We're talking SS and he's #3. Saying he's #10 at safety it's like saying a RT is getting like a solid starter because he's the 10th highest paid T in the league. It's the same as saying that Ja'Waun James who is in a similar situation at RT vs LT is getting paid like any other solid T.
Again, you are changing the scenario and focus of the disagreement. We were only discussing his pay relative to other solid SS's not his overall worth which will be opinion based.
The safety market is the safety market. The cornerback market is the CB market. In today's NFL, the SS and FS are relatively antiquated terms as most teams do not even use the listing anymore.
Safeties in today's NFL have to have versatility and the ability to play the pass which Amos has done well throughout his career. By your logic, Dix (a traditional FS) is currently playing out of position at SS (Amos' old spot). How can that be possible? Surely, a FS is once and always a FS. The argument loses weight significantly when you just actually think about the complexity of modern defense in the NFL.
Safeties are rated as a whole and not like Tackles. You're trying to create a comparison that does not exist. An LT is more valuable do the fact that the majority of NFL QBs are right handed and have their backs on the left making it harder to roll that way and due to the lack of visibility of a QB.
You cannot compare apples to oranges. They are vastly different (S to Tackle). If you can successfully delineate for me the categorical differences between SS and FS with regards to responsibilities, scheme, etc, and how these differences apply to Amos as being overrated/overpaid for his position, then I
will listen to your argument.
Let's make a different interpretation.
Let's say CB1 vs CB2 and S1 vs S2.
This gives us a better criteria for how to evaluate the position.
Fuller vs Prince creates a good example of how this relationship can be valued. Fuller (Tier 1 CB1) vs Prince (Tier 2 CB2).
Prince is paid at 64% of the value of Fuller.
If the Bears had kept Amos and then paid Jackson what they paid Fuller, the relationship would be equitable.
They even create this EXACT scenario with Dix as they will likely cut Prince and use one of their higher draft picks on a younger, cheaper CB with Tolliver adding cheap, productive depth. So the Bears save 5 million at CB and could possible forward some of that cash to Dix if they attempt to resign him.