Jets sign Mark Sanchez to five-year, $50 million contract
The Jets reached a deal with No. 5 overall pick Mark Sanchez on Wednesday night, signing him to a $50 million contract that includes $28 million in guarantees. In comparison, the No. 3 overall pick in last year’s draft, Matt Ryan, received a six-year, $66 million deal with $34.75 million in guarantees from the Falcons.
Ironically, Sanchez, at least initially, was given more guaranteed money that No. 1 overall pick Matthew Stafford was. Stafford is only guaranteed $17 million according to this article, and not the $42 million that was initially reported. The rest of the “guaranteed” portion of Stafford’s contract is actually incentive based, which is pretty fair. (Again, this is assuming that the article I linked to is accurate.)
Getting back to Sanchez, he took less short-term money than Ryan in order to hit free agency sooner. The contract also has incentives that could max his deal out at $60 million, which is still a bargain considering the position he plays and how high he was drafted. It’s really a good deal for the Jets and it’s huge that they were able to sign him fast and therefore not have to worry about the threat of a holdout.
Now all Sanchez has to worry about is beating out Kellen Clemens for the starting job. All indications are that Sanchez will get the opportunity to be the starter as a rookie, but word has it that Clemens has looked sharp thus far in practice and isn’t ready to give into the GQ model.
I should note that I’m not in favor of the rookie salary structure in the NFL. Whether it’s a good deal for the Jets or not to have signed Sanchez for that amount of money compared to what he could have made give the day and age we’re in, it’s still absolutely ridiculous that a player who has never taken a snap in the NFL to get that much money. Something has to be done.
Posted in: NFL
Tags: Jets rumors, Mark Sanchez, Mark Sanchez contract, Mark Sanchez guaranteed money, Mark Sanchez Jets, Mark Sanchez rumors, Mark Sanchez signs contract with Jets, Mark Sanchez signs with Jets, Matt Ryan, Matt Ryan contract, Matt Ryan Falcons, Matthew Stafford, Matthew Stafford contract, Matthew Stafford guaranteed money, Matthew Stafford Lions
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“The contract also has incentives that could max his deal out at $60 million, which is still a bargain considering the position he plays and how high he was drafted.”
So a five-year, 60 million-dollar contract for a guy who has never played a down in the NFL is a bargain now? Here’s a list of guys that made more in 2008 than Mark Sanchez will this year.
Ben Roethlisberger $27.7 M ($25 M signing bonus)
JaMarcus Russell $16.9 M ($16.5 M “other” bonus)
Tony Romo $12.9 M ($12 M signing bonus)
Alex Smith $11.8 M ($9.5 M in bonuses)
Peyton Manning $11.5 M
That’s it, five guys — and two are still on their rookie contracts and don’t deserve the money they’re making. No Tom Brady, no Kurt Warner, no Eli Manning, no Philip Rivers, no Jay Cutler, no Drew Brees…they’re all getting paid less than Mark Sanchez, rookie QB for the Jets.
I know you’re just comparing his contract to those of his peers (high draft pick QBs), but this is ridiculous. If Sanchez is a flop or just an average QB (think Smith or Russell), the Jets’ cap will be screwed for years to come.
John – I agree with you. But it’s still a bargain compared to what a rookie QB drafted with the fifth overall pick in the 2009 draft could have made.
You’re trying to use what I wrote as a spring board to make a point (a good point) about a different topic altogether (i.e. how rookies who have never played a down in the NFL are making too much money, which I completely agree with).
But I’m not talking about any of that. I’m speaking in the realm of what a rookie QB in that position could have made and comparing it to what Sanchez inevitably made (as you know based on your final paragraph).
You need to address the signing / payments in the relm of the business world. People get paid based upon the return which is not necessarily how accurate your throws are. My guess is that Sanchez was paid becuase he is going to help sell PSL licenses and he is also going to open up the Jets to a brand new Hispanic Market in NY…They will sell 25 million dollars in shirts and hats next year alone. The Jets have few Hispanic Fans..
Whether he makes it 3 years from now doesn’t matter, they’ll find somebody else but if he does make it I’d like to see the return then.
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