NFL's Highest-Paid QB Rankings After Historic Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts Contracts

Jalen Hurts wasn't even the NFL's highest-paid quarterback for two weeks after agreeing to his new five-year, $255 million deal with the Philadelphia Eagles in mid-April.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Thursday that the Baltimore Ravens and Lamar Jackson agreed to a new five-year, $260 million deal after a dragged-out process. The deal made the 2019 MVP the highest-paid player in the league on an annual basis.

Here is a look at the NFL's highest-paid quarterbacks by average annual value, per Spotrac:

1. Lamar Jackson, BAL: $52 million

2. Jalen Hurts, PHI: $51 million

3. Aaron Rodgers, NYJ: $50.3 million

4. Russell Wilson, DEN: $48.5 million

5. Kyler Murray, ARI: $46.1 million

6. Deshaun Watson, CLE: $46 million

7. Patrick Mahomes, KC: $45 million

8. Josh Allen, BUF: $43 million

T9. Daniel Jones, NYG: $40 million

T9. Dak Prescott, DAL: $40 million

T9: Matthew Stafford, LAR: $40 million

Part of this is just a function of when the deals were done. More recent deals are typically higher since quarterbacks use the contracts of their peers as starting points in negotiations.

That's why Patrick Mahomes, who is on his way to becoming one of the best signal-callers in NFL history and is largely considered the best in today's game after another Super Bowl title, is seventh on the list, behind the likes of Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray and others.

The Ravens must be relieved to have Jackson's negotiations finally settled, even if it is a record-setting contract. They placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on him this offseason, which allowed him to negotiate with other teams. Baltimore could have matched any offer, and it would have received two first-round picks in return if it didn't.

In late March, Jackson tweeted that he requested a trade because the Ravens had "not been interested in meeting my value."

A trade never came, and he seemed fired up to get back to work with the only NFL team he has ever played for:

Being the highest-paid player in the league probably doesn't hurt.