ArticleScore 100
After the Patrick Mahomes deal, which quarterbacks are next to get paid?
Jun 14, 2026Mike FlorioPro Football Talk
Getting things ready
Loading Fantasy Red Zone…
Player mentions
Article text
The new Patrick Mahomes contract covers eight seasons and averages, from signing, a payout of $63.093 million per year . That pushes the market to unprecedented heights. And it brings into focus the next wave of quarterback deals. So let's take a look at the quarterbacks who'll use the Mahomes contract as a key data point for ongoing or upcoming negotiations. Lamar Jackson, Ravens. Jackson has wanted a new deal for more than a year. His current contract averaged $52.5 million per year from signing. At the time it was finalized, he was the highest paid player in the league. He has now slid down to the bottom of the top 10. Mahomes getting to $63.09 million, especially while still recovering from a torn ACL, will only strengthen Lamar's resolve. Jackson currently has $104 million remaining on his current contract, over the next two years. With a no-tag clause, he can kick the can through the next two seasons and become an unrestricted free agent. It gives him significant leverage, and Mahomes's contract likely nudges Lamar's reasonable expectations from at least $60.1 million per year (based on Dak Prescott's latest deal) to at least $63.1 million annually. Joe Burrow, Bengals. In 2023, after his first three NFL seasons, Burrow agreed to a seven-year deal with an average from signing of $44.28 million per year and a new-money average of $55 million. He has four years left with a total payout of $163.539 million, an average of $40.88 million. His recent restructuring was a cap-creation device, with no new money. The Bengals, who are extremely careful with money , may not be inclined to tear up the current deal and replace it with a new contract. For his part, Burrow may not be inclined to extend his commitment to the team. His discontent after three straight non-playoff seasons has become more obvious. As he enters his seventh season in Cincinnati, Burrow could be thinking about reaching the same conclusion Carson Palmer did after his eighth. Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers. He has said talks on a deal that would extend his $33.3 million per year contract are nowhere close to where he thought they'd be. The Buccaneers could tag him in 2027, or they could let him hit the open market. Some think the Bucs wouldn't use the franchise tag; with a 2026 cap number of $39.975 million, Mayfield's 2027 franchise tender would be at least $47.97 million. There's a sense in some circles that the Bucs believe they'll ultimately offer him more than anyone would in free agency, if a new deal isn't done before Mayfield's self-imposed deadline of the start of training camp. C.J. Stroud. The Texans repeatedly have proclaimed that he's their guy. But they have yet to do for him what they'd done for cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. and defensive end Will Anderson — sign the first-round pick to a new deal before his fourth season. The challenge at this point comes from putting a number on his second contract. There's a broad range when it comes to veteran quarterback pay. Where would Stroud fit? Currently, the number would be lower than it could be for Stroud, if he has a strong fourth season. Since the Texans realize that, at this point, they'd be only bidding against themselves, there's no reason to rush the process. Caleb Williams, Bears. The first overall pick in the 2024 draft becomes eligible for a new deal after the 2026 regular season. And Williams has been very focused on the business realities of the NFL, from even before he was drafted. When the time comes f…