The best value NFL players this season
After a nail-biting finals weekend, it seems everything is set for a spectacular fifty-first Super Bowl showdown. Odds are on the Patriots to win, yet even sports tipsters and fans are still open to being surprised – particularly in light of the Falcons strongly offensive feats on Sunday.
Yet even before this Super Bowl season has played out, there have been some interesting trades and deals. From the Dolphins signing 12 new players to the Dallas Cowboy’s trading Tony Romo, there’s lots to learn about which players bring the best level of performance for the money – particularly when costs stretch to tens of millions.
Andrew Luck is one football player that it could be argued boasts good value. Prior to this season, the quarterback was plagued with injuries and manged just seven games. However, fast forward to now and Luck has started 15 of 16 games and threw for a total of 4,240 yards, which is the fifth best in the league.
Luck’s prowess in the air wasn’t enough to save the Colts this season however. Though Luck is arguably the NFL’s most-improved passer, the rest of the team didn’t quite manage to match up. Luck is said to be worth approximately $16 million, raking in a $12 million salary last year and a further $6.4 million in other earnings.
Unlike the Colts, the Arizona Cardinals are experiencing few problems in defence, especially with the presence of the monstrous Calais Campbell. So far this season, he has managed an impressive eight sacks, an interception, two forced fumbles, 53 tackles, three fumble recoveries as well as a defensive touchdown.
It’s fair to say that Campbell has had one of the best years of any defensive end in the league. For his defensive efforts Campbell is valued at $16 million and in 2016 earned a total of $15.25 million, $9.5 million of that his salary.
The Denver Broncos are also exceeding expectations defensively, despite possibly questionable tactics elsewhere on the field. Von miller boasts a total of 13.5 sacks this year, second only to Vic Beasley’s 15.5.
Last year, Miller was awarded a new deal that will see him receive a sizeable $144.5 million through to 2021. Miller boasts an approximate value of $17 million, and although his base salary at present seems an almost paltry $2 million, he brought in $9.5 million through other deals. One thing seems certain – Von Miller is set to earn big money.
For one of the most valuable quarterbacks in the league, you have to look at Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons. The quarterback boasts an impressive 4,944 yards under his belt this season, second only Drew Bree who boasts 5,200.
He also has a total of 38 passing touchdowns, and whilst Aaron Rodgers may have slightly more at 40, neither Bree, Rodgers, or anybody else can seem to rival his average of 9.26 yards per pass or 117.1 quarterback rating. Ryan has an approximate value of $21 million and is one of the highest paid quarterbacks in the league earning a salary totalling $15.75 million last year, with an additional $8 million elsewhere.
