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John Munson/Associated Press
This offseason, NFL teams will need to maneuver around a lower-than-expected salary cap with the loss of ticket revenue because of COVID-19 restrictions at stadiums. Still, general managers must find a way to pay their top playmakers.
Generally, quarterbacks, pass-rushers and offensive tackles command the most lucrative salaries.
Last offseason, quarterback Patrick Mahomes signed the largest deal in sports history, inking a 10-year extension worth up to $503 million with the Kansas City Chiefs. Edge-rushers Myles Garrett and Joey Bosa signed with the Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Chargers, respectively, for deals that will net them $25-plus million annually. During the 2020 campaign, the Green Bay Packers made tackle David Bakhtiari the league s highest-paid offensive lineman with a four-year, $92 million contract.
Jeffrey T. Barnes/Associated Press
One is the NFL s reigning MVP. The other is a strong candidate to take the award home for the 2020 campaign. Yet, the Baltimore Ravens Lamar Jackson and Buffalo Bills Josh Allen are two quarterbacks trending away from one another despite the immense talent both display.
Saturday s meeting between the two couldn t have ended more differently.
Jackson s final play came on a botched snap where the quarterback ended up on his back in the end zone underneath a pair of Bills defenders. Medical professionals quickly checked the phenom for a concussion before he was ruled out for the rest of the game.
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Keith Srakocic/Associated Press
With the Wild Card Round of the NFL playoffs completed, it s only natural for fans and pundits to focus on the teams who moved on, whether it was one we expected like the New Orleans Saints or one we certainly didn t such as the Cleveland Browns.
However, there s a flip side to the teams who are celebrating and preparing for the next round of the playoffs. While six teams advanced, six others had their season come to an end.
For some, like a 7-9 Washington Football Team starting a backup quarterback, defeat wasn t exactly a surprise. For others, like the 12-4 Seattle Seahawks and the 12-4 Pittsburgh Steelers, it was.
Jeffrey T. Barnes/Associated Press
Entering Saturday s AFC Wild Card Round matchup with the Indianapolis Colts, the Buffalo Bills had gone a quarter-century without winning a postseason game. As such, it shouldn t surprise anyone that this contest was a nail-biter that came down to the final seconds.
The Bills got that elusive victory, outlasting the Colts 27-24 to move on to the divisional round. But as the game progressed, a few things became evident at Bills Stadium.
The first is that Josh Allen is an outstanding young quarterback who is about to make approximately all the money ever.
The second is that trading for wide receiver Stefon Diggs last offseason was an absolute masterstroke by Bills general manager Brandon Beane.
Jeffrey T. Barnes/Associated Press
With three weeks remaining in the regular season, the NFL has updated playoff scenarios for teams in contention.
The Kansas City Chiefs, Pittsburgh Steelers, New Orleans Saints and Green Bay Packers have already clinched postseason berths. The Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers can join that group this week:
Adam Schefter @AdamSchefter
Playoff scenarios for Week 15: https://t.co/gN9TEfAfLj
The biggest game on the Week 15 schedule is between the Chiefs and Saints at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Kansas City can wrap up the No. 1 seed in the AFC with a win plus a loss by the Steelers and a loss or tie by the Bills.