National Football League

What's Ryan Tannehill done to deserve a $96 million contract?

Published May. 19, 2015 2:21 p.m. ET

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By Braden Gall

The only guy who likes the Ryan Tannehill contract extension more than Tannehill should be Andrew Luck. 

The Miami Dolphins locked up their starting quarterback with a massive $96 million deal that runs through 2020 — with $45 million guaranteed.

Tannehill had his best season a year ago under first-year offensive coordinator Bill Lazor, throwing for 4,045 yards and 27 touchdowns. The former Texas A&M wide receiver has started all 48 games under center since being selected with the eighth overall pick in the 2012 draft.

He's a great athlete, a quality member of the locker room and hasn't had a ton of support in South Florida by way of talent. A first-guy-in, last-guy-out player is exactly what any team wants under center. So he's clearly a good player.  

But is he the fifth-best quarterback in the world like his new contract indicates?

It's a lot of money for a guy with a losing record and two more years of team control left on the table. Only Drew Brees ($20.0), Peyton Manning ($19.2), Aaron Rodgers ($18.7) and Tony Romo ($17.1) are averaging more money per year than Tannehill now ($16.0).

The Dolphins' quarterback is just 23-25 overall in his three-year career and has 42 interceptions and 28 fumbles in those 48 games. His long-term value is still mostly unknown compared to the future of a guy like Luck.

Luck has already seen his option picked up by the Colts (duh!), keeping the No. 1 pick of the 2012 NFL Draft under contract for two more full seasons. 

Indianapolis would have to be the dumbest franchise in the history of sports to allow Mr. Luck to walk, so an extension is all but assured for No. 12 in blue and white.

The same goes for Seattle's Russell Wilson, but it's Luck who appears to be the surefire Hall of Famer. If Tannehill is worth $96 million, how much is Luck going to cost? $120 million? $150?

And he'd be worth every penny. Is Tannehill worth the fifth-largest contract for an NFL quarterback? 

The answer today is no chance.

How many franchises would trade their starter for Tannehill right now? Half a dozen? Buffalo, Cleveland, St. Louis and the Jets for sure and probably Chicago and Houston. But who else? Would the Vikings give up Teddy Bridgewater? Would Jacksonville swap Blake Bortles? Oakland and Derek Carr?  

Colin Kaepernick? Sam Bradford? Robert Griffin? Alex Smith? 

No, Tannehill is a solid quarterback but has much left to prove. He simply hasn't done anything to prove he belongs in the same conversation as Brees, Manning and Rodgers.

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