Jordan’s Serial: Money For Nothing
This past week the immediate future of cornerback Darrelle Revis was sorted.
It wasn’t exactly the longest running of saga of a player trying to figure out his next or best move, neither was it the kind of story that captivated the NFL audience like the Peyton Manning move a year ago.
His trade to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers gives the New York Jets the 13th overall pick in this week’s draft and another selection in next year’s; but it also lines the pockets of the three time All-Pro star.
His six-year contract gives him $96 million, but none of it is guaranteed money. Revis has a base salary of $13 million per year and has to prove his high value after a season cut short by a torn ligament in his left knee.
There is, of course, no doubting his talent, indeed I’d go as far as to say that he is the best shutdown corner since Deion Sanders. Throw towards him at your own risk. Has this kind of deal opened the door for others in the future to demand high salary figures? After all, for all his well publicised highlight reel play, he didn’t actually win anything in his six year stint in New York. No division wins to add to his CV, OK, a couple of Championship game appearances but they left empty handed on both occasions. One player does not make a team I hear you cry, and rightly so. This deal is the kind that is reserved for the winners of Super Bowls. Namely quarterbacks.
Even then we have the remarkable situation of Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys.
Again, a player that flatters to deceive. It’s a well documented story. His lights it up during the core of the season, but when the going gets tough he has been found wanting many times. His reward? A contract extension to the tune of a six-year, $108 million contract extension with $55 million in guarantees and a $25 million signing bonus. The extension goes into effect after the 2013 season, when Romo earns $11.5 million, essentially giving him a seven-year, $119.5 million contract through 2019. Not bad for a quarterback who has only won one playoff game, and never been to a championship game.
Every now and then teams and players make deals that raise the bar. Some make sense from all parties involved, others are just agents doing some heavy work for their clients. Teams have to find a balance between a short term fix and long term damage in the salary cap. The two deals highlighted here can be seen as moves that needed to be done, but it has set a precedent that even if you are not a proven winner year in year out that you can still make a steal in the front office.
