By joining the Buffalo Bills in free agency on Wednesday, AJ McCarron accomplished his No. 1 stated objective -- an opportunity to become an NFL starting quarterback. After four years as a backup with the Cincinnati Bengals, he also got a hefty pay raise, but the former Alabama All-American did not rake in the mountain on money that went to the most coveted free-agent QBs, topped by the guaranteed $84 million deal being worked out for Kirk Cousins by the Minnesota Vikings.
In the final season of his four-year rookie contract, McCarron had a base salary of $690,000 in 2017.