Jay Cutler and Colin Kaepernick recently signed contracts worth $126 million with the Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers, respectively. Andy Dalton also signed a contract extension worth up to $115 million with the Cincinnati Bengals.

When you look at it through that scope, the Miami Dolphins made a smart and calculated move to lock up starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill for the foreseeable future with a six-year, $96 million extension on Monday. Tannehill also received $45 million guaranteed, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

It can be challenging finding Tannehill's place in the NFL's quarterback hierarchy.

Tannehill is clearly not elite, as evident by his inconsistent deep ball and the fact that he's never posted a winning season in three years. But Tannehill also showed enough good things -- such as toughness, athleticism and intangibles -- to leave no question that he is Miami's best starting quarterback to play multiple seasons since Hall of Famer Dan Marino retired.

This is why the contract figures are key. The $96 million is a relative bargain for the premium position if Tannehill turns out to be the franchise quarterback the Dolphins envision. If not, the contract is not overly inflated like Cutler's. According to ESPN Stats and Information, Tannehill’s $45 million guaranteed ranks 11th among NFL starting quarterbacks. That’s fair. Tannehill is not a top-10 quarterback but has the potential to be.

The Dolphins also avoided becoming the first team in NFL history to have two players simultaneously on the roster with $100 million contracts, as Pro Bowl defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh signed for $114 million this offseason. Just as Suh is the face of Miami’s defense for the foreseeable future, the same now can be said for Tannehill on offense.

The Dolphins showed confidence in their quarterback by showing Tannehill the money after three seasons. Now, Tannehill must produce more wins and continue to improve to justify the significant pay raise.