In recent days, we’ve tried to shift some of the focus regarding quarterback contracts from APY (and only APY) to cash flow. As to the four-year window from 2023 through 2026 and 2024 through 2027, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is the cash-flow king.
As to the four-year period that ended in 2023, the winner was Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.
Per a source with knowledge of the numbers, Prescott earned $157.4 from 2020 through 2023. Deshaun Watson made $131.2 million. Kirk Cousins and Matthew Stafford each earned $130.5 million. Mahomes got $122.4 million.
Prescott’s high cash-flow number happened despite that fact that his contract has an APY of $40 million — $15 million below the top of the market.
Prescott doesn’t appear on either of the lists moving forward because his contract expires in 2024. Whenever he signs a new one (and he will, with the Cowboys or someone else), he’ll surely spring back up the list.