Bret Bielema Says Talks To Coach Phins Broke Down In 2012 Because Of Russell Wilson

Until lawyers get involved.

 

Here is the bottom line: Russell Wilson is about to become the highest played player in the league. Through his play and results Russell Wilson has earned that and deserves it. On the other hand if we didn't have the 5th year option available on Tannehill we'd be in a real pickle as a team right now (and the forums would be much more interesting this offseason).

 

If Andy Dalton and Colin Kaepernick are good enough to get these long term "earn it" contracts, than i think Tannehill is more than good enough to receive one as well (I would still rather pick up the option though). While i agree that Wilson will get a monster contract, i think it wont be quite as big as Luck's contract.

 

You already know that if Wilson does not win the Super Bowl tonight the homers here will knock him for that, as if Tannehill ever participated in such a game.

 

I agree, they both do deserve it. I also think Tanny will be closer to Wilson/Luck instead of Kap/Dalton by the end of next year. But as far as Wilson goes, yes i agree. He already has a very decorated career and is one of the nfl's best young qbs.

 

And that speaks volumes, because if the Seahawks' braintrust were of the persuasion that Wilson was benefitting from the talent elsewhere on the team, they would simply spend that same money on maintaining that talent, while letting Wilson go. Watch, however, as they pay Wilson that money, and suffer an inevitable decrease in talent elsewhere on the team.

 

If players in sports which don't generate an income for the university decide to hire lawyers to receive more than their regular stipend and their scholarship. There is a simply solution for the university. Just drop the sport and tell the players and the lawyers they no longer have anything to sue for.

I think atheletes who receive scholarships to play in sports which generate no surplus income to the university should consider themselves fortunate. They would only be cutting off their financial lifeline if they actually sued the university to receive payments they weren't entitled to.

Football and basketball players generate huge sums of money for their universities in many cases and therefore they should get their slice of the pie, beyond what they receive at this time.

 

What he's done of significance thus far is play at a level that's associated with playoff-level competitiveness if surrounded by the kind of talent playoff teams have. That's good enough for a long-term contract and the view that he should be built around with additional talent.

 

For the record I'm not disagreeing with your points, I just see it as a legal and financial nightmare for everyone else this might effect. When you start being selective and change up the way things are in college sports, you risk pissing off a lot of people who benefit from the status quo. And I'm not really sure the university administrators are going to be receptive to the fact that they might have to share profits with students. They're definitely not going to supportive of their "right" to organize and form a union, no matter how "liberal" that university's administrative staff might be. Colleges and college sports are a business after all...

 

The guy has had a lead in every single game he has played since college. That's insane.

He looked lost for 3 quarters in the championship game playing behind big for once. A couple of huge breaks and all he has to do is make a play or two to get back on top. Kudos for making those plays.

He's a good quarterback playing in an even better situation.

 

I see Tannehill as more of a game manager than an elite type QB. Therefore I believe he should be paid in line with what those type QB's receive. I think a contact in the range of what Smith receives from the Chiefs would be a fair contract offering for Tannehill.

I think the Dolphins would have had a similar record the last three years with Smith as their starting QB as they have had with Tannehill as their QB.

I believe with either Luck or Wilson as their starting QB, this team would probably have made the playoffs the past two years.
They are better NFL QB's and therefore they deserve to be paid more money than Tannehill.

 

Tanny hasnt won much or been to the playoffs (yet) but i wouldnt call his stats this year insignificant. He had a very nice year and is still improving, which warrants at least the pick up of his 5th year option, if not an extension. Just my opinion though.

 

Thats not an unfair assessment. He hasnt been able to hit the deep ball (which is a legitimate issue) and relies more on short throws over the middle to move the offense. He isnt as good as luck or wilson, but i guess where we differ is that i think ryan will improve to be more than just a game manager.

 

I agree but it takes two to tango on deals like those and there is no guarantee Tannehill would be game. Kind of like Cam Newton said he wasn't interested in signing any type of "earn it" contract. The Newton deal should be of interest to us and I'm guessing it will be similar to the type of deal Tannehill will demand.

 

I have no idea why everyone wants to dwell on the subpar three quarters Wilson had against the Packers. The reality is that Aaron Rogers who was just named the MVP of the league had a terrible game against the Seahawks while throwing two interceptions, leading his team to only one TD in the game and throwing for less yards than Wilson in the game.

This just shows that even the best QB's have bad games from time to time. Peyton Manning is considered the greatest regular season QB of all time, but he has a losing record in the playoffs over his career and he has plays several subpar games at QB in the playoffs.

The fact is that when he was given the ball late in the game and in overtime, Wilson made the plays to get his team into the Super Bowl. Obviuosly he was lucky the Seahawks recovered the onside kick late in the game and won the coin toss in overtime. Yet both those factors allowed him to make the plays to win the game and that is exactly what he did.

I really don't understand why some people can't give him the credit he deserves for being one of the top QB's in the NFL. All I know is I would trade Tannehill for Wilson and feel as if the the Dolphins were upgrading the QB position by getting Wilson.

 

If they get rid of Wallace, as many on here seem to want them to do. Tannehill will be lucky to match the season he had in 2014.

As far as the Dolphins making the playoffs next year. The chances of that happening went out the window the moment Ross decided to bring back Mediocre Philbin for the 2015 season.

I think with Ryan in Buffalo, Belicheck in New England and a new coaching staff in New York with loads of cap money, the Dolphins will be lucky to finish with another 500 season next year.

My own personal over/under on how many games Philbin coaches next year before he is fired is 9.

 

I think you're right, the Newton deal might be a negotiating point for a Tanny deal.

 

Additionally, it is pretty clear that he was suffering from concussion like symptoms from that massive Clay Matthews hit in the 1st quarter. He should really have been removed. That he was able to recover enough to do those late game heroics is astounding. Hopefully playing damaged like that won't affect him long term however.

 

I hope your right about Tannehill, My view is that he is what he is and I just don't ever see him being more than a mid tier QB in the NFL.

He is good enough to lead a team to 7-9 victories a year and perhaps get a team to the first round of the playoffs, but I just don't think he will ever be a QB who can lead a team to a Super Bowl.

To me, having a QB who can get your team to the Super Bowl and win it is all that matters. Tannehill is fine at this time because the Dolphins really don't have the talent on the roster to be a legitimate Super Bowl contender. They are basically a team with a lot of mediocre talent on the roster and Tannehill isn't holding them back right now because they would not be a Super Bowl contender at this time even with Aaron Rodgers as their QB.

Eventually I believe the Dolphins will have to upgrade from Tannehill if they ever hope to become a Super Bowl contender in the coming years. I suspect that the head coach who replaces Philbin after next season will be the person who will look to replace Tannehill over the next few years.

 

Only saying that he's done something of significance at his position and for the team. Not all teams are working with QBs who can get them to the playoffs if surrounded by the necessary talent. So Tannehill is playing in a way that elevates the Dolphins above those teams in an important way.

 

No way. Even if we start 0-9 why rock the boat? Aren't there supposed to be some really good QB prospects coming out in 2016? I think its possible we'll be in the running for the number one pick but whats likely is we'll be in the playoff hunt and have a terrible late December again.

 

I think connor cook and christian hackenberg are the best availble prospects. I'm a fan of cooks game, and i thought he had a very good year this year, but im not a big hackenberg guy. Neither look like far superior prospects to Tanny when he was coming out. Thats the way i see it at least.

 

i will knock him regardless if he wins. its not even debatable, that he is not a top ten QB, that the only thing that keeps him in the media spotlight is that his team wins, in spite of him. at least in the 80s fans were smart enough not to annoint Jim McMahon a top five spot. They understood he was along for the ride. maybe its the running QB thing. Michael Vick was constantly touted as the new face of the NFL when he was in his prime and he was mediocre as well. Guess fans just like the running option enough to elevate mediocre QBs to greatness even when undeserved

 

What measures do you use to decide who's in the top 10? It can't be wins or any type of passing statistics, so what, just your eyes? Yup, not debatable at all on those grounds.

 

because he's not one of the top QBs in the game. I understand that statement is beyond your comprehension, but wins and losses do not determine talent in football. talent determines talent. Khalil Mack is one of the best linebackers in the game right now. Should we discount his talent because he plays for the Raiders? None of the running backs for the Patriots are in the top ten in terms of talent. Should we elevate them because of the Patriots record the last couple of years? The Saints have done nothing lately. Is Wilson better than Drew Brees? won loss arguments, even stats are useless when debating talent levels. You have to dissect skill sets, what a player does well and what are his weaknesses and Russell Wilson has far too many weaknesses to be considered in the top ten. Fortunately for him he is on a team where his weaknesses arent exposed too often. In the Green Bay game they were. The fact that they ended up winning the game doesnt negate the weaknesses he has throwing when receivers arent wide open

 

skill set and its not debatable

 

Out of the top 10 is kind of harsh there adamp. Who are you taking before Wilson? Now, the criteria shouldn't be who you would start a football team with. Just who are the top 10 next year over Wilson.

Brady, Brees, Big Ben, Rodgers, Romo. Luck. I got 6 definites I'd probably take over Wilson next year. Who else? Flacco? Matt Ryan? Philip Rivers?

 

The thing is, with any of those QBs I just named, you hand them a defense that doesn't allow more than 13-15 pts a game and they win, a lot too.

 

How do you measure "skill set?"

 

So. The big programs with the big money will be guaranteed the best prospects then.

 

all those plus peyton, eli, carson palmer, stafford and even tannehill. tannehill can go through all his progressions finally, does a decent job at reading the defense pre snap is much better passer in the intermediate area. the only skill sets wilson has over tannehill is he has an explosive back step that allows him to avoid a pass rush up the middle. This will disappear as he ages. sometime around 28 he will lose those quick twitch muscles speed and he is a better runner. he can also throw a deep ball better on the move but that's not enough in my book to overcome the skill set tannehill achieved in year three. basically wilson skills help him excel when a play breaks down the way fran tarkenton did, tannehill's skillset helps him drive the car the way its supposed to be driven. and even if we go out three years, i'm not sure if wilson is top ten. with players like bortles, bridgewater, nuheiser, mettenberger, winston, maybe even cam newton will overtake him. newton at least progresses. wilson is pretty much the same qb he was as a rookie

 

Russell Wilson has never had a season where he threw for 4500 and 35tds. Not saying Wilson isn't good, but he definitely benefits from the defense and run game. Who'd like to see Tannehill playing with a defense that allows 8 points a game for a 7 game stretch?

 

I'd like to see Tannehill have a season with a 100+ passer rating. That'd tell me enough. Two of those in a row would tell me a ton.

I'd also like to see RWilson with a decent pass-blocking OLine and legitimate targets, rather than the (undrafted) mighty-mite 2s and 3s he's had his whole career.

 

Those stats are so meaningless though, unless it fantasy ofcourse.