The 2024 NFL season has reached its business end, and the playoffs are now set to get underway. Heading into the postseason, several quarterbacks have made their mark, and they will be looking to take that next step toward immortality. At the top of the list are Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson.
Representing AFC heavyweights in the form of the Buffalo Bills and the Baltimore Ravens respectively, both players have enjoyed stellar years and look set to battle it out for the MVP award. The former of those two sides ended the year as the number two seed, with the latter at number three, and both could be set for a collision course in the Divisional Round. Allen and Jackson would happily trade any personal honours for a shot at Super Bowl glory.
If they are to navigate their way to a maiden championship somehow, though, they will have to find a way past the mercurial Patrick Mahomes. The Kansas City Chiefs sensation has three Big Game triumphs to his name already, including the last two on the spin, and online sports betting sites fancy his chances to make history by leading his side to a first-ever three-peat. The latest sports betting odds currently make the reigning champions a narrow +325 second favourite for the Lombardi this term, just behind the +300 favoured Detroit Lions.
But despite the unquestionable brilliance of Mahomes, Allen, and Jackson, shockingly none of them are among the league’s highest-paid players.
Dak Prescott - $60m
Leading the league with a whopping $60m per year, Dak Prescott remains a polarizing yet pivotal figure for the Dallas Cowboys. The former Mississippi State Bulldog has flattered to deceive throughout his nine years at AT&T Stadium, with his inconsistency hurting the franchise’s bid to return to former glories.
The 31-year-old is capable of the spectacular, as demonstrated by the league-leading 4,516 yards he threw in 2023. However, he is also prone to a horror show, as we saw in last term’s shocking wildcard round defeat to the Green Bay Packers, a disaster-class in which he threw not one but two pick-6s.
Unfortunately for Dak, his woes continued. He played inconsistently throughout the first half of the campaign, helping Dallas to just three wins in their first eight games and throwing some eight interceptions in the process. He endured a particularly disappointing afternoon in the Week 13 drubbing against the Detroit Lions, where he threw for just 178 yards and two interceptions. Then, injury was added to insult, as he picked up a hamstring tear in the week nine defeat to the Falcons, ending the season for both the player and America’s Team.
Trevor Lawrence - $55m
Trevor Lawrence’s five-year, $275 million extension, secured during the 2024 offseason, brought high expectations in Jacksonville. The former Clemson Tiger’s exploits in his sophomore and junior years in the big leagues – throwing for over 4,000 yards on both occasions – secured him the bumper new deal, but, unfortunately, the recently concluded Jaguars’ season didn’t go as planned. Lawrence finished with modest numbers—2,045 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, seven interceptions, and an 85.2 passer rating.
Lawrence showed flashes of brilliance, particularly in a Week 6 upset over the Buffalo Bills, where he threw for two touchdowns with zero turnovers. However, the inconsistent offensive line play and lack of complementary pieces around him capped his ceiling in 2024. Jaguars fans hope the front office addresses these issues in 2025, as Lawrence remains the franchise’s long-term solution. His raw talent, coupled with his proven ability to elevate Jacksonville in recent seasons, underscores the team’s investment in his future.
Joe Burrow - $55m
Few quarterbacks in NFL history have enjoyed a trajectory as meteoric as Joe Burrow’s. The current Cincinnati Bengals man is without question the best player on this list and a top-four QB in the league alongside Mahomes, Jackson, and Allen. He led Cincy to a first Super Bowl appearance in over 30 years in just his second campaign as a starter back in 2022, and he has gone from strength to strength since.
The 2024 season was certainly his finest yet. Joe Brrr led the league in both passing yards (4,918) and touchdowns (43), prompting the punters to make his side one of the most bet teams each and every week. Inexplicably, however, despite their superstar’s heroics, the Bengals would go on to miss the playoffs altogether, courtesy of some disastrous defensive displays.
Despite that, the former Heisman winner’s brilliance was undeniable. Burrow threw for over 400 yards and three touchdowns – including a walk-off overtime winner – in a week 15 thriller against the Denver Broncos, which kept their postseason dreams alive. But despite his blockbuster displays, he may well have to restructure his deal soon.
His sensational wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are both up for renewal in the offseason, and keeping both wideouts at Paycor Stadium is crucial to any success the Ohio outfit may have. Joey B may well have a part to play in that if he wishes to lead his beloved Bengals to a first-ever Lombardi next season.
