Bang For Your Buck: The 10 Most Productive Quarterbacks For Their Salary

A football team's quarterback is often regarded as the most important player on the team, and, therefore, are often the highest paid player on the team.

Every team wants to get the most production they can out of a player for the money they are paying them. These quarterbacks provide their team with the most yards per dollar made in the league.

Honorable Mention: Matt Schaub

2009 Base Salary: $6.95 Million
Yard-Dollar Ratio: $1,457 per yard
Touchdown-Dollar Ratio: $239,655 per touchdown
Completion-Dollar Ratio: $17,550 per completion

Matt Schaub emerged as one of the best quarterbacks in the league in 2009 as he led the Houston Texans to the brink of their first playoff birth in franchise history.

His 4,770 passing yards were the most in the NFL last season.

While his base salary was just shy of seven million dollars, with his salary bonus' he made $17 million, the fourth most of any quarterback in the NFL.

10. Tom Brady

2009 Base Salary: $5,000,000
Yard-Dollar Ratio: $1,136 per yard
Touchdown-Dollar Ratio: $178,571 per touchdown
Completion-Dollar Ratio: $13,477 per completion

In his first year back after a season ending knee injury, Brady put up 4,398 yards and 28 touchdowns. Those number were not as good as he is used to putting up, but was still good enough for top six in the league in each category.

With a full offseason to prepare, expect those numbers to increase in 2010.

9. Ben Roethlisberger

2009 Base Salary: $4.75 Million
Yard-Dollar Ratio: $1,097 per yard
Touchdown-Dollar Ratio: $182,692 per touchdown
Completion-Dollar Ratio: $14,094 per completion

Big Ben is one of the most productive guys in the league per dollar, but his off the field issues could be a reason why he only makes $4.75 million a year.

A few years ago he had his offseason motorcycle crash and this offseason he has been accused of rape. Roger Goddell has suspended him for the first six games of the 2010 season, so he likely won't make this list at the end of next year.

8. Kurt Warner (Retired)

2009 Base Salary: $4 Million
Yard-Dollar Ratio: $1,065 per yard
Touchdown-Dollar Ratio: $153,846 per touchdown
Completion-Dollar Ratio: $11,799 per completion

In his final season in the NFL, Kurt Warner led his team to a NFC West championship and his fifth Pro Bowl of his career.

Whether it's not getting drafted out of college or making less money than Kerry Collins in the final year of his career, Kurt Warner has always been and unfortunately will probably be far underrated.

His 32,344 career pass yards and 208 touchdown passes are the 26th most in NFL history, respectively.

7. Drew Brees

2009 Base Salary: $4,487,500
Yard-Dollar Ratio: $1,022 per yard
Touchdown-Dollar Ratio: $131,985 per touchdown
Completion-Dollar Ratio: $12,362 per completion

The quarterback of the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints, Drew Brees was also one of the most productive quarterbacks in the league, per dollar.

When Drew Brees gets his new contract, he will likely be one of the highest paid players in the league.

6. Jason Campbell

2009 Base Salary: $2,857,500
Yard-Dollar Ratio: $789 per yard
Touchdown-Dollar Ratio: $142,875 per touchdown
Completion-Dollar Ratio: $8738 per completion

Jason Campbell has very quietly built him a respectable resume while in Washington. In 2010, he will be under center for the Oakland Raiders and be under much more pressure to perform.

Campbell was one of six players in the NFL to make less than $1,000 per yard last season. Don't worry though, he is still living the good life and just signed a two-year, $7.74 million contract with the Raiders.

5. Joe Flacco

2009 Base Salary: $1,535,000
Yard-Dollar Ratio: $424 per yard
Touchdown-Dollar Ratio: $73,095 per touchdown
Completion-Dollar Ratio: $4,873 per completion

Flacco has emerged as one of the premier young quarterbacks in the league. In just his second season, he threw for over 3,600 yards and 21 touchdowns. As he matures into a veteran quarterback, his numbers will only grow.

4. Kyle Orton

2009 Base Salary: $995,000
Yard-Dollar Ratio: $261 per yard
Touchdown-Dollar Ratio: $47,380 per touchdown
Completion-Dollar Ratio: $2,961 per completion

Who would have though that after the 2009 season, Kyle Orton would have been the better player in the trade for him and Jay Cutler.

While Cutler could not hit a guy wearing the same jersey as him last season, Orton threw for over 3,800 yards and 21 touchdowns. His 12 interceptions were also 14, yes FOURTEEN, less than the 26 Cutler had last season.

3. Aaron Rodgers

2009 Base Salary: $680,000
Yard-Dollar Ratio: $153 per yard
Touchdown-Dollar Ratio: $22,666 per touchdown
Completion-Dollar Ratio: $1942 per completion

Aaron Rodgers' contract is mainly incentive based, which explains his low base salary. After incentive bonuses, he made over $8 million last season.

His 4,434 yards were the fourth most in the league last season and he has his eyes set on leading the league in that category in 2010.

Here's a stat to chew on, Peyton Manning made more than twice as much money per yard as Rodgers did per completion last year.

2. Tony Romo

2009 Base Salary: $620,000
Yard-Dollar Ratio: $138 per yard
Touchdown-Dollar Ratio: $23,846 per completion
Completion-Dollar Ratio: $1,786 per completion

Who would have thought that the most important player on the richest team in not only the NFL, but the entire world, would only make $620,000 a year. And just in case you were wondering, after bonuses his grand total was bumped up to only $625,980.

In 2010, his six-year, $62 million contract will kick in, putting his salary at $8.5 million a year.

1. Chad Henne

2009 Base Salary: $385,000
Yard-Dollar Ratio: $133 per yard
Touchdown-Dollar Ratio: $32,083 per touchdown
Completion-Dollar Ratio: $1,405 per completion

Who? That's right, of all the quarterbacks in the league, Chad Henne produced the most per dollar.

Henne was not even supposed to be the Dolphins starter at the beginning of 2009, but following an injury to Chad Pennington, he took over.

He only put up 2,878 passing yards and 12 touchdowns last season and I, for one, would not want him to be under center for my team but when it comes for dollar to yards production, he reigns supreme.