The NFL’s quarterback class from the 2020 draft is undoubtedly going to go down as the highest earning draft class of all time and it’s not even close.
Both Tua Tagovailoa and Jordan Love from that very draft class just secured massive contract extensions for their teams.
Jordan Love And Tua Tagovailoa The Latest To Ink Monster Deal
This past Friday, Tua signed a monster four year $212.4 million contract extension with the Miami Dolphins, that made him the third highest paid player in the NFL. It only took a few hours for Love to outdo him, getting a $220 million deal over four seasons himself. Love’s contract made him the highest paid player of all time tying both Joe Burrow and Trevor Lawrence.
Burrow is a member of that 2020 draft class as well, specifically the first overall pick of that draft. He signed an insane five-year, $275 million extension with the Cincinnati Bengals. When you add both Justin Herbert’s five year $262.5 million) and Jalen Hurts‘ five years, $255 million the numbers starts to get insane!
Adding up all the top five quarterbacks earnings just from the 2020 Draft Class and they have already signed dover $1 billion, with a b, in their careers. What is really insane, is that this is the 2020 draft class, just 4 years ago! These are the just the first extensions that each of these very young quarterbacks is signing…
“The 2020 NFL Draft now has produced nearly $1.25 billion in quarterback contracts,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted Friday night.
Burrow has had the most season success by far, from any of the group, as he was plays away from a Super Bowl Title. He has also gotten to the AFC Championship Game twice, but his main, and perhaps only, issue has been his inability to stay on the field deep into the season. Hurts has not been far behind Burrow with postseason success, as he was also plays away from being a champion.
Love Has barely played in the NFL, and while he had a spectacular last 10 games in his first season, there is certainly a major risk in making the highest paid player ever. Love can certainly prove the Packers right, but he has also barely played.
Lawrence and Love both have one playoff victory, and Herbert and Tagovailoa are still looking to get their first win in the playoffs.
What To Make Of These Monster Contract Extensions
Many fans and analysts have been debating on social media about a lot of these contract extensions and whether each of these young quarterbacks is deserving of the huge pay days for a multitude of different reasons. What it seems that everyone is forgetting, is that if these teams do not pay these gentlemen the money, than another team will.
Each of these quarterbacks was certainly going to get this money as what else can teams do now. It is quite the tough position, but if you have a top 10-15 quarterback eve, you are going to pay them huge as opposed to trying to find another in the draft or free agency. Teams must pay these guys for a few reasons.
Firstly, the cap will continue to rise steadily, if not drastically, and this will make all of these contracts more manageable for teams each year that goes by. Secondly, and more importantly, what are these teams supposed to do if not pay these quarterbacks? Should they look to get lucky in the draft or free agency? The fact of the matter is that teams cannot put faith in getting a better player at the most important position in sports, than what they have in the building when it comes to these players.
As time continues, quarterbacks will get paid even more, and fans and analysts will be quick to say that they are getting paid too much. This is simply the business of the league. As the best quarterback in the NFL, Patrick Mahomes has now slid out of the top 10, it will be interesting to see if he demands more next time around.
For now though, all of these quarterbacks should look to prove their teams right in giving them these huge contracts, and the best way to do that is to shine in the post season.
Related: NFL Fans Are All Debating Jordan Love Becoming The Highest Paid Player Ever
