Ryan Tannehill Extension Sets Market for Talented 2012 QB Class

Time is a flat circle. Especially when it comes to quarterback contracts and the ensuing debate.

Every year, it seems, a new signal-caller gets a massive extension that draws incredulity and ridicule, which was the case after Joe Flacco became the highest-paid player in NFL history after his torrid championship run in 2012-13.

Our latest subject is one Ryan Tannehill, the fourth-year starter for the Miami Dolphins who just inked a six-year, $96 million deal to remain in South Florida through 2020. Of course, like most contracts, he won't necessarily get all that money.

The move drew praise and scrutiny alike—the Dolphins got themselves a bargain if their starter continues to progress, but he hasn't done a whole lot to merit $16 million per year.

Football Perspective wasn't a big fan of the deal:

There are actually a few ways to look at Tannehill's contract. The $96 million can be divided by six years to give us that $16 million figure. Or we can take the $77 million in new money and divide it by the four new years (he had one year remaining in addition to a fifth-year option) to get $19.25 million.

Perhaps the best way to describe the contract is a pay-as-you-go pact that gives Tannehill $21.5 million initially guaranteed and lets the Dolphins off the hook in three years if things don't pan out. 

Dolphins general manager Mike Tannenbaum had a decidedly different take on the extension. Per Omar Kelly of the Sun Sentinel, he said: "We are thrilled that we were able to sign Ryan to an extension. He is an ascending talent, a team leader and checks all of the boxes you are looking for at the position."

Will Brinson of CBS Sports thought the Dolphins made a smart decision:

Merits of the move aside, his extension will have a ripple effect across the league. Tannehill's deal set the market for future quarterback contracts in the 2012 draft class.

This is different than an extension for, say, Ben Roethlisberger, who is a 33-year-old veteran with an established value. After all, we don't quite know what Tannehill or any of the other prominent 2012 draftees might grow into after three years in the league.

Granted, we have certainly gotten a preview.

Andrew Luck has been every bit the leading man in Indianapolis, despite what his detractors might say. Russell Wilson has already won a Super Bowl and nearly—should have—won another.

Andrew Luck

Matt Slocum/Associated Press

"Just wait until Andrew Luck signs his new contract." That's what runs through my mind as I chuckle at the backlash whenever another quarterback signs a big deal.

Sports Illustrated's Doug Farrar agrees:

If any quarterback has carried his team in recent years, it's been Luck.

The former No. 1 overall pick hasn't been the most efficient passer, nor has he protected the ball as well as some of his peers. Considering his supporting cast and the responsibility on his shoulders from day one, however, Luck has done quite well for himself and his team.

The hype behind Luck since his college days has followed him throughout his career—the fact he hasn't won a Super Bowl and broken all the NFL records in his first three seasons is somehow proof he is overrated. But odds are the NFL doesn't see it that way, not by a long shot.

On the open market, with no salary cap, Luck might be worth the richest contract in sports history. As it stands, his agent will use Tannehill's deal as a springboard.

Russell Wilson

Gregory Payan/Associated Press

Unlike his peers, Wilson has already experienced ultimate success in the NFL—a Super Bowl championship.

Of course, there is a valid argument to be made that Luck or even Tannehill might have been able to win it all, considering the talent on that Seattle Seahawks roster.

It's for that reason that Seattle's brass has seemingly low-balled its star quarterback—reports swirled the team offered $80 million over four new years, per 710 ESPN Seattle's Danny O'Neil, which is pretty much in line with what Tannehill got.

That doesn't sit right with NFL Network's Adam Rank: 

As they say, you don't pay for past performance—it's the future that matters. If the reports are true, the Seahawks were offering market value and nothing more. 

It's an interesting problem for Wilson and the Seahawks—they don't hold the leverage of a fifth-year option that the Dolphins did with Tannehill, and he doesn't quite have the leverage Flacco did after that Super Bowl victory.

Brandon Weeden

Just kidding.

Robert Griffin III

Mark Tenally/Associated Press

This could also be a joke, but it's easy to forget that Robert Griffin III won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award back in 2012, before his confidence deserted him.

A torn ACL started a downward spiral that had many wondering whether Griffin might be with the team much longer. His performance has been brutal for the better part of the last two years, and Washington was even rumored to be interested in Marcus Mariota in this year's draft, per ESPN's John Clayton (h/t 247 Sports).

A return to form would put Griffin back into the conversation for a big extension, one that could rival Tannehill's if he puts it all back together for the entire 2015 season.

Nick Foles

Jeff Roberson/Associated Press

The St. Louis Rams traded for Nick Foles during the offseason. Whether he was worth it remains to be seen—he had one good year with the Philadelphia Eagles, and that was in a Chip Kelly offense—and he has just one more campaign to prove he is worth a big extension.

Based on talent alone, Foles probably won't get a deal on the Tannehill scale of magnitude. But he has to be happy about the trend in numbers—if he is a serviceable starter this season, Foles could still get a nice payday.

The Future

There are certainly varying degrees of value in the 2012 quarterback class. Tannehill was just the first domino to fall, but his pact was a telling one. 

Whatever the future holds for the likes of Luck, Wilson, Griffin and even Foles, Tannehill's contract will serve as the reference point in their contract negotiations. 

All contract details courtesy of Overthecap.com.