Miami Dolphins To Make Ryan Tannehill A $100 Million Man?
By Brian Miller
The Miami Dolphins have to decide on the future of several players but according to Dave Hyde of the Sun-Sentinel, the Dolphins may be ready to make Ryan Tannehill a $100 million man. Hyde cites a source that says the framework of a new contract has been discussed and the parameters could push the deal to around $105 million over seven years.
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The deal of course would look far larger than it actually is, something that has been repeatedly seen in the NFL over the last several years. Incentives and bonuses will play a larger part in that salary than the base. Hyde points out that the base salary should be in the neighborhood of $15 million with the first two years guaranteed. That’s a good contract for a quarterback who still hasn’t become a bonafide franchise quarterback. At the same time a deal of this nature would be good for the team as well.
If the Dolphins can find a way to make Tannehill a lot of money while at the same time not crippling their own cap structure they have nothing to lose by extending the quarterback. The team needs to make a decision on his 5th year option this March. Tannehill will enter his 4th season as the teams starting quarterback in 2015.
Tannehill’s next deal could be worth $15 million guaranteed in the first two years
Many suspected the Dolphins would look at extending Tannehill rather than pay him the 5th year option which would be equivalent to the transition tag cap number, around $15 million. The other option would be to let 2015 season play out and then try and re-sign him or let him go.
If the Dolphins do indeed sign Tannehill to a long term contract it would be similar to those signed by Colin Kaepernick, six years $114 million and Andy Dalton, six years $98 million. Both quarterbacks have only 17 and 12 million guaranteed respectively. Both quarterbacks have seen the post-season while Tannehill has not so any deal should come in a little less than Dalton and Kaepernick.
The Dolphins, as Hyde points out may or may not be working towards that goal but if in fact they are discussing it, something should get done before the team has to make a decision on his 5th year. If the Dolphins fail to pick up that option, Tannehill will be a free agent after 2015.