The NFL is a league based on paradox and nowhere is it more apparent than the league’s salary structure. The highest paid position on the field is also the target for all 11 players on defense and thus the most likely to get injured. The National Football League along with the independent franchises understand that they will only be as successful as their franchise quarterbacks. Thus, the creation of the franchise left-tackle and the influx of league mandated rules and fines solely focused on protecting the passer.
The paradox was most conspicuous in Michael Vick’s 10-year, 130 Million dollar contract. A contract that still stands as the 14th largest sports contract of all-time, making his current 2-year endeavor with the Eagles look like chump-change. Michael Vick’s value as a pocket passer was not that of Peyton Manning or Tom Brady, but his freakish athleticism allowed him to transcend the quarterback position. Once Falcons’ Owner, Arthur Blank, signed that gigantic paycheck, Michael Vick became more than a quarterback, Michael Vick was a long-term investment.
Follow this if you can, Michael Vick was paid because he ran, but because he was paid, he was no longer permitted to run. Vince Young is an identical case: The Titans drafted an athletic quarterback, but the size of the investment required a fundamental change in his quarterbacking philosophy which lead to his epic downward spiral.
It’s assumed that athletic quarterbacks succeed at the collegiate level due to the lack of team defensive speed which is only moderately true. The truth is, Division-One colleges have very little financially invested into the future of their athletic quarterbacks and in most cases, only have the kids for 2-years worth of football. A devastating injury to Michael Vick would cost Virginia Tech their shot at the National Championship in any given year. Conversely, a devastating injury to Michael Vick would cost the Falcons millions of dollars and put them in salary cap hell for years to come.
This is why Drew Rosenhaus will kill the Wildcat.
ESPN is currently filled with analysts that claim that we’ve already entered the Wildcat 2.0 era. Jason Smith has already proclaimed Tim Tebow the Baby Jesus of the Wildcat 3.0. The current incarnation of the Wildcat — a mediocre passer such as Ronnie Brown — has already been figured out by the defensive gurus behind the Patriots and Ravens (Blitz the house). A switch to second-round talent like Pat White, or the aforementioned Michael Vick, isn’t the rebirth of the wildcat, and it definitely isn’t Wildcat 2.0. Two events will spell the emergence of Wildcat 2.0 and neither of them has anything to do with the signal caller’s ability to throw the ball.
The first event will occur when Chad Pennington, or any other Quarterback gets roughed up in press-coverage. The recently instated rules regarding quarterbacks do not cover quarterbacks split wide, they cover “the passer”. The trickery loses it’s effect when your starting quarterback is out with a concussion.
The first round of salary negotiations will spell the end of the Wildcat, however. The Miami Dolphins took Wildcat 2.0 poster boy, Pat White, with their second round draft selection. It’s by no means a terrible selection as Pat White’s fall-back plan is as a competent wide-receiver, but the second round is filled with numerous players that can immediately contribute. An optimistic estimate of Pat White’s role in the offense would be 40 to 50 percent of the offensive snaps. This isn’t a problem, unless Pat White’s role increases along with his effectiveness. Assuming Pat White, or Michael Vick for that matter, revolutionizes offenses in the NFL for two seasons, what then?
The obvious answer would be for teams to let their Wildcat free-agents walk while reloading their offense with more cheap athletic talent from the draft. If the Wildcat is successful though, the pool of cheap talent in the draft will drastically decline. This is a pipe-dream though, the reality is that local fanbases will demand the return of such a key cog in their offense. Suddenly, Pat White is no longer making second round money and you’ve got two “Quarterbacks” plus quite possibly a third, making Quarterback money.
Suddenly you’ve got owners writing super-sized cheques that come with super-sized responsibility: It’s the Michael Vick example all over again. Pat White and Michael Vick aren’t built to sustain a pounding on a daily basis and the Wildcat offense doesn’t change this. Wildcat quarterbacks should assume a role similar to that of a third down scat-back and should be paid accordingly. It’s wonderful to watch Norwood, Sproles and Jamaal Charles rack up yardage in reduced roles, however they’ll never be used or paid like a feature back due to their injury risk. Unfortunately the media-hype surrounding the Wildcat formation will assure that Wildcat quarterbacks are overvalued and overpaid.
Ineffectiveness won’t kill the Wildcat in the NFL, requiring an extra defender or two to account for the quarterback will always be effective. It’ll be Drew Rosenhaus and the salary cap that’ll end the Wildcat — not with a Bang but with a whimper.
