Who are the NFL’s highest-paid players at every position? Plenty of record-setting deals have been made in the past year — the quarterback position has been reset with a new highest-paid player four times. First Jalen Hurts, then Lamar Jackson and Justin Herbert and Joe Burrow became the highest-paid player in NFL history as the 2023 season kicked off.
Last August, San Francisco 49ers DE Nick Bosa became the highest-paid defensive player. In June, Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson shattered the record for most guaranteed money given to a non-quarterback on offense, getting $110 million guaranteed.
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 have 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 Burrow and the highest-paid quarterbacks:
Jump to a position:
QB | RB | WR | TE
OT | OG | OC | EDGE
DT | LB | CB | S
K | LS | P
Quarterback
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: September 2023 (contract ends in 2030)
2. Jordan Love (GB), $58.3 million
3. Trevor Lawrence (JAX), $56.9 million
4. Jared Goff (DET), $55.4 million
5. Tua Tagovailoa (MIA), $54.3 million
6. Justin Herbert (LAC), $53.3 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: March 2022 (contract ends in 2027)
2. Joe Burrow (CIN), $219.01 million
3. Patrick Mahomes (KC), $208.1 million
4. Trevor Lawrence (JAX), $200 million
5. Justin Herbert (LAC), $193.7 million
6. Kyler Murray (ARI), $189.5 million
Running back
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: April 2020 (contract ends in 2026)
2. Jonathan Taylor (IND), $14 million
3. Alvin Kamara (NO), $12.7 million
4. Saquon Barkley (PHI), $12.6 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: April 2020 (contract ends in 2026)
2. Alvin Kamara (NO), $34.3 million
3. Jonathan Taylor (IND), $26.5 million
4. Saquon Barkley (PHI), $26 million
Wide receiver
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: June 2024 (contract ends in 2028)
2. CeeDee Lamb (DAL), $34 million
3. A.J. Brown (PHI), $32 million
4. Brandon Aiyuk (SF), $30 million
5. DJ Moore (CHI), $28.5 million
6. Jaylen Waddle (MIA), $28.3 million
7. Amon-Ra St. Brown (DET), $28 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: June 2024 (contract ends in 2028)
2. CeeDee Lamb (DAL), $100 million
3. A.J. Brown (PHI), $84 million
4. DJ Moore (CHI), $81.5 million
5. Amon-Ra St. Brown (DET), $77 million
6. Brandon Aiyuk (SF), $76 million
Tight end
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: April 2024 (contract ends in 2025)
2. T.J. Hockenson (MIN), $16 million
3. George Kittle (SF), $15.3 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: August 2023 (contract ends in 2027)
2. George Kittle (SF), $40 million
3. Mark Andrews (BAL), $37.6 million
Offensive tackle
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: April 2024 (contract ends in 2029)
2. Tristan Wirfs (TB), $28.6 million
3. Christian Darrisaw (MIN), $26.6 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: August 2024 (contract ends in 2029)
2. Christian Darrisaw (MIN), $74.5 million
3. Penei Sewell (DET), $70 million
4. Andrew Thomas (NYG), $61.9 million
Guard
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: March 2023 (contract ends in 2028)
2. Landon Dickerson (PHI), $21.7 million
3. Robert Hunt (CAR), $21 million
4. Quenton Nelson (IND), $20.9 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: March 2024 (contract ends in 2028)
2. Chris Lindstrom (ATL), $62.7 million
3. Quenton Nelson (IND), $60 million
Center
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: August 2024 (contract ends in 2028)
2. Frank Ragnow (DET), $14 million
3. Lloyd Cushenberry (TEN), $12.6 million
4. Erik McCoy (NO), $12.5 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: August 2024 (contract ends in 2028)
2. Frank Ragnow (DET), $42 million
3. Ryan Kelly (IND), $34 million
4. Erik McCoy (NO), $33 million
Cornerback
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: September 2024 (contract ends in 2030)
2. Jaire Alexander (GB), $21.8 million
T3. A.J. Terrell (ATL), $20.6 million
T3. Jalen Ramsey (MIA), $20.6 million
5. Marshon Lattimore (NO), $20.3 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: September 2024 (contract ends in 2030)
2. Denzel Ward (CLE), $71.25 million
3. Jalen Ramsey (MIA), $71.2 million
4. Marshon Lattimore (NO), $68.3 million
Safety
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: May 2024 (contract ends in 2028)
2. Derwin James Jr. (LAC), $19.6 million
3. Minkah Fitzpatrick (PIT), $18.6 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: May 2024 (contract ends in 2028)
2. Derwin James Jr. (LAC), $42 million
T3. Minkah Fitzpatrick (PIT), $36 million
T3. Jessie Bates III (ATL), $36 million
Edge rusher
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: September 2023 (contract ends in 2029)
2. Josh Hines-Allen (JAX), $31 million
3. T.J. Watt (PIT), $30.5 million
4. Brian Burns (NYG), $30 million
5. Myles Garrett (CLE), $26.7 million
Total guaranteed money:
1. Nick Bosa, $119.9 million
Signed: September 2023 (contract ends in 2029)
2. Myles Garrett (CLE), $100 million
3. Josh Hines-Allen (JAX), $88 million
4. Brian Burns (NYG), $87.5 million
Defensive tackle
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: March 2024 (contract ends in 2028)
2. Christian Wilkins (LV), $28 million
3. Derrick Brown (CAR), $24 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: March 2024 (contract ends in 2028)
2. Christian Wilkins (LV), $82.7 million
3. Quinnen Williams (NYJ), $66 million
Off-ball linebacker
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: January 2023 (contract ends 2027)
2. Fred Warner (SF), $19.5 million
3. Tremaine Edmunds (CHI), $19 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: January 2023 (contract ends 2027)
2. Tremaine Edmunds (CHI), $45 million
3. Fred Warner (SF), $40.5 million
Kicker
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: August 2024 (contract ends in 2029)
2. Justin Tucker (BAL), $6.2 million
3. Jake Elliott (PHI), $6 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: August 2024 (contract ends in 2029)
2. Justin Tucker (BAL), $17.5 million
3. Jake Elliott (PHI), $14.1 million
Long-snapper
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: September 2023 (contract ends 2027)
2. Joe Cardona (NE), $1.63 million
3. Zach Wood (NO), $1.62 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: March 2024 (contract ends 2026)
2. Thomas Hennessy (NYJ), $2.62 million
3. Joe Cardona (NE), $2.6 million
Punter
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: June 2021 (contract ends in 2025)
2. Jack Fox (DET), $3.6 million
3. Tress Way (WSH), $3.3 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: June 2021 (contract ends in 2025)
2. Jack Fox (DET), $7.5 million
2. Tress Way (WSH), $6.4 million
