The value of a starting NFL quarterback is at an all-time high, and that's also true of the backup passer.

That's been loud and clear this offseason as backups have signed big deals, like Chase Daniel who inked a three-year, $21 million contract with the Eagles. That deal can also escalate to a whopping $36 million if certain incentives are met.

There's also guys like Chad Henne ($4M annually with Jaguars), Mark Sanchez ($4.5M annually with Broncos, but deal was originally signed as backup for Eagles), and Case Keenum ($3.6M annually with Rams) making big bucks to back up the No. 1 quarterback.

Thankfully, the Bengals still have two years left of AJ McCarron's contract, which comes at less than $700,000 annually over that span ($1.38M in total). He did well enough while replacing Andy Dalton last year to think he's someone at least worthy of being a nicely-paid backup for an NFL team.

Well, based on The Sporting News' ranking of every backup QB, the Bengals may have to pay McCarron like the aforementioned names to keep him after 2017. Bill Bender ranked all 32 backups, and McCarron came in at No. 1 with the highest confidence rating any player received.

A.J. McCarron showed enough in three regular-season starts and a near playoff comeback to instill a lot of confidence in his future as an NFL starter. The Bengals have a lot invested in Andy Dalton, so it might not come with the Bengals. But McCarron gives Cincinnati the best backup plan in the NFL right now. He has "it," and he’ll cash in on those intangibles at some point. Confidence: 10

While this ranking is debatable, it does show how much value McCarron has in today's pass-happy NFL, not to mention, on his own team. Based on what guys like Henne, Daniel and Sanchez have made, it may be quite costly for the Bengals to keep McCarron after 2017, the final year of his rookie deal.

McCarron showed a lot during his brief stint as the Bengals' starting passer in 2015, completing 102 of 160 passes (64 percent) for 1,066 yards with seven touchdowns and three picks. That includes the playoffs loss to Pittsburgh in which McCarron guided the Bengals to a near-win while tossing the go-ahead score in the final minutes.

Does all of this mean McCarron has significant trade value around the NFL?

McCarron himself could see it happening, and he's ready for whatever happens this year. Back in March, McCarron talked about possibly being traded during an interview with Yahoo Sports while saying he's ready for whatever happens, but expects to remain a Bengal for now.

"I'm a big believer in God has a plan," McCarron said. "God has a plan for me. I don't need to rush it. If it happens, whether I get traded this offseason or not, whatever happens happens. I'm not expecting anything. I'm expecting if anything, really, to be in Cincinnati and be a part of the great organization again in Cincy and have fun with my teammates again. I'm just looking forward to whatever happens and getting back to work."

But while McCarron showed a lot of promise last year, that by no means guarantees him a spot in the NFL beyond his first contract. He said as much in a recent interview with SiriusXM.

"The NFL stands for Not For Long," McCarron said, "and I know that and I'm blessed every day I wake up and I'm able to have one more day in the league."

Thanks to most QB-needy teams around the NFL either getting a good backup/starter with a high draft pick or via trade, there isn't a lot of interest around the NFL for McCarron to be traded, at least enough that the Bengals would part with him this year.

Next year is another story. With McCarron being on the final year of his deal then, if the Bengals think other teams will pay him in that $7+ million range as a free agent, they may just trade him and get whatever value they can for him before the 2017 season opens.

Then again, the smart move would be to keep McCarron for the next two years, let another team risk a big-money deal on him in 2018 and then get a compensatory pick for him in the 2019 NFL Draft.

That way, the Bengals get two more years of McCarron being one of the NFL's best backups (at a low cost) behind Dalton, while still getting a pick for him if he does leave.