Projected QB1 & QB2 Financials

Michael Ginnitti
Michael Ginnitti, Managing Editor & NFL/MLB ExpertMay 09, 2024
© USA TODAY Sports

As NFL teams turn their focus toward the summer months, we'll begin to project how rosters & lineups will shake out for the upcoming 2024 season, starting with a few financials notes for projected starting & backup quarterbacks.

STARTER VALUE
9 teams currently project to carry a QB1 that will earn less in 2024 than his respective QB2

  • New England (Brissett, Maye)
  • Las Vegas (O’Connell, Minshew)
  • Minnesota (Darnold, McCarthy)
  • Indianapolis (Richardson, Flacco)
  • Pittsburgh (Wilson, Fields)
  • Tennessee (Levis, Rudolph)
  • Carolina (Young, Dalton)
  • San Francisco (Purdy, Dobbs)
  • Houston (Stroud, Mills)

ROOKIE CONTRACTS
40% of the projected QB1s & QB2s are on a rookie contract, including 6 in their first year. 11 projected starting QBs are set to play on a rookie contract (though Trevor Lawrence & Tua Tagovailoa could extend this summer).

VET CONTRACTS
17 projected QB1s & QB2s enter 2024 on a brand new contract, including 4 projected starters (Cousins Darnold, Brissett, Wilson, Mayfield). Barring an extension this summer, Jared Goff is set to play out the 6th season of his current contract. Patrick Mahomes is in Year 5, while Josh Allen & Dak Prescott are starting down Year 5 of their extensions.

QB1 High: Mahomes, $450M; QB1 Low: Wilson, $1.21M
QB2 High: Minshew: $25M; QB2 Low: Johnson, $1.3M

ANNUAL AVERAGES
Only 1 projected starting QB carries an average salary below $1M: Brock Purdy (SF). The average of the QB1 averages currently chimes in at $25M, with projected backup QBs set to earn $3.6M on average.

QB1 High: Burrow, $55M; QB1 Low: Purdy, $934k
QB2 High: Minshew, $12.5M; QB2 Low: Bagent, $906k

EXTENSION CANDIDATES
Dak Prescott (DAL): Is entering the 4th and final season of his recent extension, set to earn $34M for 2024.
Jared Goff (DET): Is entering the 6th and final season of his contract, set to earn $27.3M for 2024
Jordan Love (GB): Is entering the 2nd and final season of his bridge extension, set to earn $11M for 2024
Trevor Lawrence (JAX): Is entering the 4th year of his rookie contract. The Jags exercised a $25.6M option for 2025
Tua Tagovailoa (MIA): Is entering the 5th and final season of his rookie contract, set to earn $23.1M for 2024

PENDING FREE AGENTS
7 projected starting QBs are slated for free agency next March:

  • Dak Prescott (DAL)
  • Jared Goff (DET)
  • Jordan Love (GB)
  • Tua Tagovailoa (MIA)
  • Sam Darnold (MIN)
  • Jacoby Brissett (NE)
  • Russell Wilson (PIT)

(scroll right for additional data)

TEAM QB1 CONTRACT TYPE/YEAR 2024 CASH AVERAGE SALARY   QB2 CONTRACT TYPE/YEAR 2024 CASH AVERAGE SALARY   QB1+QB2 QB1-QB2
ARI Kyler Murray VET 3 $38,850,000 $46,100,000   Desmond Ridder ROOKIE 3 $1,192,542 $1,340,740   $40,042,542 $37,657,458
ATL Kirk Cousins VET 1 $62,500,000 $45,000,000   Michael Penix Jr. ROOKIE 1 $14,256,916 $5,720,659   $76,756,916 $48,243,084
BAL Lamar Jackson VET 2 $32,500,000 $52,000,000   Josh Johnson VET MIN $1,377,500 $1,377,500   $33,877,500 $31,122,500
BUF Josh Allen VET 4 $30,000,000 $43,005,667   Mitchell Trubisky VET 1 $2,750,000 $2,625,000   $32,750,000 $27,250,000
CAR Bryce Young ROOKIE 2 $2,475,231 $9,488,768   Andy Dalton VET 2 $4,000,000 $5,000,000   $6,475,231 -$1,524,769
CHI Caleb Williams ROOKIE 1 $26,332,132 $9,871,515   Tyson Bagent ROOKIE 2 $915,000 $906,667   $27,247,132 $25,417,132
CIN Joe Burrow VET 2 $65,714,000 $55,000,000   Jake Browning ROOKIE 2 $915,000 $972,500   $66,629,000 $64,799,000
CLE Deshaun Watson VET 3 $46,000,000 $46,000,000   Jameis Winston VET 1 $4,000,000 $4,000,000   $50,000,000 $42,000,000
DAL Dak Prescott VET 4 $34,000,000 $40,000,000   Cooper Rush VET 2 $2,250,000 $2,500,000   $36,250,000 $31,750,000
DEN Bo Nix ROOKIE 1 $11,151,848 $4,653,292   Jarrett Stidham VET 2 $6,000,000 $5,000,000   $17,151,848 $5,151,848
DET Jared Goff VET 6 $27,300,064 $33,500,000   Hendon Hooker ROOKIE 2 $1,009,956 $1,429,755   $28,310,020 $26,290,108
GB Jordan Love VET 2 $11,000,000 $13,500,000   Sean Clifford ROOKIE 2 $915,000 $1,041,045   $11,915,000 $10,085,000
HOU C.J. Stroud ROOKIE 2 $2,399,057 $9,069,811   Davis Mills ROOKIE 4 $3,116,000 $1,304,383   $5,515,057 -$716,943
IND Anthony Richardson ROOKIE 2 $2,295,183 $8,498,508   Joe Flacco VET 1 $4,500,000 $4,500,000   $6,795,183 -$2,204,817
JAC Trevor Lawrence ROOKIE 4 $5,677,294 $9,198,372   Mac Jones ROOKIE 4 $2,785,412 $3,896,588   $8,462,706 $2,891,882
KC Patrick Mahomes VET 5 $45,750,000 $45,000,000   Carson Wentz VET 1 $3,325,000 $3,325,000   $49,075,000 $42,425,000
LAC Justin Herbert VET 2 $56,600,000 $52,500,000   Easton Stick VET 1 $2,667,500 $2,667,500   $59,267,500 $53,932,500
LAR Matthew Stafford VET 3 $31,000,000 $40,000,000   Jimmy Garoppolo VET 1 $3,178,750 $3,178,750   $34,178,750 $27,821,250
LV Aidan O'Connell ROOKIE 2 $915,000 $1,087,345   Gardner Minshew VET 1 $12,500,000 $12,500,000   $13,415,000 -$11,585,000
MIA Tua Tagovailoa ROOKIE 5 $23,171,000 $7,568,860   Mike White VET 2 $3,500,000 $4,000,000   $26,671,000 $19,671,000
MIN Sam Darnold VET 1 $10,000,000 $10,000,000   JJ McCarthy ROOKIE 1 $13,509,396 $5,463,699   $23,509,396 -$3,509,396
NE Jacoby Brissett VET 1 $8,000,000 $8,000,000   Drake Maye ROOKIE 1 $24,262,100 $9,159,941   $32,262,100 -$16,262,100
NO Derek Carr VET 2 $30,000,000 $37,500,000   Jake Haener ROOKIE 2 $915,000 $915,000   $30,915,000 $29,085,000
NYG Daniel Jones VET 2 $36,000,000 $40,000,000   Drew Lock VET 1 $5,000,000 $5,000,000   $41,000,000 $31,000,000
NYJ Aaron Rodgers VET 2 $38,161,112 $37,500,000   Tyrod Taylor VET 1 $6,000,000 $6,000,000   $44,161,112 $32,161,112
PHI Jalen Hurts VET 2 $40,000,000 $51,000,000   Kenny Pickett ROOKIE 3 $1,983,900 $3,516,976   $41,983,900 $38,016,100
PIT Russell Wilson VET MIN $1,210,000 $1,210,000   Justin Fields ROOKIE 4 $3,233,448 $4,717,989   $4,443,448 -$2,023,448
SEA Geno Smith VET 2 $22,500,000 $25,000,000   Sam Howell ROOKIE 3 $985,000 $1,005,400   $23,485,000 $21,515,000
SF Brock Purdy ROOKIE 3 $985,000 $934,252   Joshua Dobbs VET 1 $2,250,000 $2,250,000   $3,235,000 -$1,265,000
TB Baker Mayfield VET 1 $30,000,000 $33,333,333   Kyle Trask ROOKIE 4 $1,414,819 $1,383,834   $31,414,819 $28,585,181
TEN Will Levis ROOKIE 2 $1,183,735 $2,385,541   Mason Rudolph VET 1 $2,870,000 $2,870,000   $4,053,735 -$1,686,265
WAS Jayden Daniels ROOKIE 1 $25,067,108 $9,436,663   Marcus Mariota VET 1 $6,000,000 $6,000,000   $31,067,108 $19,067,108

Top