Midweek NFL Contract Rundown

This week has been nothing other than full of big NFL team moves. Instead of covering them all, I am providing some of the contracts that stuck out the most to me. See below.

• Madieu Williams signed a 6-year, $33 million with the Minnesota Vikings, making him one of the highest-paid safeties in the NFL. Wait, who? I consider myself to be a pretty big football fan. To pay a guy that I have never even heard of one of the highest paid contracts for his position seems like something only the Vikings organization would do. I guess it makes sense then.
• The Cleveland Brows signed former #3 receiver on the Patriots, Donte Stallworth to a 7-year $35 million deal. Seems like quite a bit for a guy who has been overshadowed by a guy like former Gator wide receiver, Jabar Gaffney, who appeared lower on New England’s depth chart. Although, the deal seems low, if compared to the Vikings deal listed above.
• Apparently, teams are impressed with Cincinnati’s 2007 defensive lineup. The San Francisco 49ers just inked DE Justin Smith to a 6-year, $45 million contract. The guy was a high draft pick and has been consistently solid in the NFL. Looks like a good deal for both sides.
• The Falcons dropped Dunn and picked up former San Diego Chargers backup, Michael Turner. The deal is for another term of 6-years, paying a total of $34.5 million ($15 million guaranteed). Personally, I feel like it is a lot of money to pay a guy who has not yet proven his ability to take a majority of a team’s snaps in the backfield. If he does not perform up to expectations, he could always be cut, so his agent did a nice job of squeaking that $15 million guarantee in there.
• At 26-years-old, Ben Roethlisberger is looking to play for the Steelers well into his 30s. Pittsburgh agreed with his agents on an 8-year, $102 million contract. The real eye catcher is the $36 million guaranteed, eclipsing Peyton Manning’s guarantee in his deal.
• Alan Faneca is the highest paid O-Lineman after the Jets gave him a 5-year, $40 million deal. $21 million of it is guaranteed. Not bad for a guy that many would place out of his prime, at the age of 31-years-old.
• Oh, and some guy named Randy Moss is sticking it out with the Patriots after signing a 3-year, $27 million deal. Good call, Schackman.