How Jalen Hurts' record-breaking contract impacts potential Justin Herbert extension

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Herbert, Cincinnati's Joe Burrow and Baltimore's Lamar Jackson are the next QBs who could receive an extension after Hurts' deal made him the highest-paid player in league history.

Per Spotrac, Herbert has one year remaining on his contract, which includes a fifth-year option. The Chargers could activate the option before May 1 to extend him until 2024. However, waiting is risky since QB contracts could keep skyrocketing. 

Yahoo Sports Charles Robinson recently said, "Burrow is going to get $55M (annually). He could get $60M by the time this all ends up." 

"Here's where things get interesting. It's already been reported that Herbert is looking for a deal that will pay him at least $50M annually," wrote CBS' Sports Bryan DeArdo. "He could now request a deal that will pay him north of $51M." 

Herbert deserves an exorbitant extension since he's an elite QB like Hurts and Burrow. 

The 25-year-old holds an NFL record for passing yards (14,089) through a player's first three seasons. Also, he and Pro Hall of Famer Dan Marino are the only QBs to throw 90 or more TDs in their first three seasons. 

The main knock on Herbert is that he has no playoff wins. Nevertheless, since entering the league in 2020, he has a 25-14 starting record — eighth among active QBs — proving he can carry a franchise. 

Herbert's stock could keep trending upward, especially if he breaks more records, so the Chargers should finish a deal soon.