DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Falcons, Ryan agree to 6 year $72 million contract

http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d8086a447&template=with-video&confirm=true

Falcons, Ryan reach terms on six-year, $72 million contract

NFL.com Wire Reports

The Atlanta Falcons agreed to terms with quarterback Matt Ryan on a six-year contract on Tuesday.

NFL Network's Adam Schefter reports the contract is valued at $72 million, with $34.75 million guaranteed.

Ryan was the third overall choice, and the first quarterback selected, in the 2008 NFL Draft out of Boston College. He becomes the second first-round draft pick to sign, following top overall choice Jake Long, who signed a five-year contract worth $57.75 million.

Ryan was in attendence when the Falcons held organized team activities on Monday.

"I was going to be here regardless, that's off-the-field stuff," said Ryan of contract negotiations. "I'm down here, working with the guys, and getting ready for the season."

The Falcons have called a news conference for 8 p.m. ET.



Let the madness begin... I think I just heard the Rams go "aww, crap".

That was fast.

hahahahaha

And 72M??? Those incentives have to be rediculous, like 6 SB rings or something to that effect. It'll be interesting to see that part of the contract.

34M Guaranteed.....probably about right....the rest is agent fluff for his next contracts.

yeah, it was... everyone usually waits until well into June before they even bother starting negotiations.

Shew... imagine how insane this COULD get without any salary cap at all!

That's the one thing I'd change about the NFL (and many on here have said it already): rookie salary caps, just like the NBA.

That's the highest a first round pick has ever been paid.

Wow, this definitely puts any idea of a Mike Vick comeback in the garbage. I didn't think they'd take him back anyway, but this pretty much confirms that.

Yeah, cause drafting a quarterback #3 overall didn't all ready confirm it.

That's gross. We need a rookie cap like all the other leagues. Sidney Crosby made minimum his first year and he didn't die.

It's gross he hasn't played a down yet and is getting a ton of cash off potential.

One of a number of reasons i think the owners opted out of the CBA ... not speaking necessarily of this specific contract, just the idea of paying guys this much money for playing college ball well.

I smell BUST if he starts for that team on Day 1.

OMG,, I was just watching Rome is Burning and they showed some action clips of Ryan practicing for Atlanta,, His jersey number is 2 and I swear to you all, for just a brief second, I thought it was TC.... My goodness,, at just a glance, he actually moved a lot like Tim did before he got beat to death...

Did anybody else get sick to their stomach when they heard those figures. I sure did!

espn link
Mawae: Big rookie contracts like Ryan's 'disheartening'
ESPN.com news services

NFL Players Association president Kevin Mawae isn't a fan of big rookie contracts.

On "The Herd" on ESPN Radio on Wednesday, Mawae, the Tennessee Titans center, commented on quarterback Matt Ryan signing a record-setting contract with the Atlanta Falcons.

"As a guy who has been in the league for 14 now going on 15 years and being around other veteran guys, for a young guy to get paid that kind of money and never steps foot on an NFL football field, it's a little disheartening to think of," Mawae said. "It makes it tough for a guy who's proven himself to say 'I want that kind of money' when the owners, all they're going to say is, 'Well, you weren't a first-round pick.'

"And I know there is sentiment around the league amongst the players like, 'Let's do something to control these salaries and control these signing bonuses' and things like that, and I know that's something that the owners are talking about and I'm sure that's going to play into this round of negotiations for this collective bargaining agreement," he said.

Ryan became the second top draft choice to sign when he accepted a six-year, $72 million contract that included $34.75 million in guarantees. Less than a week before the draft, tackle Jake Long signed a five-year, $57.75 million deal with the Miami Dolphins.

Dolphins kicker Jay Feely was also on the show and echoed Mawae's sentiments, saying veteran players don't believe rookies should be "paid more than Tom Brady or be paid more than Peyton Manning" on their first contract.

"After three or four years if they come in and prove something, then they get that big contract," Feely said. "The reality is it does a couple of different things. If you get the wrong kind of guy, it can skew the dynamics in the locker room. You get a guy who doesn't work hard, that doesn't have an internal desire to be great, and he gets that kind of money and he doesn't care what anybody says. He's not going to listen to the veterans' leadership in the locker room. He can be and say whatever he wants to do, and he can come into that locker room and not listen to anybody because he got paid $30 million guaranteed. It takes away some guys' motivation.

"I think that football is such a physical game, that if you don't have that kind of motivation, especially with young guys -- I was talking to a veteran guy last night, and we talked about how that can … we're setting a lot of those young guys coming out of college, we're setting them up for failure and we're worried about guys like Pacman Jones and the trouble they get in, but when you continue to give huge enormous contracts like that to guys that may not be ready for it as well as the different dynamics in the locker room, I think it's a system that needs to be fixed," Feely said.

Information from ESPN.com senior writer John Clayton was used in this report.

That single mother trying to feed 3 kids on $20K understands Feely's perspective.

I was wondering when this would come to light. Sooner or later, established players had to rise up and say something about it.

Rookie contracts are totally out of control. Ryan may end up someday being the next Dan Marino or John Elway or Tom Brady.. But until he gets there, why should he be paid like he's already made it.

I know lots of people on this site feel the same way. Everytime this comes up, there are very few that ever say it's fair for the rooks to get that much dough..

What's interesting is that you have the President of the NFLPA speaking out about the rookie contract thing and then you have Gene Upshaw saying that there's no way the NFLPA will ever agree to a rookie cap. Clearly, they are not on the same page. I think Upshaw's time is just about up. Get someone in there who understands and shares the sentiments of the NFLPA, agree to place a cap on these ridiculous rookie contracts, save a ton of money for proven veterans and fix the CBA by the end of 2010. Game, set, match.

Kardiac,, I think you may be right. There does seem to be a disconnect between the actual players and thier union. Perhaps it's time for Upshaw to be replaced with someone that is more in tune with todays players...

That is precisely why Upshaw is about to be evicted by the players. There was the article on it not too long ago.

Upshaw is in the pockets of the Agents and the Agents are who want the Rookies to keep getting the big deals because it allows them to hit the lottery multiple times each and every year. Without it, they have to wait for one to make it to free agency (if they don't wash out or bust first) before they can get that first big pay day from a player whereas right now they get that pay day at every step of the way.

I've said they need a rookie cap..it keeps holdouts from occuring..everyone knows what they'll get paid..
Even for the succeeding year you can add %'s to it but you still have a ceiling.

I love that idea Attack,, I would think that the established players that have proven thier worth should get the bulk of the Money.. But only while in thier prime.

Not sure if it's possible, but wouldn't it be fair to pay these guys on a curve?

Start out low until they've proven themselves, then rise to crest, and as thier skills begin to diminish, so does thier salary..

I doubt it will ever work, but that might be the best answer....

I'd hesitate to take all the gambling out of the draft.

I would like a team to have the option of signing for a bucket of money if the player takes a long contract, like seven years. If they are confident the player is the real deal (see Thomas, Joe) then get out the checkbook.

If a team wishes to go to a lower, but still respectable, rate of pay then they could only sign the player for three years. At the end of the three years the player goes UFA.

The drafting team should reserve the right to decide which way it wants to sign the player. Proven vets would have access to a bigger pool of money and franchises wouldn't be tossing good money after bad on a bust.

I'm sure there are problems with this approach. Please pile them on.

J.

True enough Kardiac... True enough. But I don't think and I wasn't suggesting that it be set in stone by years. I was suggesting it be looked at on an individual basis (no, I didn't make that clear at all).

But doing so would damn near make it impossible to be totally fair.. Like I said, if there was a way to do it on a curve, that's best, but like you say, when does the curve begin to bend... That would be the big problem with that I think..

I agree that the structure should allow for the larger contracts, but it should be completely dependant upon production.

I think a series of limits is what would work best. By default, ALL rookies would earn the rookie minimum as their salary. Signing bonuses would be permitted, but not to exceed say $5M... perhaps pre-determined by draft slot.


The contract would then be written to pay different based on different levels.

If you do nothing but occupy a roster spot, you get the minimums.
If you get on the field for all 16 games, you get perhaps an extra $100,000.
If you start half the games, you get an extra $500,000.
You start all 16 games and that $500,000 turns into a cool $1M.
Got a ProBowl (but not as an alternate)? Cool... You just un-capped yourself and can void your contract and renegotiate as a ERFA (exclusive rights free agent).