[rm1369]

Not surprisingly you and I tend to see this from completely different perspectives. You see the move as a risk and I see it as one done to mitigate risk. My biggest fear is that Brissett has a year that is up and down. One that clearly shows promise, but also shows obvious areas that need improvement. I also believe that is the most likely outcome. I doubt he plays well enough to “earn” the huge extension this year as you say you’d prefer. For most positions I may agree with you on waiting, but not for QB. I think you are completely underestimating what some teams would throw at him if he has even a decent season. And the position that would put Ballard and the team in.

I also don’t agree with your concern that they will stick with Jacoby too long based on this one year extension. Admittedly that’s largely because I don’t believe he will play consistently bad enough that a viable better option will be available. I also don’t see Ballard letting it stand in his way if a better option were available. He’s moved on from several players that could have helped this team because they didn’t fit in his mind in some way. Why would Brissett be any different? I think you are severely over rating the affects of this contract. It has nearly zero long term ramifications should they decide to move on.

Lastly, I think the contract sends exactly the right message to players in the locker room and around the league. I know you see it as being the opposite. Let me ask you this - why are players almost always upset about being franchise tagged? The pay is great, right? It’s because there is little security in the one year contract. The players want stability and guarantees that stretch over several years. Jacoby didn’t get that. He got an extra year to prove what he can do for this team. Let’s not forget he is now the starting QB on a potential playoff team. And he’s still young. He stood to “earn” a $100m+ contract next offseason. This contract wasn’t charity. It was business. But one that recognized what both sides stood to gain and what both sides stood to lose. That to me sets the right tone in the locker room.