There is a tricky dynamic going on right now with NFL teams that have young quarterbacks due for a big raise. Nobody wants to set the market, which most believe will be at $25 million-plus per year. This is the pickle Detroit Lions general manager Bob Quinn finds himself in with Matthew Stafford, and it’s the same for Reggie McKenzie of the Oakland Raiders with Derek Carr.
Both GMs are trying to get a deal done with their quarterbacks before they hit training camp — Carr won’t even negotiate if he doesn’t have his deal by then.
Both quarterbacks would become free agents after the 2017 season if no long-term extension is done. And it’s been reported that Stafford might want to hold off, given the fact he could potentially miss out on money if he’s the first domino to fall.
As for Quinn, he’s staying positive about the process. Though he recently divulged Stafford’s representation and the Lions were only at the beginning stages of negotiation, he’s “confident” a deal will be done.
“Always have positive thinking,” Quinn said, via Dave Birkett the Detroit Free Press. “But I’ve said this a bunch of times. It takes two sides to do a deal and I feel confident that we’ll get something done.”
As they say, deadlines do deals, so there is no reason to panic. However, that doesn’t mean a certain amount of stress isn’t beginning to creep in. Nobody expects either Matthew Stafford or Derek Carr to play for other teams in 2018, but they’ll have even more leverage next offseason than they do now because of the rising salary cap.
This game of chess might seem tedious to some, but it’s quite the entertaining show for those who are interested in the business of sports. Stay tuned.