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As quarterback contracts continue to break the bank, Andrew Ball takes a look at which starting quarterbacks are making the most money.
The most important position in sports, quarterbacks will always command top dollar on the open market. If you don't have an elite signal caller, you won't win on the biggest stage.
General managers need to be savvy with when and how much they pay their quarterbacks. The market will be reset every year as the salary cap rises and teams retain homegrown talent. The timing of an extension can make or break Super Bowl chances.
Here are the projected 2024 quarterback starters on every NFL team. Who has the highest and lowest salaries? Let's find out! Note: There are a few teams with quarterback battles during training camp. All contenders for the starting job are listed.
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The $50M+ Club (1-8)
T-1. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals ($55M/yr.)
Joe Burrow picked up the nickname "Joe Brrrr" because of his ice-cold nature. It’s also the sound of his money being printed. He’s due at least $46M every season from 2025 through 2029, and his contract takes up a massive chunk of the Bengals’ cap space. His contract is taking money away from other positions. Ja'Marr Chase will get paid soon. Tee Higgins probably won’t be getting another contract from Cincinnati after this season.
T-1. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars ($55M/yr.)
The Jaguars were stuck in quarterback purgatory. Trevor Lawrence is a former first-overall pick and belongs in the NFL as a starting quarterback. Is he good enough to hoist the Lombardi Trophy? That’s where the debate stands. The Jaguars had to pay him and retain the asset to find out, despite his 20-30 record in three seasons as the starting quarterback. 55 million dollars is a hefty price tag for one career playoff win.
T-1: Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers ($55M/yr.)
One season as a full-time starter and one playoff win is enough to break the bank. Jordan Love continues the lineage of franchise quarterbacks in Green Bay. Unfortunately for the two who came before him, money wasn't the same back then. Love's extension is worth $220M for four years. Brett Favre earned $140M in his entire playing career.
4. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins ($53.1M/yr.)
Middle-tier quarterbacks are getting paid in Florida. Tua Tagovailoa puts up numbers in Mike McDaniel's offense and has Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle to elevate his play. Still, there are concerns about his long-term future as a franchise quarterback.
This is amazing. Dan Marino earned $51.51 million in total contract earnings during his 17-year career with the Miami Dolphins. https://t.co/c4aEikjTOY
— Jamey Eisenberg (@JameyEisenberg) July 26, 2024
5. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions ($53M/yr.)
The Lions awarded Jared Goff this offseason for leading Detroit to their first playoff victory since 1991. The former first-overall pick reinvented his career after being traded to the NFC North. While it may be viewed as a steep contract for a quarterback outside of the elite tier, he deserves more than the $2.6M base salary he’s owed in 2024 before the new deal kicks in.
6. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers ($52.5M/yr.)
If we besmirch the Jaguars and Dolphins for offering Lawrence and Tagovailoa massive contracts, then the same needs to be said for Justin Herbert. Herbert has zero playoff wins to his name, although he’s posted better numbers than his AFC counterparts. His overall record is also just two games under .500. Now, he has to win playoff games to justify the money spent.
7. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens ($52M/yr.)
Lamar Jackson hasn't reached a Super Bowl yet but has been one of the most electric athletes in the league since taking over the starting job in Baltimore. He's a two-time MVP and led the Ravens to the top seed in the AFC last season. The contract is warranted even if he never breaks through to reach the big game.
8. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles ($51M/yr.)
Eagles General Manager Howie Roseman extended his star quarterback well before being due for one. The contract is designed so Hurts doesn't cost the team more than $30M until the 2026 season. That allows them to build around their franchise quarterback to bring a title back to Philadelphia.
The Middle Tier: Quarterbacks 9-19
9. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals ($46.1M/yr.)
The former number-one pick in 2019 agreed to a big extension with Arizona following his third season. He tore his ACL the next year, which carried over into the 2023 season. He may not quite be worth the money the Cardinals are forking over, but it's not as egregious as the multi-million dollars more Lawrence and Tagovailoa are earning. Murray is taking over 18 percent of the team's cap space in 2024.
10. Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns ($46M/yr.)
The NFL community clowned the Browns when they offered a historic, controversial contract to Deshaun Watson. The $230M contract was fully guaranteed for a man facing multiple sexual harassment lawsuits. His play on the field hasn't matched the money he's making, either. He was suspended 11 games in 2022, and a shoulder injury limited him to five full games in 2023.
T-11. Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons ($45M/yr.)
45 million dollars a year for a soon-to-be 36-year-old quarterback recovering from an Achilles tear seems pricey, but Kirk Cousins was pacing for a career year before the injury. The Atlanta Falcons, tired of a mediocre quarterback carousel, signed Captain Kirk to elevate the play of young stars Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts.
T-11. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs ($45M/yr.)
The three-time Super Bowl champion sits outside the top ten in annual salary. When Patrick Mahomes' contract was restructured last year, Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt said that "he'll be underpaid", no matter what he makes in his career. Although he's not making top-billed money, he accounts for more than 20 percent of the team's cap, on average, through 2027.
13. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills ($43M/yr.)
He hasn't won a Super Bowl, let alone an AFC Championship, but it's hard to argue that Josh Allen is not a top-five quarterback right now. His cap hit is just north of $30M in 2024. It doubles for the 2025 season.
T-14. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys ($40M/yr.)
Dak Prescott is due up next for a big contract. He and the Cowboys are negotiating a new deal that will propel the 31-year-old to the top of this list. He's in the last year of his current extension and is due north of $55 million this season.
T-14. Daniel Jones, New York Giants ($40M/yr.)
Daniel Jones threw for 3,205 yards and 15 touchdowns and won a playoff game in 2022. The Giants rewarded him with a four-year, $160M contract. Regret set in before the ink dried. The team flirted with the idea of trading up for a quarterback in the 2024 draft. Jones won't be Big Blue's starter for much longer.
A lot goes down tomorrow at 9 👀
New episode of #HardKnocks Offseason with the New York Giants airs tomorrow at 9pm ET on @StreamOnMax #Giants100 pic.twitter.com/p2IznwI8xy
— New York Giants (@Giants) July 22, 2024
T-14. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams ($40M/yr.)
Matthew Stafford and the Rams adjusted his contract as training camp began. Essentially, the team moved money owed in 2025 toward his 2024 payday. If Stafford retires after this season, his annual salary will be higher than the initial $40M. The restructure also bumps his 2025 roster bonus from $5 million to $9 million.
T-17. Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets ($37.5M/yr.)
Aaron Rodgers is playing for the Jets at a discounted rate, hopeful to win one more Super Bowl before he calls it a career. His cap hit sits at $17M for the 2024 season, allowing the Jets' front office to add other veterans clamoring for a ring.
T-17. Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints ($37.5M/yr.)
Derek Carr's cap hit is very low for 2024 (4.96% of the league cap). In 2025 and 2026, it's $51M and $61M, respectively. That's a lot of money for a 33-year-old who has been a middle-of-the-pack signal-caller for both the Raiders and the Saints.
19. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($33.3M/yr.)
Baker Mayfield reinvented his career in Central Florida and received a $100M present. The 2018 number-one pick posted career-high marks for passing yards and touchdowns in his first season in pewter and red. He'll be the starting quarterback for the Buccaneers for the next few seasons and his contract appears to be a better value with every other big-money deal that gets signed.
The Geno Smith Tier
20. Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks ($25M/yr.)
Geno Smith isn't being paid like other full-time, unquestioned starters in the league but he's also making double of the stopgap quarterbacks. It's a unique contract that puts Smith in a tier of his own. The former second-round pick by the Jets will be in his mid-30s when his contract expires. Seattle will then be tasked with finding a starter, whether that's current backup Sam Howell or an up-and-coming draft prospect.
The Future Or The Placeholders (21-32)
21. Gardner Minshew II, Las Vegas Raiders ($12.5M/yr.)
**Aidan O'Connell ($1.087M/yr.)
The Raiders brought Gardner Minshew to the desert to compete with Aidan O'Connell for the starting gig. The gunslinger signed a two-year deal, but it wasn't for starting quarterback money. If O'Connell wins the job in camp, Minshew will be one of the more valuable backups leaguewide.
22. Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings ($10M/yr.)
**J.J. McCarthy ($5.46M/yr.)
The Vikings are witnessing a training camp battle between veteran Sam Darnold and rookie first-round selection J.J. McCarthy. The former was acquired before the NFL Draft but Minnesota needed a long-term solution at the position and drafted the Michigan Wolverine. Justin Jefferson will make either look better.
23. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears ($9.8M/yr.)
Calen Williams was pegged as a generational talent since early in his Oklahoma days. Unless he's a complete disaster in Chicago, he'll eventually become the highest-paid quarterback in football. He'll be playing under his rookie-scale contract for the next few seasons. It includes a fifth-year team option.
24. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers ($9.48M/yr.)
The 2023 first-overall pick endured a disastrous debut campaign, picking up just two wins. Bryce Young won't necessarily be moved to the bench if he bumbles through another poor season, but the Panthers won't view him as a 10-year starter. Carolina added wide receivers Diontae Johnson and rookie Xavier Legette to help Young's development.
25. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders ($9.43M/yr.)
The reigning Heisman Trophy winner begins a new era in Washington. Jayden Daniels was the second-overall pick in April's draft and signed a similar rookie-scale contract to Caleb Williams. He'll have a fifth-year team option that the Commanders must exercise during the 2027 offseason.
26. Drake Maye, New England Patriots ($9.16M/yr.)
**Jacoby Brissett ($8M/yr.)
Another top pick in the NFL Draft with his annual salary decided for him. Rookies only negotiate the finer points of initial contracts. Drake Maye will compete with veteran Jacoby Brissett to be the Week 1 starter in New England.
27. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans ($9.1M/yr.)
C.J. Stroud is the runner-up to Mahomes as the best bargain contract in the NFL. The reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year broke several records and led the Texans to a playoff victory. Once he's eligible for an extension, he'll probably become the top earner in football. Until then, Houston can take advantage of his cheap contract and build a winning team around Stroud.
These are the plays I keep coming back to with CJ Stroud.
The angle and velocity here without being able to step into the throw because the pocket is collapsing. It's just not normal. pic.twitter.com/shK6pVk3Yf
— Robert Mays (@robertmays) May 17, 2024
28. Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts ($8.5M/yr.)
Selected two picks after Stroud in the 2023 NFL Draft, Anthony Richardson makes slightly less than his AFC South rival. There's quite a bit of optimism surrounding Richardson, but he played four games in his rookie year and completed just two of them. He'll need to stay healthy to warrant a lengthy and expensive extension.
29. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos ($4.65M/yr.)
**Jarrett Stidham ($5M/yr.)
**Zach Wilson ($8.78M/yr.)
The Denver Broncos spent their first-round pick (12th overall) on Oregon's Bo Nix. He may not win the quarterback competition during training camp, but he will almost certainly start several games during the season. Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson are placeholders if they earn the opportunity to start Week 1.
30. Will Levis, Tennessee Titans ($2.4M/yr.)
The Titans spent their offseason acquiring talent at the skill positions to determine if Will Levis is their franchise quarterback. Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd join DeAndre Hopkins in the wide receiver room. They added former Dallas running back Tony Pollard and rebuilt the offensive line. The team also hired an offensive-minded head coach, Brian Callahan.
31. Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers ($1.21M/yr.)
Don’t let the number fool you, Russell Wilson is making much more than one million dollars. The Denver Broncos will cut checks for Wilson until close to the decade's end. His average salary for his Denver contract ($48.5M) would rank him ninth on this list. That allowed him to join Pittsburgh on a minimum, team-friendly deal.
32. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers ($934K/yr.)
Brock Purdy is like finding a designer shirt in the discount bargain bin. The 49ers selected Purdy with the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft. He didn’t lose a game in his rookie season and led the team to the Super Bowl in year two. He’s surrounded by elite talent, so there is still some skepticism about his talent level. San Francisco can afford to pay their other top players, while Purdy is cheap. He has two years remaining on his rookie contract.
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