The Five Highest Paid NFL Players in 2023

• Team: Baltimore Ravens
• College: University of Louisville
• Years Active: 2018- Present
• Accolades: 2019 MVP, 2019 First-team All-Pro, 2x Pro Bowl, 2019 NFL Passing Touchdowns Leader

Many people questioned Lamar Jackson when he decided to become his own agent and negotiate his contract with the Baltimore Ravens this past offseason. No one is questioning him now after securing the largest contract in NFL history. It didn't come without immense work on and off the field.

When Jackson first entered the NFL, many scouts didn't see him as a quarterback and wanted him to transition to a new position. He refused and found a home as the Ravens franchise QB, winning an MVP award in 2019 and never looking back.

• Team: Philadelphia Eagles
• College: University of Alabama
• Years Active: 2020- Present
• Accolades: 2022 Second-team All-Pro, 2022 Pro-Bowl, 2022 NFC Champions

Jalen Hurts may only be 24 and in his fourth season as an NFL quarterback, but has secured the league's second largest contract. That's in large part due to his exceptional 2022 campaign. After leading the Eagles to the best record in the NFC, Hurts earned Pro-Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors. He used that momentum to help the Eagles make a run to the Super Bowl, which they ultimately lost. Hurts still remains one of the youngest and brightest stars in the league today.

• Teams: Green Bay Packers, New York Jets
• College: University of California, Berkley
• Years Active: 2005- Present
• Accolades: 1x Super Bowl Champion, Super Bowl XLV MVP, 4x Regular Season MVP, 4x First-team All-Pro, 10x Pro Bowl, 4x passer rating leader, 2x passing touchdowns leader, 1x completion percentage leader

There are few quarterbacks who have dominated the NFL for as long as Aaron Rodgers has. Starting his career in Green Bay playing behind legendary quarterback Brett Favre, Rodgers was handed the keys to the franchise after Favre was traded (ironically also to the Jets).

He took full advantage of that opportunity by winning a litany of regular season awards as well as a Super Bowl. After an offseason trade, A-Rod is now set to play under the bright lights of New York City, where he hopes to become the first Jets quarterback to win a Super Bowl since Joe Namath.

• Team: Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos
• College: University of Wisconsin
• Years Active: 2012- Present
• Accolades: Super Bowl XLVIII Champion, 2020 Walter Payton Man of the Year, 2019 Second-team All-Pro, 9x Pro Bowl, 2015 passer rating leader, 2017 passing touchdowns leader

Russell Wilson made his mark in the NFL leading the Seattle Seahawks to their first Super Bowl victory in 2014. He had a number of exceptional years for the Seahawks, but never truly put together a complete season worthy of an MVP (or even a single vote for that matter).

After the Seahawks went into rebuild mode, they traded away Russ to the Denver Broncos who extended his contract, making him the fourth highest paid player in the league. It has been a rocky start for Wilson in Denver, but after bringing new head coach Sean Payton to town, things should be dramatically better in 2023. Maybe.

• Team: Arizona Cardinals
• College: University of Oklahoma
• Years Active: 2019- Present
• Accolades: 2019 Offensive Rookie of the Year, 2x Pro Bowl

When the 2019 NFL draft rolled around the most talked about story was whether Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray would choose to go pro in football or baseball. He ultimately chose football and was selected by the Arizona Cardinals first overall.

He helped turn Arizona around, bringing them to the postseason and earning him a massive contract extension. The past season was a rocky one for Murray and the Cardinals who routinely were involved in all sorts of media drama. Further complicating things is the fact that he tore his ACL late into the 2022 campaign and according to NFL insider Ian Rappaport, could miss the first half of 2023.

If Kyler doesn't come back strong, they could be facing some extreme buyer's remorse on this contract.