Quarterback is far and away the most important position in football, so it makes sense that all of the NFL’s highest-paid players are signal callers. Ten players make at least $30 million per season, and three of the league’s top quarterbacks earn at least $40 million a year.

Here’s a look at the highest-paid players for the 2021 NFL season, based on the average annual value of their contracts, according to Spotrac.

1) Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs: $45 million

Mahomes is arguably the best player in the sport, which is why Kansas City gave him a historic 10-year, $450 million contract last summer. The deal could be worth up to $503 million with incentives. It shattered NFL records in total value and average salary.

2) Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills: $43 million

The Bills didn’t wait to lock up Allen, giving the quarterback a six-year, $258 million extension before the start of his fourth NFL season. The contract includes $150 million in practical guarantees and can reach $288 million with incentives. Allen was an MVP candidate in 2020 after struggling as a passer in his first two seasons.

3) Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys: $40 million

Prescott bet on himself and won, turning down an extension last year and landing a four-year, $160 million contract from Dallas in March. Despite suffering a season-ending injury in Week 5 of the 2020 season, Prescott received $126 million in practical guarantees and will be paid $75 million total in 2021.

4) Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans: $39 million

Because of Watson’s pending legal issues, it’s uncertain how much of his four-year, $156 million contract he’ll actually receive. Watson has a $10.54 million base salary for the 2021 season before his extension kicks in and pays him a $35 million salary in 2022.

5) Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks: $35 million

Wilson became the NFL’s highest-paid player when he inked a four-year, $140 million deal in April 2019. Two years later, the Seahawks star is almost a bargain at $35 million a season. In nine seasons as Seattle’s starter, Wilson has never missed a game or posted a losing record.

6) Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers: $33.5 million

The four-year, $134 million extension that Rodgers signed in 2018 was supposed to make him a Packer for life. It now appears extremely likely that the three-time MVP will finish his career elsewhere, and Green Bay has voided the final year of the contract. Rodgers reportedly turned down an extension that would’ve made him the NFL’s highest-paid player this season.

7) Jared Goff, Detroit Lions: $33.5 million

Goff’s $134 million extension from two years ago didn't yield big results. The Los Angeles Rams agreed to trade Goff and two first-round picks to Detroit for Matthew Stafford and a third-rounder shortly after the 2020 season.

8) Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings: $33 million

The Vikings gave Cousins a two-year, $66 million extension in March 2020. Cousins signed the first-ever fully guaranteed contract in 2018 free agency when he joined Minnesota for $84 million over three seasons.

9) Carson Wentz, Indianapolis Colts: $32 million

Wentz’s four-year, $128 million contract might be the NFL’s worst. The Philadelphia Eagles benched Wentz in 2020 because he played so poorly, and then he was traded to Indianapolis for a 2021 third-round pick and a conditional 2022 second-rounder. Philadelphia was willing to take a dead cap hit of $33.8 million this season in order to get Wentz off the roster.

10) Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons: $30 million

Ryan has three years left on his five-year, $150 million contract. Only Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Ben Roethlisberger have earned more money than Ryan in their NFL careers.

Patrick Mahomes Chiefs Bills
Darryl Johnson #92 of the Buffalo Bills dives to try and tackle Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs as he looks to throw a pass during the second half at Bills Stadium on October 19, 2020 in Orchard Park, New York. Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images
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