Santana Moss at $5+ Million Per Season?

This is half of a list. It's from 2003, but you get the picture:

Moss, Randy (http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/playerdetail.aspx?player=1663) Vikings $ 5,000,000 $ 0 $ 87,264 $ 5,087,264 $ 7,896,787 Harrison, Marvin (http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/playerdetail.aspx?player=979) Colts $ 4,500,000 $ 0 $ 0 $ 4,500,000 $ 7,709,590 Bruce, Isaac (http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/playerdetail.aspx?player=285) Rams $ 4,300,000 $ 0 $ 1,100,000 $ 5,400,000 $ 7,340,709 Owens, Terrell (http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/playerdetail.aspx?player=1762) 49ers $ 4,200,000 $ 0 $ 500,000 $ 4,700,000 $ 6,661,235 Galloway, Joey (http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/playerdetail.aspx?player=778) Cowboys $ 4,855,000 $ 0 $ 2,900 $ 4,857,900 $ 6,643,614 Moulds, Eric (http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/playerdetail.aspx?player=1665) Bills $ 3,100,000 $ 0 $ 1,225,000 $ 4,325,000 $ 6,325,000 Muhammad, Muhsin (http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/playerdetail.aspx?player=1666) Panthers $ 3,900,000 $ 0 $ 100,000 $ 4,000,000 $ 5,978,117 Smith, Jimmy (http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/playerdetail.aspx?player=2117) Jaguars $ 3,250,000 $ 0 $ 100,000 $ 3,350,000 $ 5,688,627 Horn, Joe (http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/playerdetail.aspx?player=1088) Saints $ 700,000 $ 5,100,000 $ 1,700,000 $ 7,500,000 $ 5,312,500 Johnson, Keyshawn (http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/playerdetail.aspx?player=1207) Buccaneers $ 2,900,000 $ 2,100,000 $ 400 $ 5,000,400 $ 5,177,542 Toomer, Amani (http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/playerdetail.aspx?player=2319) Giants $ 1,725,000 $ 1,200,000 $ 503,900 $ 3,428,900 $ 4,178,900 Holt, Torry (http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/playerdetail.aspx?player=1082) Rams $ 530,000 $ 12,500,000 $ 50,000 $ 13,080,000 $ 3,445,714 Booker, Marty (http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/playerdetail.aspx?player=196) Bears $ 2,500,000 $ 0 $ 100,000 $ 2,600,000 $ 3,385,714 Warrick, Peter (http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/playerdetail.aspx?player=2420) Bengals $ 1,840,000 $ 0 $ 200,000 $ 2,040,000 $ 3,250,000 Smith, Rod (http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/playerdetail.aspx?player=2134) Broncos $ 655,000 $ 0 $ 12,900 $ 667,900 $ 3,214,328 Brown, Tim (http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/playerdetail.aspx?player=280) Raiders $ 755,000 $ 2,000,000 $ 1,000 $ 2,756,000 $ 2,969,333 Dwight, Tim (http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/playerdetail.aspx?player=624) Chargers $ 900,000 $ 0 $ 1,003,100 $ 1,903,100 $ 2,903,100 McCaffrey, Ed (http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/playerdetail.aspx?player=1488) Broncos $ 1,750,000 $ 1,000,000 $ 2,400 $ 2,752,400 $ 2,728,110 McCardell, Keenan (http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/playerdetail.aspx?player=1490) Buccaneers $ 1,000,000 $ 1,000,000 $ 2,100 $ 2,002,100 $ 2,502,100 Mason, Derrick (http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/playerdetail.aspx?player=1467) Titans $ 530,000 $ 2,970,000 $ 4,000 $ 3,504,000 $ 2,486,500 Brown, Troy (http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/playerdetail.aspx?player=282) Patriots $ 755,000 $ 0 $ 55,600 $ 810,600 $ 2,451,433 Coles, Laveranues (http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/playerdetail.aspx?player=436) Redskins $ 525,000 $ 13,000,000 $ 2,700 $ 13,527,700 $ 2,384,842 Chrebet, Wayne (http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/playerdetail.aspx?player=390) Jets $ 1,500,000 $ 0 $ 0 $ 1,500,000 $ 2,358,297 Pinkston, Todd (http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/playerdetail.aspx?player=1823) Eagles $ 619,500 $ 2,890,000 $ 926,800 $ 4,436,300 $ 2,287,966 Johnson, Andre (http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/playerdetail.aspx?player=2956) Texans $ 1,000,000 $ 9,000,000 $ 0 $ 10,000,000 $ 2,285,714 Rogers, Charles (http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/playerdetail.aspx?player=3039) Lions $ 975,000 $ 9,100,000 $ 0 $ 10,075,000 $ 2,275,000 Terrell, David (http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/playerdetail.aspx?player=2707) Bears $ 525,000 $ 0 $ 121,800 $ 646,800 $ 2,271,800 Taylor, Travis (http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/playerdetail.aspx?player=2256) Ravens $ 824,000 $ 0 $ 226,100 $ 1,050,100 $ 2,175,100 Ward, Hines (http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/playerdetail.aspx?player=2412) Steelers $ 1,668,750 $ 0 $ 4,400 $ 1,673,150 $ 2,173,150 Burress, Plaxico (http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/playerdetail.aspx?player=312) Steelers $ 450,000 $ 0 $ 130,175 $ 580,175 $ 2,171,841 Hakim, Az-Zahir (http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/playerdetail.aspx?player=923) Lions $ 1,000,000 $ 0 $ 100,000 $ 1,100,000 $ 2,150,000

Basically to put it in perspective among all those numbers, he definitely does NOT warrant that kind of contract.

The breakdown is what's important here. Remember, Stephen Davis's (I think that's the correct punctuation) contract averaged over $10 million annually.

Santana will likely receive a sizable signing bonus, and a sizable roster bonus, and an outrageous pay increase in his 4th year of the deal. Which means we renegotiate before that.

As for his numbers never matching up to Coles or Price, I'd like to avoid any Price comparisons, since he turned out to be a stiff in Atlanta. Two years ago, Santana had 74 catches for 1103 yards and 10 TD's. His numbers were down last year - but so was his starting QB. And the Jets were so enamored with last year's offense that they promptly fired the coordinator.

Conversely, the year we made a grab for Coles, he had 15 more catches for 150 more yards (in four more starts) - and five less TD's. So the guy we got is two years younger, shows an affinity for both special teams (with a 12.0 yards/punt return) and the end zone, and went to Miami (doesn't matter to me, but SnC ought to be doing cartwheels). Let's not write him off as a bust of Brunell-ian proportions just yet.

I'm not writing him off as a bust. In fact, I think he will be a promising #1/#2 receiver. I just don't think that right away he warrants that kind of contract.

Brud,

I didn't bring up Price to say that he's great, just that his pre-big contract stats were impressive whereas Moss' are insufficient to warrant the kind of deal he'll be getting. But, fair enough criticism.

It's true, the breakdown of Santana's contract numbers are very important, but the signing bonus alone is a little crazy.

In any event, I don't think he's going to be a bust, but I doubt he'll warrant the kind of money he'll be getting paid. That's all.

This is the guy Gibbs seems to want, and that's important to me. The right receiver in the right system is crucial - two examples:

Gary Clark - of the Phoenix Cardinals!

Art Monk - of the New York Jets!

The key is the deal will average $5M per, if it's a 7 year deal the first few years will likely be very cap friendly at maybe $2-3 mill per, with alot of the money coming in the later years.

This is the guy Gibbs seems to want, and that's important to me. The right receiver in the right system is crucial - two examples:

Gary Clark - of the Phoenix Cardinals!

Art Monk - of the New York Jets!

Mark Brunell - of the er, nevermind...

I agree with giving him a pay raise, but until moss can prove that he will consistently put up #1 wr numbers, he sure as hell ain't worth 5mil per/year no matter how it breaks down. I'd say he's worth a bit more than the givens deal but not a whole lot more. so hopefull it's more like a 7year $26 million instead of a 7year $35 million type of contract. I think when healthy Moss has a world of talent, but this type of spending and planning/hoping players will restructure is what pisses me off the most about our front office the past few years either giving.

The key is the deal will average $5M per, if it's a 7 year deal the first few years will likely be very cap friendly at maybe $2-3 mill per, with alot of the money coming in the later years.

Your exactly right. He'll get a lot of upfront money, then a small base salary. Then in a few years he'll redo his deal for another signing bonus. No redskin will ever play out their contract.