There is no drama for Alabama Football about the Crimson Tide's starting quarterback for the 2024 season. On Thursday, Jalen Milroe announced a return for next season.
The decision was expected, but until Milroe spoke about his intention, there had been some speculation that if he becomes a National Champion in the coming weeks, a move to the NFL might happen. Instead, the Tide quarterback made a smart decision to continue his development in Tuscaloosa.
Way-to-early Heisman projections have Milroe as one of the top contenders to win the award next December. Some Heisman pundits have Milroe as the No. 1 contender for college football's most prestigious award.
Check out the relatively low-key announcement below.
Jalen Milroe confirms that he will, in fact, be returning for his senior year. @AlabamaFTBL @JalenMilroe pic.twitter.com/8lrm3uOh5O
— The Next Round (@NextRoundLive) December 14, 2023
Many Alabama football fans will be curious about Milroe's NIL enhancements for next season. Which is not to suggest that the young man based his decision on short-term financial return. The Alabama Football program is not known as one that orchestrates huge NIL deals to land or retain players.
Defining a market rate for Jalen Milroe can be no more than a guess. As was discussed in a recent post, it appears Georgia may be setting a market rate for returning QB starters. Multiple sources have mentioned that the Bulldogs may motivate Carson Beck to return with a 2024 offer called "upwards of $4M."
It does not matter whether fans are or are not comfortable with the world of college football free agency. It is the new reality. Paying players for their value in a system with no constraints means some programs can go to extreme levels of compensation to obtain and retain players.
So far, there have been no reports of Alabama Football losing a bidding war. Instead, Alabama football insiders contend that Nick Saban continues to sell long-term value as more important than what can be earned in a college career. Not every player will buy into Saban's pitch. It is believed that for the players primarily focused on short-term dollars, Nick Saban is frequently willing to not compete for their services.
Alabama Football and Nick Saban's 'Old School' Approach
Maybe defining anything in today's world of college football as 'Old School' is an absurd stretch. But even if Nick Saban wanted to frequently win player bidding wars, there are examples that championships cannot just be bought. Texas A&M and Jimbo Fisher showed just that and the Aggies are not alone. Nick Saban will stick to his approach, no matter how many other programs choose the path of practically unlimited player budgets.