Kirk Cousins' new contract with the Minnesota Vikings pushed top annual NFL quarterback salaries ever closer to the $30 million mark. Baseball has its $30 million men in pitchers Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, David Price and Max Scherzer, along with Jose Altuve and Miguel Cabrera. The NBA's $30 million club features LeBron James.
A look ahead to the NFL quarterback market awaiting Cousins upon the conclusion of his landmark three-year, $84 million deal shows a path for him to surpass $35 million average per year (APY) with a few assists from his peers. It's no guarantee, but here's how it could happen in a reconfigured 2021 quarterback landscape, as seen through the eyes of league insiders.
Here are five keys to making it happen: