Justin Herbert #10 of the Los Angeles Chargers walks off the court after defeating the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 26, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Daniel Jones (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
Giants quarterback Daniel Jones got his purse on Tuesday, paving the way for these four players to earn many, many more.
Not many people like Daniel Jones’ new contract extension with the New York Giants, and for good reason. The Giants and Jones negotiated to the wire and agreed to a four-year, $160 million contract before the franchise’s tag deadline, allowing New York to tag running Saquon Barkley instead.
In the deal, Jones will receive $82 million in guaranteed money and his salary will be spread over all four years: In 2023, his base salary is $9.5 million. In 2026, his base salary has increased to $46.5 million.
The Giants will have to absorb Jones’ monster cap in 2024 and beyond, but the franchise can exit the contract after the 2024 season if they wish, making it more than a three-year deal.
On the surface, Jones earning an average of $40 million a year is not true. The fourth-year quarterback has only produced one impressive season in his NFL career and has yet to prove he can replicate his success.
His salary is tied for seventh in the league along with Dak Prescott and Matthew Stafford, adding pressure for him to perform in 2023. Jones, who has yet to earn his strips in the NFL, still has work to do.
However, these four players are building on an already successful career and should make way more than Daniel Jones when the time comes for another deal.
Best of Daniel Jones QB #4: Justin Herbert
Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers is officially eligible for an extension after completing his third season in the NFL, and his extension numbers would be massive.
The Chargers could retain Herbert with a fifth-year team option in 2024 if the parties did not reach a contract extension; If the two don’t have a deal, Los Angeles can tag the franchise to him for up to three consecutive seasons.
Suffice it to say, this path is not desirable from a team perspective because the amount of the perk mark increases each time it is used again on the player.
The best case scenario would be for Herbert and the Chargers to get a long-term deal as soon as possible and try to find a happy medium between the quagmire of expensive quarterback contracts in today’s NFL.
If Herbert was after Deshaun Watson’s money, he probably wouldn’t have it. But he’s able to make a lot more money than Daniel Jones, and given his franchise potential, he could easily command an average salary of $48-$55 million.
A fully secured number is an entirely different beast and entirely dependent on Herbert’s wishes. Barring a sudden dip in form from a starting quarterback in 2020, Herbert’s last three years have convinced the Chargers that he’s the quarterback of the future. When it comes time to pay him like one, LA will do just that.
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