Payday for NFL Superstars

4pm est was the last minute to make a deal for long-term contracts with certain NFL stars, and it seems as though that everyone ended the day with a happy ending. Let’s take a quick recap on who signed, and if it was at the right price: 

 

 
Dez Bryant (5 years, $70 million, $45 million guaranteed) 

Bryant signing with the Dallas Cowboys may have been their best move all offseason. Bryant’s 16 TD’s last season would have certainly been missed if he chose not to play in regular season games. ESPN’s Chris Mortenson believes it “isn’t a stretch” to say that owner Jerry Jones may have had a role in the signing. Bryant now contains more guaranteed money than Calvin Johnson, and he now needs to step up to the plate and play like the superstar the team needs in 2015.

 

 
Justin Houston (6 years, $101 million, $52.5 million guaranteed)  

Houston’s stats speak for themselves, but to earn the richest salary in lineback history? That is something no one could have predicted. It was obvious from the start that Houston and the Kansas City Chiefs were confident that they would come to an agreement, but they happened to wait until the last minute. Houston now has the largest salary of any Chiefs player in franchise history, but let’s hope that he is able to continue preforming at a high level. 

 

 
Demaryius Thomas (5 years, $70 million, $43.5 million guaranteed) 

This offer seems similar to Dez Bryant’s, doesn’t it? The NFLPA threatened to investigate possible collusion between the Cowboys and Broncos if no deals were made by the deadline. Now that Thomas has been payed, he needs to get back to practice. Peyton Manning thankfully won’t have to just rely on Emmanuel Sanders this upcoming seasons, but the Broncos can’t afford to let all the money invested into Thomas go to waste.