$9.0 million
</td> <td>88
</td> <td>134/66
</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#cccccc"> <td> 8
</td> <td>David Carr</td> <td> Texans
</td> <td> $8.1 million
</td> <td> 59
</td> <td> 48/53
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>9
</td> <td>Matt Hasselbeck</td> <td>Seahawks
</td> <td>$8.0 million
</td> <td>68
</td> <td>96/57
</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#cccccc"> <td> 10
</td> <td>Jake Delhomme</td> <td> Panthers
</td> <td> $7.9 million
</td> <td> 49
</td> <td> 75/52
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>11
</td> <td>Daunte Culpepper</td> <td>Dolphins
</td> <td>$7.5 million
</td> <td>80
</td> <td>135/86
</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#cccccc"> <td> 12
</td> <td>Trent Green</td> <td> Chiefs
</td> <td> $7.2 million
</td> <td> 99
</td> <td> 150/92
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>13
</td> <td>Jake Plummer</td> <td>Broncos
</td> <td>$6.5 million
</td> <td>125
</td> <td>150/148
</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#cccccc"> <td> 14
</td> <td>Mark Brunell</td> <td> Redskins
</td> <td> $5.5 million
</td> <td> 141
</td> <td> 174/102
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>14
</td> <td>Steve McNair</td> <td>Ravens
</td> <td>$5.5 million
</td> <td>131
</td> <td>156/103
</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#cccccc"> <td> 16
</td> <td>Chad Pennington</td> <td> Jets
</td> <td> $5.2 million
</td> <td> 37
</td> <td> 55/30
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>17
</td> <td>Kurt Warner</td> <td>Cardinals
</td> <td>$5.0 million
</td> <td>69
</td> <td>119/78
</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#cccccc"> <td> 18
</td> <td>Aaron Brooks</td> <td> Raiders
</td> <td> $4.8 million
</td> <td> 82
</td> <td> 120/84
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>19
</td> <td>Marc Bulger</td> <td>Rams
</td> <td>$4.7 million
</td> <td>44
</td> <td>71/51
</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#cccccc"> <td> 20
</td> <td>Drew Bledsoe</td> <td> Cowboys
</td> <td> $4.5 million
</td> <td> 187
</td> <td> 244/198
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>20
</td> <td>Alex Smith</td> <td>49ers
</td> <td>$4.5 million
</td> <td>7
</td> <td>1/11
</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#cccccc"> <td> 22
</td> <td>* Vince Young</td> <td> Titans
</td> <td> $4.45 million
</td> <td> N/A
</td> <td> N/A
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>23
</td> <td>* Jay Cutler</td> <td>Broncos
</td> <td>$3.84 million
</td> <td>N/A
</td> <td>N/A
</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#cccccc"> <td> 24
</td> <td>Phillip Rivers</td> <td> Chargers
</td> <td> $3.1 million
</td> <td> 0
</td> <td> 1/1
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>24
</td> <td>Eli Manning</td> <td>Giants
</td> <td>$3.1 million
</td> <td>23
</td> <td>30/26
</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#cccccc"> <td> 26
</td> <td>* Josh McCown</td> <td> Lions
</td> <td> $3.0 million
</td> <td> 22
</td> <td> 25/29
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>27
</td> <td>* Brian Griese</td> <td>Bears
</td> <td>$2.84 million
</td> <td>72
</td> <td>103/78
</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#cccccc"> <td> 28
</td> <td>* Joey Harrington</td> <td> Dolphins
</td> <td> $2.8 million
</td> <td> 55
</td> <td> 60/62
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>28
</td> <td>Jon Kitna</td> <td>Lions
</td> <td>$2.8 million
</td> <td>79
</td> <td>108/104
</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#cccccc"> <td> 30
</td> <td>Billy Volek</td> <td> Titans
</td> <td> $2.6 million
</td> <td> 10
</td> <td> 26/13
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>31
</td> <td>Byron Leftwich</td> <td>Jaguars
</td> <td>$2.32 million
</td> <td>38
</td> <td>44/31
</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#cccccc"> <td> 32
</td> <td>Ben Roethlisberger</td> <td> Steelers
</td> <td> $2.3 million
</td> <td> 25
</td> <td> 34/20
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>33
</td> <td>* Patrick Ramsey</td> <td>Jets
</td> <td>$2.1 million
</td> <td>24
</td> <td>34/29
</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#cccccc"> <td> 33
</td> <td>Chris Simms</td> <td> Buccaneers
</td> <td> $2.1 million
</td> <td> 12
</td> <td> 11/10
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>35
</td> <td>* Trent Dilfer</td> <td>49ers
</td> <td>$2.0 million
</td> <td>107
</td> <td>106/117
</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#cccccc"> <td> 36
</td> <td>* David Garrard</td> <td> Jaguars
</td> <td> $1.7 million
</td> <td> 5
</td> <td> 8/4
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>36
</td> <td>* Kelly Holcomb</td> <td>Bills
</td> <td>$1.7 million
</td> <td>21
</td> <td>37/37
</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#cccccc"> <td> 38
</td> <td>* Sage Rosenfels</td> <td> Texans
</td> <td> $1.6 million
</td> <td> 2
</td> <td> 6/6
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>39
</td> <td>J.P. Losman</td> <td>Bills
</td> <td>$1.5 million
</td> <td>8
</td> <td>8/9
</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#cccccc"> <td> 39
</td> <td>* Jason Campbell</td> <td> Redskins
</td> <td> $1.5 million
</td> <td> 0
</td> <td> 0/0
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>39
</td> <td>Brad Johnson</td> <td>Vikings
</td> <td>$1.5 million
</td> <td>108
</td> <td>155/102
</td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#cccccc"> <td> 39
</td> <td>* Aaron Rodgers</td> <td> Packers
</td> <td> $1.5 million
</td> <td> 0
</td> <td> 0/1
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>43
</td> <td>* Kyle Boller</td> <td>Ravens
</td> <td>$1.4 million
</td> <td>34
</td> <td>31/32
</td></tr></tbody></table>

[Bob's your Information Minister]

David Carr is certainly overpaid!

[Clockwork Orange]

I don't care if he's 43rd on the list, Kyle Boller is still overpaid.

[Clockwork Orange]

David Carr is certainly overpaid!

It does not suck to be the 1st overall pick in the draft.

I think he'll earn that $$ a bit more now that he's got a coach who'll play to his and the offense's strengths.

[Bob's your Information Minister]

Big Ben and Leftwich are going to shoot up that list soon.

[Clockwork Orange]

Garrard will too if he hits the free agent market.

[Circle Orange]

Carson Palmer: 7 years, $118.75 million
Peyton Manning: 7 years, $98 million
Donovan McNabb: 12 years, $115 million
Daunte Culpepper: 10 years, $102 million
Brett Favre: 10 years, $100 million
Michael Vick: 10 years, $130 million
Tom Brady: 6 years, $60 million
Drew Brees: 6 years, $60 million


Hmm...

Carson Palmer: 7 years, $118.75 million (single. Check!) :~ohyah!:
Peyton Manning: 7 years, $98 million
Donovan McNabb: 12 years, $115 million
Daunte Culpepper: 10 years, $102 million (single. Check!) :yayaya:
Brett Favre: 10 years, $100 million
Michael Vick: 10 years, $130 million (single. Check!) :yep:
Tom Brady: 6 years, $60 million (single. Check!) :devil:
Drew Brees: 6 years, $60 million (not sure. Investigate!) :bandwagon

[Arkansas Bronco]

No.
This post sums it up. :thumbs:

[Mediator12]

Yeah.

The salary structure in the NFL is absolutely absurd. There is NO player that is worth 10 times more than another, let alone 50 times. In a TEAM game, where all 11 players have to fulfill their responsibilities in order for a play to be successful it is flat out absurd that stars get paid 10 times more than the other players. How effective was Manning versus PIT when he had LB's and DL in his face repeatedly? Not very. How effective was Plummer versus PIT with the same scenario. Not very.

I have always thought the players union has screwed the guys who do the dirty work by allowing the great disparity between Stars and guys who allow the stars to shine. It has always been my major disliking of Gene upshaw as the Union Boss. He is afraid to do the right thing and take care of the little guys who make up the majority of his union for fear of reprisal of the superstars, their agents, and their marketing depts.

IMHO, the guys that are the stars also supplant their income in National AND local endorsements. Hell, even in the midst of TO's breakdown in PHI last year a Zealous Cell Phone company was using his negative celebrity to endorse their product. So, they get paid more in salary and SB's and then make more in endorsements in ONE YEAR than some guys make over their career.

Now, do QB's deserve to get paid MORE than other players. Sure. They are the most integral part of the offense with the ability to change plays at the LOS and make all the decisions in over 50% of the offensive snaps. They are definitely the top of the food chain and deserved to get paid 3-5 times more MAX if they are the best at their position. Anything over that does not make sense in any situation from a Value and Fairness sense.

[fontaine]

Yeah.

The salary structure in the NFL is absolutely absurd. There is NO player that is worth 10 times more than another, let alone 50 times. In a TEAM game, where all 11 players have to fulfill their responsibilities in order for a play to be successful it is flat out absurd that stars get paid 10 times more than the other players. How effective was Manning versus PIT when he had LB's and DL in his face repeatedly? Not very. How effective was Plummer versus PIT with the same scenario. Not very.

I have always thought the players union has screwed the guys who do the dirty work by allowing the great disparity between Stars and guys who allow the stars to shine. It has always been my major disliking of Gene upshaw as the Union Boss. He is afraid to do the right thing and take care of the little guys who make up the majority of his union for fear of reprisal of the superstars, their agents, and their marketing depts.


Interesting post. I think it has a lot to do with the evolution (or devolution) or the drafting process.

Anyone can draft a Guard, Center, Backup DL, special teams player, FB, TE, Safety. These guys can be found even on the 2nd day and if you're patient enough to let them develop for a few years then you'll get a decent starter/good backup.

I think a lot of it has to do with the role of a player. Guards, Centers etc essentially are doing the same kinda things they were asked to do decades ago.

Whereas the most complex positions like WR/CB/QB (which are typically the highest paid) require so much more than just physical abilities that top rate prospects can end up being a bust just as easily as panning out. Scouting doesn't seem to be an exact science and because there are so many whiffs on those positions teams just end up drafting these types as blue chip prospects and unloading truckloads of money on them before they've even stepped on the football field.

[Mediator12]

Interesting post. I think it has a lot to do with the evolution (or devolution) or the drafting process.

Anyone can draft a Guard, Center, Backup DL, special teams player, FB, TE, Safety. These guys can be found even on the 2nd day and if you're patient enough to let them develop for a few years then you'll get a decent starter/good backup.

I think a lot of it has to do with the role of a player. Guards, Centers etc essentially are doing the same kinda things they were asked to do decades ago.

Whereas the most complex positions like WR/CB/QB (which are typically the highest paid) require so much more than just physical abilities that top rate prospects can end up being a bust just as easily as panning out. Scouting doesn't seem to be an exact science and because there are so many whiffs on those positions teams just end up drafting these types as blue chip prospects and unloading truckloads of money on them before they've even stepped on the football field.

Good points as well fontaine. However, draft position is the sole reason for the outrageous rookie contracts of first round players. The whole slotting thing makes sense to a point, it is the value of those top 16 contracts that is also flat out absurd. Especially, the fact that these guys are not locks to EVEN play in the first year. I think they should all have bust clauses and early play incentives that give them adequate playing value instead of GUARANATEED money.