Matthew Stafford is one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL, and when his current deal is up, he is definitely going to get paid.
In what was possibly his best NFL season, Matthew Stafford led a Calvin Johnson-less team to the playoffs, though they lost in the Wild Card Round to the Seattle Seahawks. Still, he proved that he is one of the better quarterbacks in the league, and team president Rod Wood plans to pay him like one. Stafford is in the final year of a three-year, $53 million extension, and while no deal is in place yet, there is optimism within the organization that is will get done by training camp.
Staying with the Detroit Lions, it appears that Armonty Bryant is headed back to be being suspended. After being suspended on two separate occasions last season, totaling seven games, Bryant will be forced to sit out the first four games of the 2017 NFL season. Bryant was suspended on Tuesday for violating the NFL Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse, and will not be eligible to return until after the Lions’ October 1 game against the Minnesota Vikings.
Le’Veon Bell is one of the more talented running backs in the NFL, and is a key piece to the puzzle for the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, the two sides could not get a long-term deal done by the 4PM ET Monday deadline, and he will play the 2017 season under the team’s franchise tag. Being under the tag, Bell will make $12.1 million dollars this season, and at only 25 years old, he is certain to get paid next offseason.
Another player who will be getting a big contact in the coming years is Matt Ryan, who is fresh off an NFL MVP season for the Atlanta Falcons in 2016. Ryan still has two years left on his five-year deal he signed back in 2013, and is not worried about his next contract. Team owner Arthur Blank knows that good quarterbacks are hard to come by, and he stated that Ryan is going to get paid like one of the best in the game.
Next: 2017 NFL win/loss projections for all 32 teams
Finally, in some off-the-field NFL news, it appears a former teacher is sorry for ever doubting Julian Edelman. During his time at the College of San Mateo, Edelman apparently had an English teacher who told him not to chase wild dreams like making it to the NFL. Years later, the teacher sent a letter apologizing to Edelman, which the wide receiver for the New England Patriots posted to his Twitter account. Well, it appears you can reach your dreams, as Edelman is now a two-time Super Bowl Champion.