Is your favorite NFL team's quarterback worth big money?

Is your favorite NFL team's quarterback worth big money?

No one needs to remind us that in the real-life NFL, the quarterback is far and away the most valuable position in the sport. The money supports that reality. We currently have 16 quarterbacks making over $20 million per year, six making north of $25 million and several more set to remake the market in the next few offseasons.

Recent years have brought us the understanding that the good young quarterback on a rookie contract is one of the biggest team-building edges in the game. We’ve watched as organizations like the Bears, Rams and Chiefs have stacked assets around their discounted starter. Yet, it was a January piece by The Ringer’s Kevin Clark that revealed the other side of that revelation: What a true burden the top-level quarterback contracts are when doled out to the wrong player.

We’ll sort all 32 rosters’ loosely-defined current starter into three simple categories:

Worth it.
On the bubble (might have a lean but need more data).
Not worth it.

Los Angeles Rams
Starter: Jared Goff
Current per year salary: $7 million (27th)
Jared Goff enjoyed one of the most drastic turnarounds in NFL history, transforming after a hideous rookie season to become one of the most productive quarterbacks over the last two years. Yet, the way his 2018 season ended gave reason to why this debate is the most important for a franchise to settle. The Rams would happily dole out $30 million per year to the quarterback who sliced through the first half of the regular season and even made several clutch throws in the NFC Championship game. They should be terrified to do so for the version of Goff that was well below average in the closing weeks of 2018 and utterly wilted in the Super Bowl when the script got away from the Rams.

Los Angeles has built a powerhouse of a roster around Goff while he’s been on a rookie deal. Constructing such an all-in squad once he’s been paid will be impossible. The 2018 season fell just short of enough evidence that he’s the type of player who can elevate his team when the structure falters. The 2019 season will likely give the final verdict.

Verdict: On the bubble.

[sports.yahoo.com]