Which QBs are next in line for contract extensions?

Alex Smith signed a four-year, $68 million deal on Sunday that includes $45 million guaranteed, likely becoming the last of the major quarterbacks to receive an extension before the new season kicks into gear. It's been a good offseason for quarterbacks -- Jay Cutler got things rolling with a big payday in January, then Colin Kaepernick and Andy Dalton re-upped over the summer. With the 2014 season beginning Thursday, it's time to look ahead at who's next in line for an extension come 2015.

The first and most obvious name on that list is Ben Roethlisberger, whose current contract is set to expire in 2016. The last time Big Ben got within two years of free agency, the Pittsburgh Steelers handed him an eight-year, $102 million contract in 2008. The team has opted to cut it closer this time around, with team president Art Rooney II announcing in July that contract negotiations would be pushed until after this season. But Rooney is also on record as saying he wants Roethlisberger to retire a Steeler, so locking down Roethlisberger will likely be priority No. 1 the instant their 2014 season comes to an end.

After a rough 2012, Big Ben bounced back to post the second-highest yardage and touchdown totals of his career in 2013, and a follow-up campaign in 2014 would ensure a big payday. He does turn 33 next offseason, but keep in mind Tom Brady was that age when his 2010 extension made him the highest paid player in the league, and Peyton Manning inked his $96 million deal with the Denver Broncos days before his 36th birthday in 2012.

Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers are in a similar situation. Like Roethlisberger, Newton will have one year remaining on his current deal come January, and like the Steelers, the Panthers opted not to open contract talks this offseason. Though Newton later denied it, reports earlier this summer indicated that he and his camp were concerned that his next deal could be damaged by the precedent set by Kaepernick's signing. Though initially reported as worth $126 million, a series of de-escalations technically reduce the guaranteed money to $13 million -- much lower than Newton would like to receive. That could potentially throw a wrench into things, but barring a disastrous season or serious injury, the two sides will likely find middle ground.

The last group of candidates come from the 2012 draft picks -- Andrew Luck, Russell Wilson and Robert Griffin III -- all of whom will be eligible to renegotiate their rookie contracts for the first time at season's end. The surest bet among the bunch is Wilson -- Super Bowl victories tend to do that. The biggest question mark is RGIII, whose injury issues and poor play in 2013 are more than enough to give Washington pause. If he can return to his 2012 Rookie of the Year form, he may be able to convince the team to invest, but otherwise they'll likely hold out for another season or two.

At first glance, Luck seems like a shoe-in for an extension. He's been instrumental in the Colts' two-year turnaround and is, from a statistical standpoint, farther along then Manning was at this point in his career. However, the Colts' treatment of Manning's contract negotiations suggest they may opt to wait another year or two. Twice Indianapolis forced Manning to play out his deal, then waited until he was under the franchise tag before signing him to an extension. The team could take a similar approach with Luck, letting him play through the last two years of his rookie contract, then picking up the fifth-year team option. In that scenario, Luck wouldn't see a new deal until 2017.