Who Are The NFL’s Highest-Paid Gamers at Every Place?

Within the NFL, the bar is at all times rising. Every offseason, superstars reset the market, altering the salaries that the perfect gamers at every respective place count on to obtain. 

Pittsburgh Steelers icon T.J. Watt is the newest to take action after signing a whopping three-year, $123-million extension with the franchise on July 17 that made the veteran linebacker the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL historical past. 

Earlier this week, the New York Jets’ Sauce Gardner signed a four-year, $120.4 million extension that made him the highest-paid cornerback within the NFL. 

Beforehand, the Philadelphia Eagles’ Saquon Barkley  grew to become the highest-paid operating again of all time, agreeing to a two-year extension value $41 million. Then, Maxx Crosby not solely grew to become the highest-paid defensive participant, however he additionally grew to become the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL historical past. He solely held that title for a number of days, nonetheless, till Myles Garrett’s deal surpassed his. Cleveland gave Garrett a mega-deal value $160 million with a median annual wage of $40 million. A couple of weeks later, Ja’Marr Chase’s new contract topped Garrett’s, with the receiver now incomes a median of $40.25 million per 12 months. 

These may not be the one ones when this offseason is claimed and completed. Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons may very well be the following candidate to develop into the highest-paid participant at his place. 

That mentioned, listed here are the NFL’s highest-paid gamers per common annual worth (AAV), by way of Spotrac.

Prescott grew to become the NFL’s highest-paid participant when he signed his extension on the eve of the Cowboys’ Week 1 sport in opposition to the Browns final season. The four-year, $240 million deal was the end result of a clumsy offseason through which Cowboys proprietor Jerry Jones was wishy-washy about paying Prescott. 

Prescott earned his long-term deal after the perfect season of his profession in 2023, when he accomplished a career-high 69.5% of his passes and threw a league-leading 36 touchdowns. His completion proportion dropped to 64.7 throughout the primary eight video games of the 2024 season earlier than lacking the ultimate 9 video games with {a partially} torn hamstring. 

The worth of operating backs is continually being disputed and Barkley did quite a bit to assist his friends, and himself, out. Barkley was rewarded with a two-year, $41 million extension after successful NFL Offensive Participant of the 12 months in his first 12 months with the Eagles. The New York Giants did not need to pay Barkley after six seasons with the staff, so the Eagles took benefit of that, scooping him up in free company final offseason. Now, they’ve doubled-down on their funding, locking up Barkley after he rushed for a career-high 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns throughout the common season and helped them win Tremendous Bowl LIX.

After ready on a brand new deal because the starting of the 2024 season, Chase lastly acquired the contract he was ready for — signing a four-year deal value $161 million with $112 million assured. This made him the second highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL historical past; TJ Watt took the highest spot along with his new extension. He’s additionally the primary receiver ever to eclipse $40 million a 12 months on an annual common. Chase earned the deal after a stellar 2024 marketing campaign, having develop into the fifth receiver because the merger to guide the league in all three receiving classes — becoming a member of Jerry Rice (1990), Sterling Sharpe (1992), Steve Smith Sr. (2005) and Cooper Kupp (2021). Since he entered the league in 2021, no participant has caught extra touchdowns than Chase (46 receiving touchdowns). 

A couple of days after the 2025 NFL Draft ended, Kittle agreed to a four-year, $76.4 million extension with the 49ers. His new deal is value a median of $19.1 million, surpassing the contract Trey McBride ($19M AAV) signed with the Arizona Cardinals earlier in April. 

The 31-year-old Kittle is the one remaining participant from San Francisco’s 2017 draft class, the primary with head coach Kyle Shanahan and common supervisor John Lynch. For the reason that 49ers drafted him within the fifth spherical that 12 months, Kittle has been one of many prime tight ends within the league. 

In his eight seasons, he is been a reliable receiver and blocker for the Niners offense. He is made an All-Professional staff 5 instances and earned six Professional Bowl nods, totaling 538 receptions for 7,380 yards and 45 touchdowns.

Kittle is coming off his fourth season, and second straight, with no less than 1K receiving yards. He had 78 catches for 1,106 yards and eight touchdowns in 2024, main the 49ers in every class.

Wirfs signed a five-year, $140.6 million deal final summer time to develop into the highest-paid offensive sort out, whether or not it is the proper or left aspect. Wirfs, although, performs each side of the road and does so at a excessive degree. In actual fact, he grew to become the primary participant ever to be named a first-team All-Professional at each left and proper sort out. 

Wirfs earned the very best pass-blocking grade of any offensive lineman in 2024 at 94.1, together with the postseason, and allowed zero sacks and only one QB hit, per Professional Soccer Focus. Wirfs additionally gained Tremendous Bowl LV with the Buccaneers. 

Regardless of being considered one of two NFL gamers to obtain the franchise tag this offseason, Smith is about to be the highest-paid offensive guard on the one-year tender. He and the Chiefs might nonetheless agree on a long-term deal earlier than the July 15 deadline, although.

Smith performed 1,288 snaps on the proper guard spot and gave up only one sack, in accordance with PFF. Joe Thuney and Nick Allegretti have been the one guards to play extra snaps than he did this previous season. 

Humphrey, Smith’s neighbor on the offensive line, had PFF’s highest pass-blocking grade of any heart in 2024 at 91.5, together with the postseason. He allowed zero sacks and simply two QB hits. In two of his 4 NFL seasons, he didn’t permit a sack — and has surrendered simply seven in his profession, per PFF. The Humphrey and Smith tandem was essential to the Chiefs’ Tremendous Bowl victories within the 2022 and 2023 seasons, and their contracts are very important to the staff’s long-term success. 

Garrett was the highest-paid non-quarterback of all-time earlier than Ja’Marr Chase signed his deal, signing a contract value $160 million, together with $123.5 million in ensures, per FOX Sports activities’ Jordan Schultz.

The extension got here greater than a month after the Browns’ star pass-rusher had requested a commerce. Cleveland’s entrance workplace, although, was adamant that Garrett wouldn’t be dealt. In the long run, each side got here to an settlement to maintain the 2023 AP Defensive Participant of the 12 months in Ohio.

The Browns chosen Garrett with the primary choose within the 2017 NFL Draft. Since then, he has lived as much as the hype, with a franchise-high 102.5 sacks. He is been named a first-team All-Professional 4 instances and has made six Professional Bowls. In 2024, he led the Browns with 14 sacks and a league-leading 22 tackles for loss, however they went simply 3-14. Garrett has solely performed in three postseason video games in his eight seasons in Cleveland.

Jones grew to become the highest-paid defensive sort out when he agreed to a five-year, $158.75 million deal to stay in Kansas Metropolis throughout the 2024 offseason.

The Chiefs star actually made a powerful declare to earn the title of highest-paid participant at his place. The six-time Professional Bowler and three-time first-team All-Professional has recorded no less than 9 sacks in 5 of the final seven seasons, serving to Kansas Metropolis win three Tremendous Bowls throughout that point.

Jones had 37 whole tackles and 5 sacks over 15 video games this previous season. Whereas his field rating stats may not come out, Jones led all defensive tackles in pass-rush win charge (16%) and was second in pressures (74) on the place, per PFF.

Over 4 years in Dallas, Micah Parsons was the definition of consistency, racking up over 12 sacks and 40 tackles every season. He’ll now hope to hold that consistency with him to the Inexperienced Bay Packers, the place he’ll be paid greater than any non-QB in NFL historical past.

Of the defensive positions, inside linebacker has the most cost effective common annual worth contract chief. Nonetheless, Warner is making a fairly penny. He reached a three-year, $63 million extension ($56 million assured) when he re-signed with the 49ers in Could 2025. Warner is among the longest-tenured 49ers, having performed seven seasons with the staff since he was drafted in 2018. 

He’s arguably the NFL’s finest inside linebacker, and if not, he is no less than essentially the most constant. He is been named to a few consecutive All-Professional groups and was the engine of San Francisco’s protection throughout its run to Tremendous Bowl LVIII. He is additionally recorded no less than 118 whole tackles in every season of his profession.

Whereas Smith has by no means led the league in tackles, he is completed within the prime 10 5 instances and has completed within the prime 5 in run stops thrice, per PFF.

CB: Sauce Gardner, New York Jets ($30.1 million AAV)

After three consecutive  years of creating NFL All-Professional groups, first-team in 2022 and 2023, Gardner will get his extension with the Jets, making him the very best paid nook within the NFL. Many talked about his down 12 months in 2024, solely grabbing one interception and fewer deflections. After one “down” 12 months the Jets nonetheless consider within the younger, fantastically gifted nook and consider he’s set for a bounce again 12 months.

S: Kyle Hamilton, Baltimore Ravens ($25.1 million AAV)

Kyle Hamilton’s 2024 was a monster followup to his All-Professional 2023, as he had 107 mixed tackles, and almost as many solo tackles (77) as he had mixed tackles (81) within the earlier season. The Ravens rewarded that wonderful play with a report four-year, $100.4 million extension, with $82 million of that assured.

The 24-year-old security is heading into his fourth 12 months within the NFL and with the Ravens, after beginning all 17 video games final season. The 2-time Professional Bowler was a first-round choose by the Ravens in 2022 out of Notre Dame.

After serving to the Chiefs win a 3rd Tremendous Bowl throughout the 2023 season, Butker obtained a record-setting contract. He signed a four-year, $25.6 million deal in August 2024.

Butker has truly by no means been named a Professional Bowler or All-Professional, however he is been one of many NFL’s most correct kickers since becoming a member of the Chiefs in 2017. He led the league in factors in 2019, whereas his 88.6 area aim made proportion is the second-best mark in league historical past. He is made some fairly clutch kicks as properly, draining a memorable area aim on the buzzer to ship the divisional-round sport in opposition to the Buffalo Payments to extra time in January 2022 and breaking the report for the longest made area aim in a Tremendous Bowl within the Chiefs’ win over the 49ers in February 2024.

P: AJ Cole, Las Vegas Raiders ($3.95 million AAV)

Michael Dickson of the Seattle Seahawks had been the highest-paid punter since 2021, however Cole changed him when he signed a four-year extension with the Raiders on Could 26, 2025. 

Although Dickson hasn’t been named an All-Professional or Professional Bowler throughout the period of the contract, the deal has aged properly. He is third all-time in yards per punt (48.2), ending within the prime 10 within the stat in every of the final three seasons.

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