It's $255 million for Jalen Hurts. Let's compare him to Tua

Jalen Hurts is now the highest-paid player in NFL history, which is incredible considering he was the fifth quarterback in his draft class and 53rd player selected overall.

Hurts is the highest-paid player in NFL history, with $255 million over five years, or $51 million per year and a total of $179 million guaranteed, even though Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Herbert and Jordan Love were all selected ahead of him and entered the NFL with far more critical acclaim.

The Eagles had better be right.

Philadelphia jumped at an extension before the Bengals, Dolphins, Chargers or Packers.

It's not easy to secure an elite quarterback in the NFL and with a no-trade clause, Hurts will be in the City of Brotherly Love (make no mistake - they will boo you after three incompletions) for the foreseeable future.

The Eagles saw Hurts improve as a passer and lead his team to a Super Bowl.

Will Hurts perform at a Patrick Mahomes-Aaron Rodgers level for the next five seasons?

They obviously believe he's capable.

That it is Hurts who gets the big deal before Tua would not have been predicted, just a few years ago. Those two will always be intertwined, of course.

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Tua emerged as the Crimson Tide's starting quarterback after leading them to the national championship and Hurts transferred from Alabama to Oklahoma.

The Dolphins moved quickly to pick up Tua's fifth-year option for 2024. But there's no indication that anybody is in a rush to execute a long-term extension anywhere close to Hurts'.

The situations are different, we know. Tua has had multiple concussions, and other injuries, too.

If Tua can go through 15 or more regular-season games and play well for the Dolphins in the next playoffs, there's every chance he could be given an extension then.

But not now.

And yet from a skill standpoint, it turns out there really isn't much separating Tua and Hurts.

Yes, Hurts is a much more dangerous runner and that is a critical attribute. But let's take a look at their NFL passing numbers:

Hurts: 62 percent, 7.6 yards per attempt, 92.2 passer rating.

Tagovailoa: 66 percent, 7.4 yards per attempt, 95.0 passer rating.

Both of these players are winners.

Tua is 21-13 as a starter (62 percent).

Hurts is 23-11 as a starter (68 percent).

But Tua has not appeared in a playoff game and Hurts is 2-2 (2-1 last season en route to Super Bowl).

If Tua stays healthy, Miami has a huge contractual advantage in 2023 and 2024.

That's because those two years of cap hits total only $32.8 million.

That's how Miami can afford to have Tyreek Hill and Terron Armstead; Xavien Howard and Jalen Ramsey; Emmanuel Ogbah and Bradley Chubb; and so on.

Teams like the Chiefs end up trading away players like Hill when they'd rather not but salary cap issues force their hand. Same can be said for teams like the Rams and Ramsey.

Miami has been the benefactor of a rookie quarterback contract. And yes, at some point, likely the end of 2023, the Dolphins will want to decide if they're in on Tua for a longer-term commitment.

As long as concussions and durability are, sadly, part of Tua's dossier, it's impossible to envision him signing a deal for $179 million guaranteed. It's not Tua's fault. And he'll do everything he can to stay healthy (jiu-jitsu classes and the newest helmet technology and neck-strengthening exercises, etc.).

Tua has the skill set needed to lead Miami to a Super Bowl in Mike McDaniel's offense.

But when it comes to the type of long-term financial commitment the Eagles just made for his former teammate, Hurts, Miami is understandably in more of a wait-and-see mode.

Joe Schad is a journalist covering the Miami Dolphins and the NFL at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jschad@pbpost.com and follow him on Instagram and Twitter @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe's free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter. Help support our work by subscribing today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Jalen Hurts vs. Tua Tagovailoa was a thing at Alabama. Where do their careers stand?