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ESPN staff
Who are the NFL’s highest-paid players at every position? Many stars have scored big paydays in 2022 and reset the market, but there are a few whose deals from previous years have carried over as the peak for their positions.
Just this month, safety Minkah Fitzpatrick got a four-year extension from the Pittsburgh Steelers that pays him $18.4 million per year, while Los Angeles Rams star Aaron Donald obliterated the defensive tackle market, getting $31.6 million over the next three years. The Rams also gave Cooper Kupp a contract extension, which included $75 million guaranteed, edging out the guarantees on the new deal Tyreek Hill got when he was traded to the Miami Dolphins in May ($72.2 million).
We tracked the best-paid players at 16 different positions — including long-snapper — and will keep the numbers updated as more records get broken. To get the full picture on the top earners in this league, we sorted positions by two categories, which in a few cases has the same player at No. 1:
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Three-year average (APY)
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Total guaranteed money
Salary information courtesy of Roster Management System.
Let’s start with the highest-paid quarterbacks, including two massive contracts signed this offseason:
Jump to:
QB | RB | WR | TE
OL | EDGE | DT | LB
CB | S | K | LS | P
Quarterback
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: March 2022 (contract ends in 2026)
2. Deshaun Watson (CLE), $46 million
3. Josh Allen (BUF), $45.9 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: March 2022 (contract ends in 2026)
2. Aaron Rodgers (GB), $150.6 million
3. Josh Allen (BUF), $150 million
Running back
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: April 2020 (contract ends in 2025)
2. Ezekiel Elliott (DAL), $16 million
3. Alvin Kamara (NO), $12.7 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: September 2019 (contract ends in 2026)
2. Christian McCaffrey (CAR), $36.3 million
3. Alvin Kamara (NO), $34.3 million
Wide receiver
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: June 2022 (contract ends in 2026)
2. Stefon Diggs (BUF), 26.2 million
3. Tyreek Hill (MIA): $25 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: June 2022 (contract ends in 2026)
2. Tyreek Hill (MIA), $72.2 million
3. Stefon Diggs (BUF), $70 million
Tight end
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: August 2020 (contract ends in 2026)
2. Mark Andrews (BAL), $15.06 million
3. Dallas Goedert (PHI), $14.2 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: August 2020 (contract ends in 2026)
2. Mark Andrews (BAL), $37.6 million
3. Dallas Goedert (PHI), $34.8 million
Offensive line
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: November 2020 (contract ends in 2024)
2. Laremy Tunsil (HOU), $22 million
3. Ronnie Stanley (BAL), $21.2 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: October 2020 (contract ends in 2025)
2. Ryan Ramczyk (NO), $60.2 million
3. Lane Johnson (PHI), $54.5 million
Cornerback
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: May 2022 (contract ends in 2026)
2. Jalen Ramsey (LAR), $20.6 million
3. Denzel Ward (CLE), $20.2 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: April 2022 (contract ends in 2027)
2. Jalen Ramsey (LAR), $71.2 million
3. Marlon Humphrey (BAL), $66.9 million
Edge rusher
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: September 2021 (contract ends in 2025)
2. Joey Bosa (LAC), $29.2 million
3. Myles Garrett (CLE), $26.7 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: July 2020 (contract ends in 2025)
2. Myles Garrett (CLE), $100 million
3. Khalil Mack (LAC), $90 million
Defensive tackle
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: June 2022 (contract ends in 2025)
2. DeForest Buckner (IND), $21.2 million
3. Jonathan Allen (WSH), $18.5 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: June 2022 (contract ends in 2025)
2. DeForest Buckner (IND), $56.3 million
3. Vita Vea (TB), $40.5 million
Off-ball linebacker
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: July 2021 (contract ends in 2026)
2. Darius Leonard (IND), $18.7 million
3. C.J. Mosley (NYJ), $17 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: August 2021 (contract ends in 2026)
2. C.J. Mosley (NYJ), $51 million
3. Fred Warner (SF), $40.5 million
Safety
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: June 2022 (contract ends in 2026)
2. Jamal Adams (SEA), $17.6 million
3. Justin Simmons (DEN), $15.5 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: June 2022 (contract ends in 2026)
T1. Jamal Adams (SEA), $36 million
3. Marcus Williams (BAL), $35.9 million
0:48
Dan Orlovsky breaks down why Minkah Fitzpatrick is such an important part of the Steelers’ defense.
Kicker
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: April 2019 (contract ends in 2023)
2. Younghoe Koo (ATL), $5.1 million
3. Daniel Carlson (LV), $4.6 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: April 2019 (contract ends in 2023)
2. Younghoe Koo (ATL), $11.5 million
3. Daniel Carlson (LV), $11.1 million
Long-snapper
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: March 2022 (contract ends in 2025)
2. Luke Rhodes (IND), $1.21 million
3. Zach Wood (NO), $1.20 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: March 2022 (contract ends in 2025)
2. Zach Wood (NO), $1.3 million
3. Tyler Ott (SEA), $1.2 million
Punter
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: June 2021 (contract ends in 2025)
2. Tress Way (WSH), $3.3 million
3. Logan Cooke (JAX), $3.02 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: June 2021 (contract ends in 2025)
2. Tress Way (WSH), $6.4 million
3. Logan Cooke (JAX), $6 million