The quarterback market has moved again this offseason. A year after Aaron Rodgers raised the average annual value bar past $50MM, Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson did so on long-term extensions. Overall, four teams have authorized the most lucrative QB deal in their respective histories this offseason. Two more — the Bengals and Chargers — are in talks about record-setting extensions as well.
On that note, here is the richest quarterback contract each team has authorized. Although teams like the Jets and Lions have acquired big-ticket contracts via trade, only teams’ extensions or free agency agreements will qualify here.
Arizona Cardinals
- Kyler Murray, July 2022. Five years, $230.5MM. $103.3MM fully guaranteed
Atlanta Falcons
Baltimore Ravens
- Lamar Jackson, April 2023. Five years, $260MM. $135MM fully guaranteed
Buffalo Bills
- Josh Allen, August 2021. Six years, $258MM. $100MM fully guaranteed
Carolina Panthers
- Cam Newton, June 2015. Five years, $103.8MM. $41MM fully guaranteed
Chicago Bears
- Jay Cutler, January 2014. Seven years, $126.7MM. $38MM fully guaranteed
Cincinnati Bengals
- Carson Palmer, December 2005. Six years, $97MM. $30.8MM fully guaranteed
Cleveland Browns
- Deshaun Watson, March 2022. Five years, $230MM fully guaranteed
Dallas Cowboys
- Dak Prescott, March 2021. Four years, $160MM. $95MM fully guaranteed
Denver Broncos
- Russell Wilson, September 2022. Five years, $245MM. $124MM fully guaranteed
Detroit Lions
- Matthew Stafford, August 2017. Five years, $135MM. $60.5MM fully guaranteed
Green Bay Packers
- Aaron Rodgers, March 2022. Three years, $150.8MM. $101.4MM fully guaranteed
In trading this contract to the Jets in April, the Packers restructured the deal. Rodgers’ exit will still tag the Pack with $40.3MM in 2023 dead money.
Houston Texans
- Deshaun Watson, September 2020. Four years, $156MM. $73.7MM fully guaranteed
Indianapolis Colts
- Andrew Luck, June 2016. Five years, $122.97MM. $44MM fully guaranteed
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Nick Foles, March 2019. Four years, $88MM. $41.13MM fully guaranteed
Kansas City Chiefs
- Patrick Mahomes, July 2020. Ten years, $450MM. $63.1MM fully guaranteed
Las Vegas Raiders
- Derek Carr, June 2017. Five years, $125MM. $40MM fully guaranteed
Carr’s second Raiders deal — agreed to in April 2022 — was worth $40.5MM per year. The full guarantee, thanks to the February escape hatch the team built into the contract, checked in lower than Carr’s initial Raiders extension.
Los Angeles Chargers
- Philip Rivers, August 2015. Four years, $83.25MM. $37.5MM fully guaranteed
Los Angeles Rams
- Matthew Stafford, March 2022. Four years, $160MM. $63MM fully guaranteed
Miami Dolphins
- Ryan Tannehill, May 2015. Four years, $77MM. $21.5MM fully guaranteed
Minnesota Vikings
- Kirk Cousins, March 2018. Three years, $84MM fully guaranteed
Cousins’ 2020 extension checked in with a higher AAV ($33MM) but did not approach his initial Minnesota pact for guarantees.
New England Patriots
- Tom Brady, March 2016. Two years, $41MM. $33MM fully guaranteed
New Orleans Saints
- Derek Carr, March 2023. Four years, $150MM. $60MM fully guaranteed
New York Giants
- Daniel Jones, March 2023. Four years, $160MM. $81MM fully guaranteed
New York Jets
- Chad Pennington, September 2004. Seven years, $64MM. $23MM guaranteed.
The Jets have signed three quarterbacks to deals involving more guaranteed money, but each of those contracts — for Mark Sanchez (2009), Sam Darnold (2018) and Zach Wilson (2021) — was a rookie pact.
Philadelphia Eagles
- Jalen Hurts, April 2023. Five years, $255MM. $110MM fully guaranteed
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Ben Roethlisberger, April 2019. Two years, $68MM. $37.5MM fully guaranteed
San Francisco 49ers
- Jimmy Garoppolo, February 2018. Five years, $137.5MM. $41.7MM fully guaranteed
Seattle Seahawks
- Russell Wilson, April 2019. Four years, $140MM. $70MM fully guaranteed
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Tom Brady, March 2020. Two years, $50MM fully guaranteed
Tennessee Titans
- Ryan Tannehill, March 2020. Four years, $118MM. $62MM fully guaranteed
Washington Commanders
- Alex Smith, January 2018. Four years, $94MM. $54MM fully guaranteed
To think a guy that brings you to 9 SB’s and wins 6 only gets a 2yr contract for 41mm is the biggest contract they ever sign him to is crazy and now may end up having to pay a guy like Mac 40+mm a yr all I have to say is BB thanks for going from the greatest coach of all time to the clueless one of all time and Kraft for letting it happen
Your “greatest coach of all time” had a losing career record until Brady came along. It took Brady leaving to expose Belichick as no better than Jeff “7-9 Forever” Fisher.
9 years of proof showing Bill was/is nothing w/o Tom. It’ll be a decade after this season. Then go look at his last 7-9 1st round draft picks. Not one got a 2nd contract from NE. Isn’t good at GM’ing either.
The Pats lost more than Brady, who won three of his Superbowls on the sidelines (a pick six, and two Vinatieri field goals-sounds like a team effort, doesn’t it?) when he departed the franchise. These idiotic debates only further serve to carry the stupendously ridiculous notion that either Belichick or Brady could have reached the heights that they did independently. The Pats’ roster is nothing like what it was in the 2000s and early 2010s. The categorically laughable notion that we can dismiss either Brady or Belichick’s contribution to that is absurd. I say this as someone who also remembers that the fact that “Spygate” was a scandal involving defensive signals-a scandal that benefits the offense, the effect of which gets publically diminished more and more every year.
Let go of your agenda, and acknowledge that neither Belichick nor Brady could have won what they did without each other. Belichick frequently-and continues to-make wonders out of scraps on defense with less than other teams. Having the elite mind that is Tom Brady on offense allowed him to be successful for so long. Conversely, Brady had never had to worry about bad defense for his entire career. That’s impressive, considering the already stultifying fact that Brady has managed to be good for over 30 years. You can’t just sever one from the other in history-it’s impossible, even with the various arguments regarding their respective scandals. The on field product was undeniably the fusion of both of their talents.
It’s comments like this, that convinced me long ago, that you are the forums MVP.
Brady proved you wrong. W/O Bill, he won 2 division titles and a SB. What has Bill done?
And before you begin on the ‘TB had a stacked roster, NE didn’t’ lecture. Why did TB have a better roster? Bill has been the GM in NE for over a decade. Google NE 1st round draft picks. Their last 2 first rounders that had good to great careers came in 2012. Chandler Jones and D Hightower. Look at the next 10 drafts. All washed out.
I’m with you BB is not as good as people love to believe I’m a pats fan I see how really bad he truly is but most of that comes from him as a GM he really has no clue what he’s doing at time
Look at it he can’t draft for sh it in the first 3 rounds but seems to hit home runs in 6-7 rounds and undrafted guys but signs guy ti only play on ST when that’s almost all gone in the sport makes no sense and now they get a violation and find 50k because of ST and the clueless Judge who he keeps on staff because he’s basically free even though all he’s players can’t stand him
How many GMs remain successful when their executive and coaching staffs are poached as much as the Patriots were?
How many of his coaches and FO went on to great success on their own?
R Crennel, Mangini, O’Brien, M Patrica, B Flores, Kingsbury All did nothing. No problem saying Vrabel is doing well in Tenn and Saban is probably the greatest college HC. But he even flamed out w/ the Fins.
Failing as head coaches doesn’t automatically make them failures as assistants. And in some of the cases where they were THE guy, the franchises..from the owner to the FO to the rosters they were given..were not good.
What’s the criteria then for judgment? 90% of the FO & assistant coaches that left NE when Tom was there didn’t succeed elsewhere.
The criteria for judgement of what..? Of being assistant coaches? How about, oh I don’t know, what they accomplished as (this may be shocking, so please be sure you’re sitting down..)…assistant coaches!
It seems that your logic then means if you’re really good at your job, then get a promotion..either with your then current company, or elsewhere, and then fail miserably, that you weren’t actually good at the job you were promoted FROM.
This goes for all professions, and not just sports, or specifically the Patriots coaching tree. Nobody dislikes that franchise from top to bottom more than me, but it’s silly to say none of the assistant coaches were/are good at being assistant coaches because they weren’t/aren’t good head coaches…or because guys from Andy Reid’s tree have had some degree of success (and he came from the Mike Holmgren tree, who came from the Bill Walsh tree, so who is truly responsible for them..?).
When 90%+ of your assistants fail when they get promoted what’s the excuse then?
I fell for the Bill is ‘Gawd’ during the run. But looking back at his record in Cleveland & w/o To in NE is 9 seasons of sub 500 football. That’s a fact. You can argue all you want but you can’t take away those 9 years. Like I said, this season will make it an even decade of bad football coached by him.
Personally, I look forward to more of these debates when the season starts and the Pats are 500 yet again!
That they’re good assistants, but not so good head coaches? Or maybe that they got hired for a position not because there was any real evidence that they’d succeed, but because they were the flavor of the week?
I’m not even sure what point you’re trying to make. But you’re dead set on doing it, so carry on.
My point should be crystal clear by now. But let me say it again. Bill is overrated. Overrated as a HC, developing assistants, and as GM.
1. As a HC w/o Tom below 500 (79-87)
2. 90% of his assistants flame out when promoted to other organizations.
3. Weak rosters that fail to compete.
Those factors clearly played a role with both Gronk and Tom saying goodbye and good riddance. 2 HoF’ers walked out still in their prime. I can’t think of that ever happening before.
Maybe the assistants are equally as inept when TB is not around.
I don’t think the amount of success they have elsewhere is even relevant. When an organization loses people that contributed to them winning championships there is going to be a problem replacing them without experiencing a period of regression.
So the former NE tandem in Vegas now that has done nothing means they were really good in NE? The Texans GM that hasn’t done anything except fire coaches annualy was useful in NE? How can they go from being really important to really incompetent?
Andy Reid’s coaching tree is 100 times stronger than anything Bill has put out and it’s not even close. Andy won w/o a HoF QB for years in Philly. And won in KC prior to having Mahomes.
You argued recently that Carr had much better stats than Grap. Even put up the numbers to prove your point. But now Josh and GM aren’t accountable for messing that up?
Brady went to a team with double digit All-Pros. Not Pro Bowlers; All-Pros. On both sides of the ball. That’s a team built to win now, unlike the Pats, who went into an inmediate rebuild. You can look up how many All-Pros the Pats had on their roster at the time (and since)…I can give you a hint: it’s less than five. A few less.
I already posted how this is relevant on another topic, so I shall refrain from doing so again on yet another unrelated topic. I’ve explained it several times, and yet again I cannot fathom why you and others INSIST on hijacking every article with this tired argument. That’s what irks me personally, much more than your perspective-are we just going to do this EVERY time someone mentions Brady’s name?
Again, who is responsible for the NE roster? Bill is 100%. And it’s a weak roster as the last 3 years have shown. Everyone is already considering them around 500 this season. Do you disagree?
The team regression was inevitable as it always is when a dynasty runs it’s course. The Steelers and Niners experienced the same thing in past decades.
Man, Tannehill sure has raked in some serious dough. And for what?
Tannehill, Derek Carr, Russell Wilson, Deshaun Watson, all have multiple teams highest contract and all are cheeks
Russell Wilson does have two superbowls, one won and 16 playoff games as a Hawk…not sure if he is a cheek.
Will know more on Wilson xafter this season, he has an adult coach now.
We will..but has no impact on his success as a Hawk.
Sean Payton might be the most overrated coach out there. he gets a ton of props for not doing anything good for 15 years now.
I mean, fifteen years ago would have been 2008. So, in fifteen years, Payton has won a Super Bowl (2009), went to an NFC Championship (2018), and six division titles (2009, 2011, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020). That includes a year off in 2012, due to a suspension. He made two additional playoff berths to his division wins, in 2010 and 2013. I won’t address if Payton is necessarily overrated, but I’m not sure how many active coaches can claim all of that (or even inactive coaches, for that matter-the number is not the majority). All of that was done with a franchise that has been unabashedly awful as well before Payton’s arrival. That’s not to mention the offensive accolades that the Saints racked up (including Brees becoming to date the only QB to pass for 5000 yards multiple times, and in 16 game season with slightly looser rules than now).
So I think that we can argue as to whether Payton is capable without elite quarterbacking all we like, but to say that he has not accomplished anything in fifteen years (or since his Super Bowl win, if that’s what you meant to imply) is not true.
He won the Super Bowl after cheating, paying players to intentionally hurt other players… That’s the BIGGEST Asterisk in the history of the game. Take away the year he CHEATED to win, he never won a dang thing. Nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Zero. Take Drew Brees away and Payton is a lost puppy with no clue where it’s heading.
It’s pretty convenient that you can just subtract like that…you’re still left with division titles, but I suppose we’re supposed to subtract those too, right?
I mean, I’m not making justification for the bounty scandal. I don’t know if that’s so much “cheating” as it is bad character. I certainly wouldn’t call it the “biggest asterisk in the history of the NFL” either. Putting bounties out on players (which is what Gregg Williams did, not Payton-who did bear some responsibility as the head coach, I 100% agree on that) doesn’t give your team a competitive advantage like, say, taping practices or paying players under the table.
Will know more on Wilson after this season, he has an adult coach now.
Brady and Stanford also
Stanford? Who is that?
Stafford and Tannehill can both say that they did at least have some terrible teams that they languished on for years. Stafford is pretty much a current day image of Sam Bradford, collecting checks for some team’s desperation, but he did log some productive years on a team that couldn’t get it together, so there’s that.
The Jets are curious, though. All of the common “Jets are dysfunctional, har-de-har” jokes that we make (somewhat deservedly), it is very odd that the richest QB contract in their history was a rookie deal.
Looking back, it seems rather hilarious that the Jets caused a major uproar in the sports world when they offered Namath about $400,000 as a rookie. link to history.com
A different time for sure.
Poor Bears and Bengals
Bengals went from Palmer to Dalton (who was extended as well) straight to Burrow who’s going to get a MASSIVE check before the season starts. They’re doing ok. The Bears, though, are another story
Useless info you likely found on your own: Stafford, Carr and Watson each made the list twice.
Don’t forget about Mr. Tannehill
So this doesn’t account for money given under the table or promises of future ownership stakes?
This is a really interesting read. Several “what were you thinking”s coupled with numerous “wow that guy got screwed”s
The Murray deal up top …makes you want to throw up in your mouth a little bit…hope it works out!