There has been a rush in the past few days to equate the release of safety Tyrann Mathieu with the signing of quarterback Sam Bradford, but they are separate entities.
While there is always sticker shock on the deals quarterbacks receive, that position is far and away the most important in the NFL, and teams must pay a premium because arm talent is scarce. If Bradford receives the reported maximum amount of $20 million in 2018, he will be the highest-paid player on the Cardinals -- but in the context of quarterbacks, it’s not an egregious amount.