Let’s play a little guessing game called “Who is the second highest paid wide receiver in the NFL?” No, it’s not Steve Smith or either of the Johnsons — Andre or Calvin. Brandon Marshall wishes he made that much coin and Randy Moss once did, but not anymore.
Nope — the player one step below Arizona’s Larry Fitzgerald is now Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Roddy White, who actually held out of training camp for a week to get his six-year, $50 million deal.
Recommended Stories
But the contract is not as crazy as it seems. White caught 88 passes from quarterback phenom Matt Ryan last season. The year before — as the Falcons imploded around him thanks to the Michael Vick saga — White caught 83. Throw in 13 touchdown passes during that stretch and it’s been a nice couple of years for a kid from Alabama-Birmingham.
Yes, he’s a smaller receiver. Yes, those touchdown numbers probably need to rise a tick to put White’s name among the game’s elite. But he has produced and — with Ryan poised to get better — gives Atlanta the playmaker it needs. Plus, it’s a good bet White will be fourth or fifth on that highest paid list within a few months.
