Ian Rapoport reports that the Denver Broncos made some serious contract news on Thursday, agreeing with star quarterback Russell Wilson on a five-year, $245 million extension that includes $165 million in guaranteed money.
The blockbuster deal is the third-most lucrative contract in NFL history, behind only Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson’s $230 million and Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray’s $189.5 million.
The extension pays Wilson an average salary of $49 million, with the salary cap rising even more over the next few years.
Sources: The #Broncos and QB Russell Wilson agree to terms on a 5-year, $245M massive extension. He gets $165M guaranteed. Officially locked in.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 1, 2022
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts isn’t as talented as Russell Wilson, and he doesn’t have to be regarding a loom contract extension.
It just has to be his time.
The new deal will impact Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who could be in line for a massive extension if he can lead Philadelphia to the postseason in back-to-back years.
Highest paid QB list
The $49 million a year puts Wilson at No. 2 on the list, behind Aaron Rodgers.
Jalen Hurts
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 will earn 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.
As a second-round pick, Hurts avoids the fifth-year option and will have one year left on his deal.
Over his first two seasons, Hurts has a 59% completion percentage with 4,063 yards passing, 21 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and 1,056 rushing yards.
Hurts, Josh Allen, and Kyler Murray shares similar numbers over their first two years, with the Cardinals star being the more efficient passer.
Impact and projections
Using the franchise tag on Hurts after the 2023 season would cost the Eagles upwards of $40 million for the 2024 season.
Howie Roseman is about striking first, assuming that the Eagles’ third-year quarterback’s trajectory continues to rise. In that case, Philadelphia could be on the hook for even more than was initially guaranteed when they signed Carson Wentz to a new deal.
If Hurts can lead the Eagles to the playoffs in back-to-back years while also vastly improving under center, he could land in the top 10 highest-paid signal-callers.
Forcasting a Hurts deal
Eagles Offensive Ranks from 2020 to 2021 season:
Total Yds: 24th ➡️ 14th
Total Pts: 26th ➡️ 12th
3rd Down Success: 28th ➡️ 4th
Sacked: 32nd ➡️ 6th
Turnovers: 30th ➡️ 5th
Red Zone %: 15th ➡️ 8th
Big plays: 22nd ➡️ T-1stJalen Hurts deserves more respect.pic.twitter.com/gcXCIkNSRr
— Michelle Magdziuk (@BallBlastEm) April 12, 2022
Hurts has 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.
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 improved product, or face one-year franchise-style deals that Kirk Cousins has now made famous.
Burrow and Herbert will reset the market, so if the Eagles decide they believe in Hurts after 2022, they’ll need to strike first and efficiently.
Hurts will still only be 24 years old come 2023, and a five-year, $180 million deal would put the talented quarterback at $36 million per season, ahead of names like Carson Wentz, Jared Goff, and Kirk Cousins.
Final Observation
In 2021, Raiders quarterback Derek Carr had a career-best 4,804 passing yards and 23 touchdowns, along with a career-worst 14 interceptions and 40 sacks, the second-highest total of his eight-year career.
Las Vegas went 10-7 and made the playoffs for the second time since 2002.
Carr was the Raiders’ second-round draft pick in 2014, out of Fresno State, and logged 31,700 passing yards, 193 TD passes (193), and 57 wins.
During Hurts’ rookie season, Carr had 4,103 yards passing, 27 touchdowns, and nine interceptions.
If Carr’s $40 million per season ave over the three years of the extension and the $19 million in 2022 are a barometer for Hurts, then a Pro Bowl and playoff appearance should be enough to warrant going as high as 7th on the list (Matthew stafford-Dak Prescott) for average per seasons.
