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Lions Make QB Stafford Highest-Paid Player In NFL History With Five-Year, $135M Deal

The Lions yesterday signed QB Matthew Stafford to a five-year, $135M contract extension, making him the "highest paid player in NFL history," according to a source cited by Dave Birkett of the DETROIT FREE PRESS. Stafford will make an average annual salary of $27M over the "life of the contract," more than Raiders QB Derek Carr ($25M) got on the five-year extension he signed in June. Stafford was "scheduled to make a base salary" of $16.5M this fall on the extension he signed in the summer of '13. His contract now becomes the "standard by which other quarterback deals will be judged." For the Lions, Stafford’s contract "continues a recent history of handing out summer contract extensions" under GM Bob Quinn. Last year, the team signed CB Darius Slay, RB Theo Riddick and P Sam Martin to extensions when they were "about to enter the final season on their contracts." In July, the Lions signed S Glover Quin to a "two-year contract extension" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 8/29). ESPN.com's Adam Schefter cited a source as saying that Stafford's deal is "expected to guarantee him" a record $92M, including a $50M signing bonus. The "previous record for guaranteed money issued to an NFL player" was $87M for Colts QB Andrew Luck in a deal signed in summer '16 (ESPN.com, 8/28).

THE MIGHTY QUINN: In Detroit, Bob Wojnowski writes the Lions "had to get this deal done, because eight years into Stafford’s career, starting over wasn’t a viable option." This makes "perfect sense, even in the NFL’s nonsensical contract stratosphere." An "added bonus" is that it "frees up the franchise tag in case they need it" to retain DE Ziggy Ansah (DETROIT NEWS, 8/29). Also in Detroit, Jeff Seidel writes Quinn "just won the summer," as he "did what he had to do, when he had to do it" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 8/29).

BETTING THE ARM? FS1’s Rob Parker noted the Lions have won one playoff game since 1957, and it is "not by accident. This is the stuff that they do. They keep rewarding mediocrity.” Parker said Stafford “can throw the football” but he has “has never won a big game" ("Undisputed," FS1, 8/29). ESPN's Stephen A. Smith: "There is just something about me that has a problem with individuals that end up cashing in when the team never seems to.” ESPN’s Max Kellerman said, “The latest guy to hit the market in his prime at that position, that's always the highest paid guy” (“First Take,” ESPN, 8/29). The FREE PRESS' Carlos Monarrez writes under the header, "Detroit Lions Signing Matthew Stafford To 5-Year Extension Is A Mistake" (8/29). But ESPN’s Mike Greenberg said Stafford is "worth whatever it is you pay him. If you just took him, you put him on a scale, it said this is what he weighs and then handed him that much in gold, he’d be worth that." He said Stafford is a QB who will "win games for you and with whom you can win games." Greenberg: "Half the teams in the league don't have anything remotely approaching that so whatever it is you have to pay Matthew Stafford, you pay him, you say, ‘Thank you for being our quarterback,’ and you get on with your day" ("Mike & Mike," ESPN Radio, 8/29).

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