Money plays a big role in free agency, especially with NFL careers being so short. Players want to make as much money as they can while still healthy, and understandably so. But for some guys in the latter half of their careers, money isn’t the primary factor.
Eric Weddle, for instance, turned down bigger offers than the one he got from the Rams. All things considered, he viewed Los Angeles as the best fit for him despite leaving money on the table.
He told Lindsey Thiry of ESPN that he had a lot of other offers worth more money than the contract he signed in L.A.
“I had tons of opportunities to go other places for a lot more money,” Weddle said. “But it’s just not a reality at this point of my career. It’s a great opportunity to come to an amazing organization, an established team with an amazing coach, go out and put my stamp on things and try to help lead this team to a championship.”
Weddle’s contract with the Rams is for just $10.5 million over two years. That’s only $5.25 million per season, which ranks him 23rd in the NFL behind players such as T.J. McDonald, Quandre Diggs and Jaquiski Tartt.
There’s no doubt he could’ve gotten more money elsewhere – that was the belief immediately after his contract numbers were revealed – but there are benefits to choosing the Rams. He’s in a system that’s just about the same as the one he played in with the Chargers. He joins a star-studded secondary with another great safety in John Johnson. And best of all, he has a great chance to win a Super Bowl.
As for his future with the Rams, that remains unclear. He’s just taking it day by day right now and focusing on the task at hand: winning his first championship.
“I’m giving it all I’ve got this year. Who knows about the next year?” Weddle said. “I’ve got a lot of years on these legs, so I’m just taking it one day at a time.”
