The Cleveland Browns have gotten a ton of grief for the contract they handed out to quarterback Deshaun Watson. And after a handful of quarterbacks have gotten new deals since, and with none of them getting fully guaranteed contracts, there may be some reason for it. The newest added to that list is Justin Herbert, who is now the highest-paid player in the NFL after receiving a new five-year deal from the Los Angeles Chargers.
Herbert is just one of many quarterbacks to get paid this offseason, and maybe not the last as the Cincinnati Bengals have to figure out Joe Burrow’s extension expeditiously. However, as it stands, who are the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL and where does Watson’s contract fall?
All numbers were pulled from Over the Cap.
1
Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Average per year: $52.5 million
2
Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Average per year: $52 million
3
Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
Average per year: $51 million
4
Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets
Average per year: $50.272 million
5
Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos
Average per year: $49 million
6
Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
Average per year: $46.1 million
7
Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns
Average per year: $46 million
8
Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Average per year: $45 million
9
Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Average per year: $43 million
10
Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Average per year: $40 million
11
Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Average per year: $40 million
12
Daniel Jones, New York Giants
Average per year: $40 million
13
Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints
Average per year: $37.5 million
14
Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings
Average per year: $35 million
15
Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
Average per year: $33.5 million
16
Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans
Average per year: $29.5 million
17
Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks
Average per year: $25 million
18
Jimmy Garoppolo, Las Vegas Raiders
