The price for Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts just went up again after the New York Giants agreed to t a four-year, $160 million deal with the Giants that includes $35 million in incentives as well.
The $40 million a year puts Jones among the top ten highest-paid quarterbacks and he’s tied for 7th on the list with Dak Prescott and Matthew Stafford’s $40 million per season.
The #Giants are signing QB Daniel Jones to a new four-year, $160 million contract with $35 million in incentives, per source.
Jones, 25, would’ve been the youngest QB ever to get the franchise tag … which they’ll now use on Saquon Barkley instead. pic.twitter.com/ktvL84jruv
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 7, 2023
All eyes will now turn toward new deals for Lamar Jackson (non-exclusive tag), Justin Herbert (Chargers), Joe Burrow (Bengals), and Hurts.
Hurts is a Pro Bowl quarterback, All-Pro and 2022 MVP runner up.
A 2020 second-round pick, Hurts won’t have to worry about a fifth-year option before he can cash out and 2023 will be the final year of his rookie contract.
Howie Roseman is all about striking first and since the Eagles’ third-year quarterback’s trajectory has risen to elite status, Philadelphia could be on the hook for even more than was initially guaranteed when they signed Carson Wentz to a new deal.
After leading the Eagles to the playoffs in back-to-back years, while also vastly improving under center, Hurts will soon be one of the top five highest-paid signal-callers.
Here’s an early projection of what a new deal for Hurts would look like thanks to Jones.
Eagles want to be fair
The Eagles have always been fair and early when it comes to projecting contract extensions and they must be prepared to now exceed the $40 million a year mark.
Donovan McNabb’s 9-year, $70 million deal came prior to Howie Roseman joining the organization on a full-time basis.
Roseman is a disciple of Joe Banner and learned his penchant for signing big-name players to team-friendly deals before the player hits free agency.
The next big-named quarterback was Michael Vick, who received a 2-year, $6.8 million deal upon returning to the NFL in 2009.
After McNabb was traded to Washington, Vick received the franchise tag ($16M) before Philadelphia then signed him to a six-year, $100 million contract with $40 million guaranteed.
At that time, Vick’s per year base salary of $16.7 million was only less than then Patriots quarterback Tom Brady ($18.01) and Colts quarterback Peyton Manning ($18 million), but it was more than N.Y. Giants quarterback Eli Manning ($16.25 million) and Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers ($15.3 million).
A few years after Vick moved on, Philadelphia acquired quarterback Sam Bradford from the Rams in 2015 and then signed him to a deal worth $36 million ($18M per) over two years, with $26 million guaranteed.
2023 NFL Free agency
Philadelphia can’t have a totally clear view of what can be spent and the available money for free agents and extensions until the Hurts domino falls.
Signing Hurts frees up $2 million and allows Howie Roseman the ability to navigate a tight free-agent market.
That thinking caused the Eagles to not use the franchise tag on C.J. Gardner-Johnson or any other player, making 19 players pending free agents.
Highest paid quarterbacks in the NFL 2023
The NFL’s quarterback market has exploded over the last decade, as it is now the most important position in the league.
With the salary cap set to increase, the tier for salaries will increase as well.
Per Over The Cap
At $49 million a year, Russell Wilson is at No. 2 on the list, behind Aaron Rodgers.
Jones cracks the list with his new deal, pushing Kirk Cousins out of the top 10.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes had the highest average salary entering the 2022 offseason at $45 million per year, but he was leapfrogged by Aaron Rodgers and Deshaun Watson, sitting fifth on the list.
Rodgers signed a new extension worth under $50.3 million per year.
Following his trade to the Cleveland Browns, DeShaun Watson saw his rise to $46 million guaranteed per season.
Watson, Mahomes, Josh Allen, Derek Carr, Matthew Stafford,Dak Prescott, and now Daniel Jones all now make at least $40 million per year while Rodgers is the only player making $50 million per season.
How Daniel Jones' 4-year, $160 million extension impacts Hurts
Tasked with replacing franchise icon Eli Manning, the 25-year-old Jones has had his ups and downs with the Giants.
Jones threw 24 touchdown passes as a rookie but also threw 12 interceptions and lost 16 fumbles.
The former Duke star went 3-9, 5-9, and 4-7 in his first three years as a starter and had his fifth-year option declined which would have paid Jones $22.5 million in 2023.
This season Jones stayed healthy for the first time, setting career highs in completion percentage (67.2), passing yards (3,205), passer rating (92.5), rushing (708 yards), and rushing touchdowns (seven).
Average DYAR per season of QBs before signing a $40+M APY contract:
•Patrick Mahomes: 1690
•Aaron Rodgers: 1117
•Dak Prescott: 932
•Deshaun Watson: 797
•Russell Wilson: 768
•Matt Stafford: 647
•Kyler Murray: 592
•Josh Allen: 302•Daniel Jones(?): -92 https://t.co/bp1aux80cy
— Nick Korte (@nickkorte) March 3, 2023
Those numbers are nice, but if they are any kind of barometer for Hurts, then the Pro Bowl nod, All-Pro honors, two straight playoffs, and Super Bowl appearance should be enough to warrant going as high as 6th on the list (Josh Allen $43M) in average per season.
Hurts progression over the years
A 2020 second-round pick, Hurts signed a 4-year, $6,025,171 contract with the Philadelphia Eagles, including a $1,941,944 signing bonus, $2,825,815 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $1,506,293. In 2022, Hurts earned a base salary of $1,082,744 and a workout bonus of $75,000 while carrying a cap hit of $1,643,230 and a dead cap value of $970,972.
Over his first two seasons, Hurts had a 59% completion percentage with 4,063 yards passing, 21 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and 1,056 rushing yards.
In year three, he exploded for 3,701 yards passing, 22 touchdowns, six interceptions, and a 66.7 QBR. He added 760 yards on the ground and 13 rushing touchdowns as well.
Hurts, Josh Allen and Kyler Murray share similar numbers over their first two years, with the Cardinals star being the more efficient passer.
Now only Allen and Patrick Mahomes can be viewed as better players at the position currently, with Justin Herbert and Joe Burrow in that elite circle as well.
Projecting a Hurts deal
He’s improved every season and the 2022 campaign will be his first with the same offensive play-caller since his days at Channelview High School.
Using the franchise tag on Hurts after the 2023 season could cost the Eagles upwards of $31 million according to Over The Cap while a fair value extension would be less taxing on the salary cap.
Thirteen current NFL quarterbacks are signed to deals worth more than $100 million, and guys like Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, and Tua Tagovailoa will all have some say in resetting the market as well.
Only the Packers’ Jordan Love has played less than Hurts in the 2020 class, but the Eagles star could get paid first because he was a second-round pick.
With the NFL quarterback tier no longer having a middle class, Philadelphia will either extend Hurts, allow him to walk as an already improved product, or face one-year franchise-style deals that Kirk Cousins has now made famous.
Burrow and Herbert are going to reset the market, so if the Eagles decide they believe in Hurts they’ll need to strike first and efficiently.
Hurts will still only be 24 years old come 2023, and a five-year, $250 million deal would put the talented quarterback at $50 million per season, ahead of every quarterback on the list.
Final analysis
If Jalen Hurts is looking “to be one of the two or three highest-paid players (based on average annual value) in the game, then the five-year, $230.5 million that Arizona gave Kyler Murray is likely the basement of any deal, with the five-year, $245,000,000 deal that Russell Wilson signed with Denver as an appropriate ceiling for a quarterback looking to maintain room to upgrade the roster.
