Christian McCaffrey, Ezekiel Elliott and NFL's Biggest RB Contracts

Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey is one of the NFL's best overall playmakers, and he will reportedly be paid accordingly.

On Monday, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the Stanford product will sign a four-year contract extension that will pay him $16 million per year. That makes him the highest-paid running back in NFL history on a per-year basis, surpassing Dallas Cowboys tailback Ezekiel Elliott.

Here's look at how McCaffrey compares to the NFL's other highest-paid running backs based on annual average salary (via Spotrac).

• Christian McCaffrey, Carolina Panthers: $16 million
• Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys: $15 million
• Le'Veon Bell, New York Jets: $13.125 million
• David Johnson, Houston Texans: $13 million
• Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans: $10.3 million
• Kenyan Drake, Arizona Cardinals: $8.5 million
• Melvin Gordon, Denver Broncos: $8 million
• Saquon Barkley, New York Giants: $7.8 million
• Leonard Fournette, Jacksonville Jaguars: $6.8 million
• Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers: $6.1 million

One thing that jumps out is the lack of significant team success. Derrick Henry is the only player on the list who made the playoffs last season.

That is both a testament to the league's shift away from the traditional mindset of establishing the run in favor of prioritizing the aerial attack and Henry's own individual accolades from last year, when he led the league in rushing yards and carried the Tennessee Titans to the AFC Championship Game.

However, the league's schematic shift is what makes McCaffrey so valuable.

Evan Kaplan of ESPN Stats & Info noted he is the first player in NFL history to tally 2,500 rushing and 2,500 receiving yards in his first three seasons in the league. The 23-year-old has 2,920 rushing yards, 2,523 receiving yards and 40 total touchdowns, one of which came on a pass, since the Panthers selected him with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft.

"I'm so excited to continue my career in Carolina," McCaffrey said after news of his new deal broke, per Schefter. "I want to thank Mr. Tepper, Marty Hurney, and Coach Rhule for the opportunity to help lead this great franchise, and to all my teammates for their help along the way. And to Panthers fans, KEEP POUNDING!"

The running back is now the face of the Panthers franchise with former quarterback Cam Newton and head coach Ron Rivera both gone, and he played the part in 2019 with 1,387 rushing yards, 1,005 receiving yards and 19 total touchdowns.

He will be paid handsomely to continue posting numbers like that, and his age and career trajectory suggest he likely will in 2020 and beyond. The next step will be leading the Panthers to their first playoff win since their Super Bowl run in the 2015 season.