Tannehill's Pay Day Approaching

Jacksonville, FLA -- SP Royce Tannehill is poised to become ULB's first superstar--or at least its most overpaid one.

Royce Tannehill is
currently 29-years old.

Tannehill's rights were originally owned by the Jacksonville Sharks, but as he was eligible for free agency, he wanted to test the waters.  Financially, it was the smart move.  He's poised to become ULB's richest player for its first 5 seasons.

A 5-year deal worth upwards of $100M seems all but imminent.  Our investigative sources say only 3 teams are prepared to offer at least that much.  They are the Chicago Hitmen, St. Louis Bishops, and Tannehill's original franchise, the Jacksonville Sharks.  St. Louis and Jacksonville appear to be the frontrunners.

So with a contract that lofty, the question immediately springs to mind: is he worth it?  Tannehill is a right-hander who throws strikes--hard--and keeps the ball in the yard.  He will easily surpass the 200 IP mark, and he fares about as well versus left-handed batters as he does right-handed batters.  He is more than capable of anchoring a staff, and in fact, elevating it to the next level.

But still, $20M for 5 years is an incredibly large commitment.  If there's one knock on Tannehill it's his durability.  He has to stay healthy for the contract to be even remotely worth it.  Depending on how many starts he gets per year, he is making roughly $500k each time he takes the mound.  Because the deal is 5 years long, he opens himself up to more injuries the longer he plays for the team that signs him.

One thing not likely in play is Tannehill's Type A designation scaring off the remaining bidders.  Jacksonville would obviously forfeit no picks if they resign Tannehill.  St. Louis and Chicago meanwhile have protected first round picks in the midseason Amateur Draft.  So it's boiling down to the money, and the question: how much is too much?

We'll have continuing coverage of the Tannehill story as it develops, including breaking the news to you when he signs.