Jake Delhomme’s Contract Extended in Carolina
Out of Charlotte, NC yesterday came the news that starting quarterback Jake Delhomme’s contract was extended by 5 years and includes $20 million in guarantees.
I do not understand this for several reasons.
1. He’s 34. Do the Panthers realistically expect him to be earning his salary at age 39?
2. He’s one of the most inconsistent quarterbacks in the league. Out of curiosity I went back and looked at the quarterbacks of the 12 playoff teams to compare how consistent they were on a game to game basis. The average quarterback rating for playoff quarterbacks was 88.3 with a standard deviation of 27.9 from game to game. Delhomme’s season rating was 85.3 with a standard deviation of 33.6, the highest of all non-rookie quarterbacks (the highest standard deviation belonged to Matt Ryan at 33.7, Joe Flacco’s standard deviation was 32.0).
And no, Panther’s fans- it doesn’t get any better if you exclude his 5 interception/1 fumble stinker against the Cardinals in Carolina during the divisional round. His average rating improves to 88.2 (just under the average) but the standard deviation is still 32.5.
3. He managed to put up these mediocre numbers despite having one of the most dangerous wide receivers in the league (Steve Smith) and the 3rd-rank rush offense in the league.
4. The Panthers have more pressing worries, like signing the one legitimate player they have on defense to a contract he’ll be happy with (Julius Peppers).
5. There are still question marks about his surgically repaired arm. He only threw 414 passes in 2008 despite starting all 16 games. While some of this is undoubtedly due to the Panthers’ running game, it remains to be seen whether Delhomme can still carry a game on his shoulders through the air.
6. Delhomme hasn’t even been the reason the Panthers win since he’s become the starter. In 2003, 2005, and 2006 the Panthers were a top 10 scoring defense. In 2008 they had the #3 ranked rush offense. In 2004 he put up decent numbers, but the Panthers finished 7-9.
In conclusion, while I don’t think Delhomme is a bad quarterback, I do question why the Panthers seem to obsess over him when their money is better off grooming his replacement.
Panther fans- what do you think?
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