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Search for franchise QB allows teams to save cash

By WTOP Staff

TERESA M. WALKER
AP Pro Football Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The easiest decision in the NFL is forking over the big bucks to sign Peyton Manning, Tom Brady or Drew Brees to long-term deals. Colin Kaepernick and Andy Dalton recently signed multi-million dollar contracts from teams trying to lock down their franchise quarterback.

Most clubs still are searching for a quarterback worthy of such money. This season, 19 teams will pay their projected starting quarterbacks less than $3.5 million, or one-fifth of the $17.5 million Jay Cutler will make from the Bears in base salary.

While teams without $15 million quarterbacks have more money to spend on defense, other offensive weapons and depth, most NFL general managers say they would love to have the “problem” of paying a star quarterback.

“If you’ve got a good quarterback, you’ve got to pay him,” Buffalo Bills general manager Doug Whaley says. “Now if you don’t have a good quarterback, then you’re going to try to keep trying to find that quarterback. And teams like the Indianapolis Colts, the Seattle Seahawks and hopefully us, we’ve got cheap, cheap versions of it only because of the salary cap structure and the CBA.”

Cheap doesn’t mean inferior. Andrew Luck has taken the Colts to the playoffs in each of his two seasons, and Russell Wilson has already won a championship with the Seahawks in just two years. With both on rookie contracts, their teams can afford to surround them with better players.

The early success of Luck, Wilson, Kaepernick and others has persuaded many teams to use the draft to find a quarterback who can start quickly. And some teams are more willing than ever to cut an established, but not elite starter, and go fishing for another third-round steal like Wilson.

The Titans are hoping Jake Locker, drafted in 2011, still can be their guy. But they declined to pick up his 2015 option because Locker has missed 14 of 32 games since being named the starter, and they drafted Zach Mettenberger in the sixth round for some protection. Titans general manager Ruston Webster said finding a franchise quarterback solidifies a team in a way no other position can, making it an easy decision to pay up, if you have found the right guy.

“Yeah, we all would like to be able to do that,” Webster said. “While you’re searching or developing a quarterback, though, I think the thing teams are doing — and rightfully so — is build everything else around it and make it as good as you can be. Then let the quarterback take it from there.”

The Seahawks can’t extend Wilson until 2015, so he will make a salary of $662,434 in his third season. That’s about 4 percent of what Chicago is paying Cutler.

“It’s a big deal for us,” general manager John Schneider said. “We’ve been able to acquire other players, and they were definitely players we were able to acquire that helped us get over the top this year.”

But Schneider and vice president of football administration Matt Thomas know it won’t last. They project their salary cap up to three years, and they are preparing for a big hit once they have to pay Wilson an eight-digit salary.

San Francisco and Cincinnati have signed their young quarterbacks to lucrative extensions, but the Bengals front-loaded Dalton’s contract enough to protect themselves if the quarterback who’s 30-18 overall isn’t the answer long-term considering his 0-3 postseason record.

Teams still saving money with young quarterbacks include the Jets with Geno Smith going into his second year, though Michael Vick is an expensive insurance policy. Rookie Johnny Manziel is pushing Brian Hoyer in Cleveland. E.J. Manuel is going into his second season in Buffalo where the Bills’ quarterback search has been ongoing since Jim Kelly retired after the 1996 season.

Houston traded Matt Schaub to Oakland and signed journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick in March after Tennessee cut him. Tampa Bay brought in Josh McCown to start ahead of second-year Mike Glennon.

Jacksonville and Minnesota believed they had drafted franchise quarterbacks in 2011 with Blaine Gabbert and Christian Ponder only to go back to the draft this year to pick Blake Bortles and Teddy Bridgewater. The Vikings are going with veteran Matt Cassel now, but the money saved on quarterbacks has allowed them to spend big in free agency at cornerback, defensive line and at wide receiver while keeping some of their own players with new deals.

Buffalo invested in its defensive line, and the Bills wound up with three Pro Bowl selections last season while ranking second in the NFL with 57 sacks. The Titans have invested heavily in their offensive line by signing left guard Andy Levitre and right tackle Michael Oher and drafting right guard Chance Warmack and left tackle Taylor Lewan the last two years.

In the meantime, teams wait, watch and hope their young quarterbacks will force them to pay up.

“It’s a nice problem to have, and hopefully we’ve got it,” Whaley said.

For those trying to earn that big deal, Nick Foles of the Eagles has a suggestion. He’s due $615,000 this season and said worrying about numbers puts quarterbacks at risk of making mistakes when the key is trying to win.

“There’s no dollar sign on me when I’m throwing a ball,” Foles said.

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AP Pro Football Writers Dave Campbell and Rob Maaddi and AP Sports Writers John Wawrow, Dennis Waszak, Tim Booth, Josh Dubow and Joe Kay contributed to this report.

Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL

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Follow Teresa M. Walker on Twitter: http://twitter.com/teresamwalker

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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