The Six Highest Paid Quarterbacks In The NFL All Missed The Playoffs This Season

ByJoey Heldon January 9, 2019inArticles›Sports News

The NFL playoffs are set. Week 17 brought no shortage of excitement, with three teams clinching in the final game of the year. However, if you study the teams that are in, you’ll notice something unique: a lot of them are led by quarterbacks that aren’t earning a lot of money.

In fact, none of the top six highest-paid quarterbacks in the league will be playing in the postseason.

Between Aaron Rodgers ($33.5 million), Matt Ryan ($30 million), Kirk Cousins ($28 million), Jimmy Garoppolo ($27.5 million), Matthew Stafford ($27 million), and Derek Carr ($25 million), the NFL’s top earners will be watching the playoffs from home.

That’s a combined $171 million between the six quarterbacks – a hefty total for zero postseason appearances.

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Dylan Buell/Getty Images

Of the teams who are in the playoffs, Lamar Jackson is the lowest-paid quarterback. The rookie, who led Baltimore to six wins in seven games to end the season, will make about $2.37 million.

Other low postseason earners are Houston’s Deshaun Watson ($3.46 million), Patrick Mahomes ($4.1 million), Nick Foles ($5.5 million), and Jared Goff ($6.98 million).

None of those quarterbacks are among the top 25 in terms of salary at their position.

The salary discrepancy hints at a growing trend in the league. More teams are finding success with quarterbacks still on their rookie contracts – or on bargain deals. With less money tied up in quarterback salary, teams have more to spend on other pieces, like a stud defensive lineman or quality offensive weapons.

Of course, teams can still succeed with a star quarterback. Drew Brees is making $25 million for the Saints, for example. But it’s becoming harder to have so much money invested in one player.

We’ll see how the postseason plays out. However, it’s likely that this year’s winning quarterback will be outside of the top ten highest-earners in the league.

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Matthew Stafford Will Likely Become The Highest-Paid Player In The NFL With His Next Extension

ByJoey Heldon December 11, 2016inArticles›Sports News

The Detroit Lions have been living on the edge all season. In their first 11 games, they trailed in the fourth quarter. This past week against the New Orleans Saints – we’ll remind you it’s the first week of December – was the first time the Lions had played in a game decided by more than seven points. Yet they’re sitting at 8-4 and in first place in the NFC North, and a big reason for that is Matthew Stafford .

The Lions quarterback is flirting with his best passer rating and completion percentage ever, and is on pace to throw single-digit interceptions for just the second time in his career. The other time? 2009, when Stafford only played three games thanks to injury.

It’s going to result in a big payday for Stafford, whose contract expires next season. He’s likely to become the highest-paid player in the league, and it’s not crazy to think he’ll command $25 million per year. That’s what his agents had in mind, even before his great 2016.

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Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

He probably won’t have to wait until 2017, either. The Lions haven’t exactly seen much postseason success in the past 60 years, winning just one playoff game since 1957. They’d be wise to lock Stafford up to a long-term deal, even if it means meeting his salary demands.

Currently, Stafford is making $17 million and is on the books for another $16.5 million last year. He signed an extension in 2013 and turns 29 in February, so he’s still got plenty of good years left in him.

This offseason, Colts quarterback Andrew Luck signed a five-year, $122.97 million deal, which is the richest in NFL history. Luck is making about $24.6 million per year with his new contract.

He joined Drew Brees , Joe Flacco and Carson Palmer as the only quarterbacks to average more than $22 million per season.

Stafford has a very real chance to surpass all of them. He can put himself in a much better position by getting Detroit back to the postseason and leading them to a victory once they’re there.

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