Now more than ever, it pays to be an NFL quarterback.
As Joe Burrow proved in his new deal with the Cincinnati Bengals , teams place a huge priority on having a top-flight QB under center. Burrow's five-year, $275 million contract extension made him the league's highest paid player – surpassing the previous record-holder, Justin Herbert – at a staggering average annual value of $55 million.
Herbert struck a five-year extension with the Los Angeles Chargers in July worth $262.5 million. Burrow and Herbert were joined among quarterbacks by the the Baltimore Ravens' Lamar Jackson and Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts in receiving lucrative contracts in 2023.
According to OverTheCap.com , the NFL's top 15 players in average annual salary are all quarterbacks. San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa is the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league after signing a five-year, $170 million extension.
Who is the highest-paid NFL player in 2023?
Here is Over The Cap's full list of the top 11 earners in the league by annual average salary:
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1. Joe Burrow , Cincinnati Bengals : $55 million
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2. Justin Herbert , Los Angeles Chargers : $52.5 million
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3. Lamar Jackson , Baltimore Ravens : $52 million
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4. Jalen Hurts , Philadelphia Eagles : $51 million
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5. Russell Wilson , Denver Broncos : $49 million
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6. Kyler Murray , Arizona Cardinals : $46.1 million
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7. Deshaun Watson , Cleveland Browns : $46 million
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8. Patrick Mahomes , Kansas City Chiefs : $45 million
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9. Josh Allen , Buffalo Bills : $43 million
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T10. Matthew Stafford , Los Angeles Rams : $40 million
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T10. Dak Prescott , Dallas Cowboys : $40 million
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T10. Daniel Jones , New York Giants : $40 million
What about Aaron Rodgers?
The four-time MVP was third on the list at $50.2 million under his former contract with the Green Bay Packers , but he just agreed to a new contract with the New York Jets that will lower his salary cap hit and give him a fully guaranteed $75 million over the next two seasons.
Rodgers is tied with Derek Carr of the New Orleans Saints with an average salary of $37.5 million, putting them just outside the top 10.
Here's the highest-paid list for all the positions
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL's highest-paid players: Ranking NFL's biggest contracts in 2023
