On Monday, we took a closer look at Mark Sanchez's recent three-year, $40.5 million contract extension. It didn't go without notice.
In the post (based off an entry at NationalFootballPost.com), we questioned if Sanchez's new deal -- worth up to $68.25 million over five years if escalators are fully hit -- was the massive financial coup it appeared to be for the Jets quarterback.
On Tuesday, we were contacted by Andrew Kessler, an agent with Athletes First, the firm that has represented Sanchez his entire career. Let's just say Kessler disagreed with our take, and he backed his opinion with some research.
Though it's hardly a shock that an agent would believe his client got an awesome deal, we thought Kessler's stance deserved a place here.
According to Kessler:
• Sanchez receiving two years fully guaranteed years (2012 and '13) is highly unique. About two percent of all veteran contracts have that feature.
• By getting the second year of the deal guaranteed, Sanchez almost assuredly will be the Jets' starting quarterback for the next two seasons.
• Sanchez is now the seventh highest-paid QB in the league, and is the only veteran QB in that Top 7 who has two fully guaranteed years (guaranteed bases for skill, injury and cap) upon signing and no off-sets of those base guarantees.
• If Sanchez fulfills the five years with the Jets, he will still only be 30 when this contract ends, and in prime position for a third major contract when the salary cap should be over $150 million per team and all the new TV money has kicked in. Eli Manning, by comparison, signed a six-year extension with the Giants that keeps him locked with the Giants past his 35th birthday.
• Though it's unlikely Sanchez will fully max out his $10 million escalator with four Super Bowl wins, he can earn a cool $4 million with a Super Bowl XLVII victory.
So, yes, there are two ways to look at Sanchez's new deal. What cannot be debated is the fact Sanchez is being paid like a top-tier quarterback. The Jets will need him to start playing like it for the deal to make fiscal sense.
