As many as 12 quarterbacks in the NFL are paid more than Lamar Jackson, who's holding out for a huge deal before the start of the 2023 season.
Jackson has quickly become one of the most desired players across the NFL in recent weeks, after the Baltimore Ravens placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on the quarterback. Jackson turned down a five-year £208.5m ($250m) deal with the Ravens last season, a contract that would have seen him make a guaranteed £111m ($133m).
The 26-year-old clearly feels as though he knows his true value, something he's claimed the Ravens are unwilling to honour. The Ravens offered Jackson what seemed to be a desirable deal last season, but other contracts around the league appear to have turned his head.
The non-exclusive tag was placed on Jackson as the Ravens were keen on keeping the quarterback long-term, but wanted to see what offers came in from elsewhere. They still have the right to match any incoming offer for their star, but Jackson tweeted on Monday to explain that he's already asked to be traded.
Jackson can't have many complaints with some of the deals around the league, with Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers and even arguably Allen exceeding his £26.25m ($32.4m) earnings guaranteed by the tag by quite some margin. But in line with his current contract there are 12 other quarterbacks paid more than the Ravens star per year, and here Mirror NFL brings you a list of those quarterbacks exceeding his earnings.
1: Aaron Rodgers - £40.8m ($50.27m)
Last year, Rodgers signed a huge three-year contract extension with the Green Bay Packers, in a deal worth £122m ($150m) as he became the most-paid NFL star per season. It looks like he will be seeing out that contract with the New York Jets now, as a trade nears.
There is also the option for Rodgers to extend that deal to 2026, with further year options embedded into the agreement. The four-time MVP is very much at the end of his career, and Jackson isn't naïve enough to demand that sort of package at this stage.
2: Russell Wilson - £39.75m ($49m)
Russell Wilson also secured a huge contract extension last year as he switched the Seattle Seahawks for the Denver Broncos, putting pen to paper on a £198m ($245m) deal. Wilson's contract is a five-year extension, running through the 2028 season as he looks to bring the Broncos back to their former glory.
Wilson now has head coach Sean Payton to work with, and the Broncos are keen to break their postseason drought in 2023. Since winning the Super Bowl in 2015, they've failed to make the playoffs and been extremely underwhelming.
3: Kyler Murray - £37.4m ($46.1m)
One deal that may have turned Jackson's head is the one handed to Kyler Murray by the Arizona Cardinals. Murray is only 25, but signed a five-year £187m ($230.5m) contract extension with the Cardinals in July 2022 - with £130m ($160m) guaranteed.
In February 2022, Murray made his feelings clear as he removed all Cardinals-related posts from his Instagram, and was not satisfied with the deal he was currently on. He was later rewarded and remains one of the best-paid quarterbacks in the business.
4: DeShaun Watson - £37.3m ($46m)
If Murray's deal wasn't enough, then DeShaun Watson's was certainly enough to get Jackson asking questions. Watson is an extremely talented quarterback, but signed a fully-guaranteed contract with the Browns in March 2022 after being handed a lengthy suspension by the NFL.
His deal was the largest contract and most guaranteed money in NFL history, and Watson will finally be able to begin a full season for the Browns. Watson hasn't completed a full season since 2020, and the Browns will be hoping they've invested their money wisely.
5: Patrick Mahomes - £36.5m ($45m)
Patrick Mahomes broke records when he signed his mammoth 10-year contract extension with the Kansas City Chiefs, as it became the largest contract in sporting history. The 10-year deal is worth up to £407m ($503m), keeping him at the Chiefs until 2031.
With a Super Bowl under his belt and his talent clear to see, it's not too surprising the Chiefs were desperate to tie down the generational talent. And Mahomes has since secured another title, after the Chiefs beat the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl last season.
6: Josh Allen - £34.9m ($43m)
It's likely that Jackson has followed Josh Allen's career very closely, as the two were in the same round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Allen was picked seventh overall by the Bills while Jackson was 32nd after being acquired by the Ravens.
While Jackson has continued on his initial deal when arriving in the NFL, Allen was rewarded with a six-year contract extension back in 2021. The deal was worth £210m ($258m), with £122m ($150m) of that guaranteed over the duration of the contract.
7: Matthew Stafford - £32.5m ($40m)
Matthew Stafford was drafted first overall back in 2009, when he joined the Detroit Lions and remained with the franchise for 11 years. He didn't have things easy in Detroit, and only managed to make it to the postseason on three occasions.
In 2021 he joined the Los Angeles Rams as he was traded in a deal involving Jared Goff, a 2021 third-round pick and two first-round picks in 2022 and 2023. Stafford led the Rams to the Super Bowl despite never winning a postseason game previously, and they went all the way in a stunning season for the franchise.
8: Dak Prescott - £32.5m ($40m)
Dak Prescott was offered a bumper new deal in 2021 after being franchise tagged by the Dallas Cowboys, with the four-year contract worth £130m ($160m). Prescott was selected in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft, and has grinded to be in the position he now finds himself in.
The Cowboys have made it to the playoffs four times during his career, making back-to-back appearances in each of the last two seasons. But his postseason record has led to some doubts, winning just two playoff games.
9: Daniel Jones - £32.5m ($40m)
The New York Giants opted to use their franchise tag on running-back Saquon Barkley this offseason, and instead agreed a new four-year £130m ($160m) deal with Daniel Jones just minutes before the tag deadline. It was a scramble over at the Giants, but they did what they needed to do.
The 25-year-old was drafted sixth overall in 2019, and enjoyed his best season to date during the 2022 campaign. Jones enjoyed a positive regular season record for the first time with the Giants, and they even caused a shock in the playoffs before crashing out against the Eagles.
10: Derek Carr - £30.4m ($37.5m)
Derek Carr moved franchises for the very first time in his NFL career this offseason, after being released by the Las Vegas Raiders. The Raiders made it clear to Carr that he would be moving on ahead of next season, and the quarterback waited until he was released to negotiate terms.
Carr will now lead the New Orleans Saints after signing a four-year £122m ($150m) deal with the franchise, and will also switch to a more favourable division. It's been a struggle for Carr, who's had to compete with Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert for the past few seasons.
11: Kirk Cousins - £28.4m ($35m)
In March 2022, Cousins signed a one-year, £28.4m ($35m) fully guaranteed contract extension through the 2023 season. The 34-year-old has been with the Minnesota Vikings since 2018, after leaving the formerly known Washington Redskins.
After being drafted in 2012, Cousins has been selected for the Pro Bowl on four occasions, but has failed to inspire much postseason success. Cousins has just one playoff win to his name, in five total appearances.
12: Jarred Goff - £26.4m ($32.5m)
Jared Goff signed a four-year extension worth £108.7m ($134m) in 2019 after joining the Rams, with £89.2m ($110m) of that guaranteed - which at the time was a record. This was later beaten by Mahomes' deal, and many more following Goff's initial contract.
Goff was a former first overall pick in 2016, and the 28-year-old has been named as a Pro Bowl star on three occasions. Goff was a major part of the Lions' turnaround season in 2022, although they missed out on the postseason on the final day, and will be hoping to continue his good form moving forwards.
It's intriguing to see where Jackson will end up, although his options are fairly limited as many teams have already committed to quarterback options for the 2023 season. However, Jackson issued his stance back on March 2, as he requested to move away from the Ravens.
"A letter to my fans," Jackson wrote on Twitter. "I want to first thank you all for all of the love and support you consistently show towards me. All of you are amazing and I appreciate y’all so much.
"All of you are amazing and I appreciate y’all so much. I want you all to know not to believe everything you read about me.
"Let me personally answer your questions in regards to my future plans. As of March 2nd I requested a trade from the Ravens organization for which the Ravens has not been interested in meeting my value.
"Any and everyone that’s has met me or been around me know I love the game of football and my dream is to help a team win the Super Bowl. You all are great but I had to make a business decision that was best for my family and I."
