Seemingly in direct response to seeing the news that Sam Bradford is set to earn around $18 million per year the next two seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, former NFL player Donte Stallworth sent out an amusing couple of messages on Twitter Tuesday evening.
There's been no better time to be an average QB in the NFL.
— Donté Stallworth (@DonteStallworth) March 1, 2016
All you kids out there who want to play in the NFL someday, start working on your throwing ability right now — even if you're a linebacker.
— Donté Stallworth (@DonteStallworth) March 1, 2016
While what Stallworth wrote is funny, it’s also true. There really isn’t a better time to be an average passer in the league. Consider this information, courtesy of NFL Network’s Albert Breer:
Take Peyton Manning off the list, and there are now 17 QBs on deals worth > $17M/year and 19 QBs on deals worth > $16M per. (Brady isn't 1)
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 1, 2016
There is no doubt Bradford is an average quarterback. He put together one of his best seasons as a pro this past year with the Eagles, completing a career-high 65 percent of his passes for 3,725 yards with 19 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.
Twenty years ago, that would have been considered a really nice season, but we’re in a completely new era now. Bradford’s statistics were downright pedestrian when compared to the top quarterbacks of today’s game.
Yet here he is, signing a two-year deal worth anywhere between $36-40 million, depending on which report you believe.
Heck, Nick Foles of the Los Angeles Rams just signed a two-year extension worth $24.5 million this year, and he’s downright horrible.
So parents, get your kids in the back yard pronto and get them throwing the ball. Forget about any other position. Just teach them solid mechanics, feed them their Wheaties and hope they develop an NFL-caliber arm. Your future generations will thank you for it.