David Hookstead
Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert might bring QB salaries to a whole new level in the NFL.
Right now, Aaron Rodgers has the highest average yearly salary of any passer in the NFL at $50.27 million.
However, the young gunslingers are both expected to reset the standard.
Justin Herbert and Joe Burrow are going to get paid.
“They are under contract through 2023 along with a fifth-year option for 2024, which both teams will inevitably pick up. The expectation is that both players sign new deals that surpass Rodgers’ league-high average of $50.3 million per year,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler recently wrote.
Currently, Burrow is on a fully guaranteed $36.1 million contract and Justin Herbert is on a fully guaranteed $26.58 million deal. That means both will earn more in a single season than they did over the first four years of their rookie deals.
It’s time for the both to get paid.
At the end of the day, the QB market has a lot to do with timing. Anyone who is a star can reset the market if they’re simply the latest guy to get paid.
There’s countless examples of that. In theory, that means Burrow and Herbert will both likely have “record” contracts.
Whoever goes first will beat Rodgers with a “record” deal, and then whoever goes second will almost certainly have a new record. How long will that hold? Probably right up until the next star QB is eligible for a massive extension.
Both guys are star gunslingers with plenty of football ahead of them. Now, it’s time for the Bengals passer and Chargers leader to get paid. Judging from ESPN’s report, both are going to have generational wealth by the time it’s all said and done.
Both of them are great leaders and team first guys. I doubt primary objective for either of them is to be the highest paid. They will do deals that are good for themselves but also out the team in a financial position to thrive for next 10-15 years.
Brady showed how to do it, take less money so the team can always compete for super bowls (then marry a model who makes more than you, which doesn’t hurt). Also, the more you win, the more endorsements. I will never tell anybody to take less money than they are worth, but if you want to win and have a competitive team forever, maybe taking a little less so they can spend it on talent around you isn’t the worst idea.
Completely agree with @Kevcaro1 and @GHigg. Burrow is not a “me first” type like a certain spoiled QB who’s trying to force his team’s hand because another team overpaid their QB. Joe cares about winning and will have his contract structured so the Bengals can keep (and reward) their players.