Who said receivers can't be paid like quarterbacks?

Randy Moss' eight-year, $75 million contract is a confirmation what everyone believes in the NFL. Except for maybe Marshall Faulk, Moss is the most exciting non-quarterback in the NFL. Secondly, he's the best athlete in the sport.

	Randy Moss has played 43 games in the NFL and scored 43 touchdowns.

That's why coach Dennis Green reported to work this week and told his assistants he was working on something big. Every training camp, Green wants to make a splash before it opens. Once the assistants knew something big was up, they figured that Green might be working on a Moss contract instead of finishing up negotiations with first-round choice Michael Bennett.

It was predictable that Moss would get an $18 million signing bonus, even though most people thought he misspoke when he talked about getting one in the $20 million range. After all, it's the market. The Titans gave $12 million to left tackle Brad Hopkins and $10 million to quarterback Steve McNair. The 49ers gave Bryant Young $12.5 million. Brian Griese got $12.6 million and Trevor Pryce got $10.6 million in Denver. The Packers rewarded Brett Favre with an $11 million signing bonus.

The NFL pays the play-makers -- quarterbacks and those who protect the quarterback's blind side, the left tackles. This league pays the running backs who break big plays and the pass-rushers who make sacks. The NFL also pays the players who make touchdowns.

Moss is a touchdown maker. He's started 43 games and come up with 43 touchdowns. He's been voted into three Pro Bowls and was most valuable player in one.

In conversations with Vikings top brass, Moss keeps hearing that they want to have him more committed on every play. Moss usually responded that the team would have to be more committed to him.

	“	At first, the Vikings wanted to pigeon hole him as the best of the non-quarterbacks and making him the highest-paid receiver. Getting this deal recognizes him in the class of the quarterbacks. ”
		— Dante DiTrapino, Randy Moss' agent

Timing was going to be critical. Owner Red McCombs was never going to allow Moss to hit the free agent market next year, but it was a question whether he could get something done before training camp or before the end of the regular season.

Thanks to the ability to do two-tiered signing bonuses -- using an option clause that would be executed at the beginning of the second year -- the Vikings were able to do this deal and come in lower than Moss' $3.917 million cap number. That frees up a few dollars for the Vikings to sign a veteran before the opening of camp.

During the first three years of Moss' new contract, he will make $24 million, which places him in the quarterback class of salaries.

"The only debate was whether he should be the highest-paid player in with the quarterbacks or the highest-paid non-quarterback," said his agent, Dante DiTrapino. "At first, the Vikings wanted to pigeon hole him as the best of the non-quarterbacks and making him the highest-paid receiver. Getting this deal recognizes him in the class of the quarterbacks."

In a big way.

John Clayton is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.