I’m not the kind of sports fan that gets all salty when an athlete signs a huge money deal. I’ll never begrudge a player for getting every cent they can from their bosses. And I’m not the kind of fan that thinks athletes don’t deserve the kind of ridiculous money that they get. They deserve whatever the market dictates they deserve. The Philadelphia Eagles decided that Michael Vick needed some new paper worth $100 million for 6 years, with $36 million guaranteed. Good deal for Vick, but I’m not sure it’s a good deal for the Eagles.
Vick is 31 years old, arguably in the prime of his quarterbacking career, and he’s coming off his finest season as a professional. He set career highs in a number of categories. Yards passing (3,018), touchdowns passes (21), rushing touchdowns (9), completion percentage (62.6) and passer rating (100.2). He even added 676 rushing yards. Under the guidance of head coach Andy Reid, Vick proved that he could be an effective passer, while not abandoning the running aspect of his game.
The Eagles are betting on him staying healthy, which isn’t a sure thing. While every NFL player is one play away from their last play, a QB like Vick is closer than most. He’s not as reckless as he once was, but with his ability to scramble he takes more hits than most QBs. Philly is a legit Super Bowl contender, and the offensive talent on that team will give them a window to contend for as long as Vick is under center. Â If the Eagles can get at least 3 healthy years from Vick, I think they’ll be happy. Anything less and the contract will be a strain on the team.
Published: Aug 30, 2011 09:36 pm