Who are the NFL’s highest-paid players at every position?
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 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 2024 (contract ends in 2028)
2. Joe Burrow (CIN), $61.3 million
3. Jordan Love (GB), $58.3 million
4. Trevor Lawrence (JAX), $56.9 million
5. Jared Goff (DET), $55.4 million
6. Josh Allen (BUF), $55 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: March 2025 (contract ends in 2031)
2. Deshaun Watson (CLE), $230 million
3. Dak Prescott (DAL), $229 million
4. Joe Burrow (CIN), $219 million
5. Patrick Mahomes (KC), $208.1 million
6. Trevor Lawrence (JAX), $200 million
Running back
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: March 2025 (contract ends in 2028)
2. Christian McCaffrey (SF), $19 million
3. Jonathan Taylor (IND), $14 million
4. Alvin Kamara (NO), $12.2 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: March 2025 (contract ends in 2028)
2. Ashton Jeanty (LV), $35.8 million
3. Jonathan Taylor (IND), $26.5 million
4. Derrick Henry (BAL), $25 million
5. Christian McCaffrey (SF), $24 million
Wide receiver
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: March 2025 (contract ends in 2030)
2. Justin Jefferson (MIN), $35 million
3. CeeDee Lamb (DAL), $34 million
4. A.J. Brown (PHI), $32 million
5. Brandon Aiyuk (SF), $30 million
6. Tee Higgins (CIN), $28.75 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: March 2025 (contract ends in 2030)
2. Justin Jefferson (MIN), $110 million
3. CeeDee Lamb (DAL), $100 million
4. A.J. Brown (PHI), $84 million
5. DJ Moore (CHI), $81.5 million
6. Amon-Ra St. Brown (DET), $77 million
Tight end
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: April 2025 (contract ends 2030)
2. George Kittle (SF), $18 million
2. Travis Kelce (KC), $17.1 million
4. T.J. Hockenson (MIN), $16 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: April 2025 (contract ends 2030)
2. T.J. Hockenson (MIN), $42.5 million
3. Mark Andrews (BAL), $37.6 million
4. George Kittle (SF), $35 million
Offensive tackle
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: April 2024 (contract ends in 2029)
2. Tristan Wirfs (TB), $28.6 million
3. Trent Williams (SF), $27.6 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)
T2. Robert Hunt (CAR), $21 million
T2. Aaron Banks, $21 million
3. 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. Jonah Jackson (CHI), $17.5 million
3. Cam Jurgens (PHI), $17 million
4. Frank Ragnow (DET), $14 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: August 2024 (contract ends in 2028)
2. Cam Jurgens (PHI), $43.5 million
3. Frank Ragnow (DET), $42 million
Cornerback
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: March 2025 (contract ends in 2029)
2. Jaycee Horn (CAR), $28.2 million
3. Jalen Ramsey (MIA), $24.1 million
4. Pat Surtain II (DEN), $24 million
5. Jaire Alexander (GB), $21.8 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: March 2025 (contract ends in 2030)
2. Pat Surtain II (DEN), $73.9 million
3. Denzel Ward (CLE), $71.25 million
4. Jaycee Horn (CAR), $70 million
Safety
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: May 2024 (contract ends in 2028)
2. Derwin James Jr. (LAC), $19.67 million
3. Kerby Joseph (DET), $19.86 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: May 2024 (contract ends in 2028)
2. Derwin James Jr. (LAC), $42 million
3. Kerby Joseph (DET), $36 million
Edge rusher
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: March 2025 (contract ends in 2029)
2. Nick Bosa (SF), $34.7 million
3. Josh Hines-Allen (JAX), $31 million
4. T.J. Watt (PIT), $30.5 million
5. Brian Burns (NYG), $30 million
6. Myles Garrett (CLE), $26.7 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: March 2025 (contract ends in 2031)
2. Nick Bosa (SF), $100 million
3. Maxx Crosby (LV), $91.5 million
4. Josh Hines-Allen (JAX), $88 million
5. 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. Alim McNeill (DET), $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: May 2025 (contract ends 2029)
2. Roquan Smith (BAL), $20 million
3. Tremaine Edmunds (CHI), $19 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: January 2023 (contract ends 2027)
2. Fred Warner (SF), $56 million
3. Tremaine Edmunds (CHI), $45 million
Kicker
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: August 2024 (contract ends in 2028)
2. Justin Tucker (BAL), $6.2 million
3. Jake Elliott (PHI), $6 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: August 2024 (contract ends in 2028)
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
3. Tress Way (WSH), $6.4 million
