Just more than a year ago, Matthew Stafford put pen to paper to become the richest player in NFL history.

Now, he's only the third highest-paid quarterback in his own division.

In the latest move in the game where the elite quarterback who signs last gets the top contract, Aaron Rodgers has set the market again. The Packers quarterback inked a four-year, $134 million deal that could be worth up to $180 million in the end, with $103 million of it fully guaranteed, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The deal amounts to a $33.5 million average per season. Kirk Cousins signed this spring with the Vikings for $28 million per season. Both figures topped Stafford's $27 million per year.

Jimmy Garoppolo has also since topped Stafford, signing for $27.5 million per year with the 49ers.

Time is showing that the massive five-year deal the Lions gave Stafford was truly just market value at the time. He's going to make less than Rodgers, as he should, but will also make less than Cousins and Garoppolo, who are less accomplished.

Teams simply have to pay these rates if they hope to land a veteran quarterback of a high caliber. Cousins even turned down an offer of $30 million per season from the Jets before signing in Minnesota.

The challenge, of course, becomes fielding a great team around a quarterback who takes up more than 14 percent of the salary cap. The Eagles were able to win the Super Bowl last season thanks in part to paying Carson Wentz just more than $6 million.

The teams that Stafford, Cousins and Rodgers have been on so far have all struggled to make the most of their abilities even before they made enormous money. The three combine for one Super Bowl victory, and all of the playoff wins belong to Rodgers. (Cousins played for the Redskins prior to signing with Minnesota this year.)

But these teams would much rather have these quarterbacks than to try to start from scratch again. It should make for an intriguing next few years of play in the NFC North.