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3-Wide: Who will surpass Andrew Luck as the NFL's highest-paid player?

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3-Wide is a weekly feature in which theScore's NFL editors debate the hot topics around the league. Grab a cold towel and brace for hot takes.

Who will surpass Andrew Luck as the NFL's highest-paid player?

Joe Thomson: Andrew Luck's six-year, $140 million extension is notable for the unprecedented amount of guaranteed money ($87 million) it includes. Many believe Von Miller should equal or surpass the number, but the only players with a real chance of surpassing this contract are quarterbacks. Derek Carr's a good bet if he has another good season, but Blake Bortles is the likeliest candidate, as he's already taken a major statistical jump in his second season and would be primed to get a massive long-term deal in 2018.

Arun Srinivasan: Jameis Winston is the heir to Luck's designation as the highest-paid player in the NFL. Winston showed immense progress throughout his rookie year and looks poised to lead the Buccaneers out of the NFC South basement for years to come. Armed with preternatural poise, confidence and arm strength, Winston's already been named to the Pro Bowl, and will be next in line at the end of 2019.

David P. Woods: There are plenty of promising young quarterbacks that will cash in over the next few years, but guys like Blake Bortles, Derek Carr, Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota are all two years or more away from extensions. Kirk Cousins will likely play under the franchise tag in 2016, but will get a long-term deal next offseason. Considering that the quarterback market just keeps going up, if Cousins has a strong season it wouldn't be stunning to see his deal approach or even surpass Luck money.

Will Johnny Manziel play another snap in the NFL?

Woods: Sadly, the better question is will Manziel even be capable of playing football the next time an NFL team would consider signing him. He's suspended four games for substance abuse and has a much longer suspension looming because of a pending domestic violence case (for which Manziel still faces a year in jail). Oh, and his own father said he could die soon unless he gets help. It's far, far more likely Manziel's life ends in tragedy than he sets foot on an NFL field again.

Srinivasan: It's practically impossible that Manziel will play in the NFL again, but given the frenetic nature of the league, one would be remiss to rule it out. Manziel will need to prove that he's completely rehabilitated from substance abuse, avoid further sanction in an ongoing domestic violence case, and show a complete willingness to study the intricacies of the position. Even then, it's a long shot but for a league that thrives on hype, Manziel may not be completely out of the equation.

Thomson: No. The off-field struggles of Manziel have obscured the reality that there were questions about whether or not he could be an NFL quarterback from a skill standpoint. He'll be out of football at least a year and has shown no indication he's ready to face the addiction issues he's obviously facing.

Should Buddy Ryan be in the Hall of Fame?

Thomson: He shouldn't get in on his head coaching record (55-55-1) and there's very little precedent for him to get in on his assistant coaching credentials. The voters would likely be electing him on personality alone, which based on who undertakes the voting (mainly old, white sportswriters who fetishize hard-nosed men like Ryan) could absolutely happen. Buddy Ryan will probably get into the Hall of Fame and there will be a collective orgasm from tough-talking football writers.

Srinivasan: It seems somewhat preposterous Ryan would be elected to the Hall of Fame in spite of a pedestrian head coaching track record. Ryan was the architect of the vaunted 1985 Chicago Bears defense, and is widely credited with implementing the 4-6 formation. Unfortunately, Ryan's contributions to the game were largely philosophical, and pragmatically it makes little sense to appoint him to the Hall of Fame without a single postseason win as head coach.

Woods: Why shouldn't the NFL recognize coordinators who altered the game of football by enshrining them in the Hall of Fame as contributors? Ryan would be a great place to start.

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