Where Kyle Murray's New Deal Ranks Among the 10 Highest-Paid Players in the NFL

Where Kyle Murray's New Deal Ranks Among the 10 Highest-Paid Players in the NFL

The Arizona Cardinals and star QB, Kyler Murray came to terms on a massive extension for the number-one overall pick, this afternoon. Murray becomes the highest-paid player in the league on a base salary basis.

With Murray's new deal in mind, let's take a look at the NFL's top-10 highest-paid players when it comes to base salaries.

NFL's Top 10 Highest-Paid Players

1. Kyler Murray, QB, Arizona Cardinals, $29.7 million

Just three years removed from being the number one overall pick, Kyler Murray just put pen to paper on his new five-year, $230.5 million deal to return to the Arizona Cardinals. The 24-year-old is coming off a stellar season where he compiled 3,787 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions while adding 423 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. However, Murray did miss three games due to an ankle sprain but managed to start every game during his first two seasons in the league. Murray's new deal comes with $160 million guaranteed, good for second all-time to the Browns' new starter, Deshaun Watson and his fully guaranteed $230 million.

2. Ryan Tannehill, QB, Tennessee Titans, $29.0 million

The Tennessee Titans gave Ryan Tannehill a four-year, $118 million deal following his 2018 campaign with the Miami Dolphins. Tannehill proved to be worth every penny, early on as he led the Titans to a wild card berth in the AFC playoffs and would go on to win road games against the New England Patriots and the top-seeded Baltimore Ravens before narrowly losing the AFC title game to the eventual Super Bowl winning Kansas City Chiefs. Since the magical season, Tannehill and the Titans have made a pair of solid playoff runs, however, it appears as if Tannehill may be on the hot seat as the Titans drafted up to select dual-threat QB, Malik Willis in the third round of this year's NFL draft.

3. Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, San Francisco 49ers, $24.2 million

Perhaps the highest debated player on this list is none other than the Niners' QB, Jimmy Garoppolo. Jimmy G was famously drafted as the apparent heir to Tom Brady in New England, however, Brady, of course, is still busy winning super bowls, so the Pats had no choice but to let Jimmy G free and traded him to the Niners in 2017. Garoppolo would go 5-0 in his first five starts to end the Niners' 2017 campaign and in the process, earned a massive five-year, $137 million deal following the 2017 season.

4. T.J. Watt, OLB, Pittsburgh Steelers, $24.0 million

The top non-QB on this list is Steelers star edge, T.J. Watt. Following in the footsteps of his older brother, three-time Defense Player of The Year, J.J., Watt won the award this past season after totaling 22.5 sacks, good enough to tie Michael Strahan's NFL record but Watt did it while missing two games due to injury. The historic season saw the Steelers reward their main man with a four-year, $112 million deal, earlier this off-season.

5. Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens, $23.0 million

Baltimore Ravens star QB, Lamar Jackson took the NFL by storm after the team traded up to select him with the 32nd overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft. Since taking over for former super bowl hero, Joe Flacco halfway through the 2018 season, Jackson hasn't done much other than winning the MVP in 2019 and leading the Ravens to three-straight playoff births in his first three years in the league. However, Jackson missed the final four games of last season due to an ankle injury. The Ravens exercised Jackson's $23 million option for the 2022 season but have yet to come to terms on a long-term extension for the former MVP.

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6. Carson Wentz, QB, Washington Commanders, $22.0 million

Saying Carson Wentz's career has been a roller coaster would be an understatement. The former second overall pick came out of the gates white hot and put up an MVP-caliber season in 2018. However, Wentz would go down with an injury late in the season, and journeyman, Nick Foles would famously lead the Eagles to a super bowl championship over the Patriots. Foles' success led many fans and reportedly some players to side with Foles when it came to the Eagles' newly-found QB controversy. The organization would side with Wentz and reward him with a four-year, $128 million deal.

Since the extension, Wentz had a solid bounce-back season in 2019 but would again succumb to injuries and Foles would take over for that year's playoffs. Foles wouldn't be able to duplicate his success following the infamous no-DPI call in their divisional playoff game against the Saints, which cost the Eagles the potential win. Foles would be quickly sent out of town, as would Wentz and the Eagles would draft Jalen Hurts before trading Wentz to the Colts for 1st and 3rd-round picks. After just one season in Indianapolis, the Colts would trade for former MVP, Matt Ryan and in the process, ship Wentz right back out of town to the newly-named Washington Commanders, where Wentz will play out the 2022 season.

7. Joey Bosa, OLB, Los Angeles Chargers, $21.2 million

The next non-QB on the list is LA Charger's star pass rusher, Joey Bosa. The third overall pick in 2016, Bosa has lived up to the hype, especially following some injury woes to start his career. Bosa has totaled 58 sacks in his first 75 games and while his talent was never in question, Bosa being able to stay on the field and play 44 of a possible 48 games over the last three seasons were enough to convince the Chargers to reward him with a five-year, $135 million deal, last off-season.

8. Leonard Williams, DE, New York Giants, $19.0 million

Another pass rusher comes in at number eight in the form of Leonard Williams. Williams was deemed by many as a bust following a four-year stint with the Jets after being selected fifth overall in the 2015 NFL draft, however, upon being traded to the team who the Jets share a stadium with, the New York Football Giants, Williams has impressed. Giants brass was convinced enough of Williams' performance during his three years with the team, that they rewarded the star pass rusher with a three-year, $63 million deal, this off-season.

9. Russell Wilson, QB, Denver Broncos, $19.0 million

One of the biggest moves this off-season was when the Seattle Seahawks traded perhaps the best QB in the team's history, Russell Wilson, to the Denver Broncos. The Broncos gave up quite a haul for the former super bowl champion as they parted with two first-round picks, two second-round picks, and a fifth-round pick in addition to QB, Drew Lock, TE, Noah Fant, and DE, Shelby Harris. Wilson has two years remaining on the four-year, $140 million deal that he signed with Seattle in 2019.

10. Sam Darnold, QB, Carolina Panthers, $18.8 million

The final player on this list is Carolina Panthers (maybe) starting QB, Sam Darnold. The 2018 NFL draft's third overall selection by the Jets, hasn't lived up to the hype that comes with selecting a QB that high, however, the Panthers took a chance on the former USC product by sending the Jets second, fourth and sixth-round selections to acquire the then 24-year-old. Darnold had a less-than-stellar first year with Carolina, throwing just nine touchdowns to go along with 12 interceptions. However, Carolina doesn't seem ready to give up on Darnold as the team picked up his $18.8 million option for the 2022 season.

NFL's Top 10 Highest-Paid Players

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