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 2029)
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), $55.3 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 2029)
2. Christian McCaffrey (SF), $19 million
3. Derrick Henry (BAL), $15 million
4. Kenneth Walker III (KC), $14.3 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: March 2025 (contract ends in 2029)
2. Ashton Jeanty (LV), $35.9 million
3. James Cook (BUF), $30 million
4. Kenneth Walker III (KC), $28.7 million
Wide receiver
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: March 2026 (contract ends in 2032)
2. Ja’Marr Chase (CIN), $38 million
3. Justin Jefferson (MIN), $35 million
4. CeeDee Lamb (DAL), $34 million
5. DK Metcalf (PIT), $33 million
6. Garrett Wilson (NYJ), $32.5 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: March 2026 (contract ends in 2032)
2. Ja’Marr Chase (CIN), $112 million
3. Justin Jefferson (MIN), $110 million
4. CeeDee Lamb (DAL), $100 million
5. Garrett Wilson (NYJ), $90 million
6. Alec Pierce (IND), $84 million
Tight end
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: April 2025 (contract ends 2029)
2. George Kittle (SF), $18 million
3. T.J. Hockenson (MIN), $16 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: Aug. 2023 (contract ends 2028)
2. Trey McBride (ARI), $37.5 million
3. George Kittle (SF), $35 million
Offensive tackle
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: March 2026 (contract ends in 2029)
2. Penei Sewell, $30 million
3. Rashawn Slater (LAC), $28.7 million
4. Tristan Wirfs (TB), $28.6 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: July 2025 (contract ends in 2030)
2. Tristan Wirfs (TB), $88.2 million
3. Tyler Smith (DAL), $78.8 million
4. Charles Cross (SEA), $75 million
Guard
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: July 2025 (contract ends in 2028)
2. Chris Lindstrom (ATL), $21.8 million
3. Zach Tom (GB), $21.3 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: July 2025 (contract ends in 2028)
2. Robert Hunt (CAR), $63 million
3. Chris Lindstrom (ATL), $62.7 million
Center
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: March 2026 (contract ends in 2028)
2. Creed Humphrey (KC), $18 million
3. Cam Jurgens (PHI), $17 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: March 2026 (contract ends in 2028)
2. Creed Humphrey (KC), $50 million
3.Cam Jurgens (PHI), $43.5 million
Cornerback
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: March 2026 (contract ends in 2030)
2. Sauce Gardner (NYJ), $30.1 million
3. Derek Stingley Jr. (HOU), $28.3 million
4. Jaycee Horn (CAR), $28.2 million
5. Jalen Ramsey (PIT), $24.1 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: March 2026 (contract ends in 2030)
2. Sauce Gardner (NYJ), $85.4 million
3. Derek Stingley Jr. (HOU), $83.5 million
4. Pat Surtain II (DEN), $73.9 million
5. Jaycee Horn (CAR), $72 million
Safety
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: August 2025 (contract ends in 2030)
2. Antoine Winfield Jr. (TB), $21.5 million
3. Derwin James Jr. (LAC), $19.6 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: August 2025 (contract ends in 2030)
2. Antoine Winfield Jr. (TB), $45 million
3. Derwin James Jr. (LAC), $42 million
Edge
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: April 2026 (contract ends in 2029)
2. Micah Parsons (GB), $48.3 million
3. Aidan Hutchinson (DET), $45 million
4. T.J. Watt (PIT), $41 million
5. Myles Garrett (CLE), $40 million
6. Maxx Crosby (LV), $35.5 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: Oct. 2025 (contract ends in 2029)
2. Micah Parsons (GB), $136 million
3. Will Anderson Jr. (HOU), $134 million
4. Myles Garrett (CLE), $123.5 million
5. Nick Bosa (SF), $119 million
6. T.J. Watt (PIT), $108 million
Defensive tackle
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: March 2024 (contract ends in 2029)
2. Milton Williams (NE), $26.3 million
3. Jordan Davis (PHI), $26 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: March 2024 (contract ends in 2029)
2. Quinnen Williams (DAL), $66 million
3. Jordan Davis (PHI), $64.million
Off-ball linebacker
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: Sept. 2025 (contract ends 2030)
2. Fred Warner (SF), $21 million
3. Roquan Smith (BAL), $20 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: Sept. 2025 (contract ends 2030)
2. Roquan Smith (BAL), $60 million
3. Fred Warner (SF), $56 million
Kicker
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: April 2026 (contract ends in 2030)
T2. Ka’imi Fairbairn (HOU), $6.5 million
T2. Harrison Butker (KC), $6.5 million
3. Jake Elliott (PHI), $6 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: April 2026 (contract ends in 2030)
2. Harrison Butker (KC), $17.7 million
3. Jake Elliott (PHI), $14.1 million
4. Graham Gano (NYG), $13.2 million
Long-snapper
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: March 2025 (contract ends 2028)
2. Luke Rhodes (IND), $1.67 million
3. Nick Moore (BAL), $1.66 million
Total guaranteed money:
Signed: March 2026 (contract ends 2027)
2. Trent Sieg (DAL), $3.1 million
3. Tyler Ott (WSH), $2.8 million
Punter
Highest three-year APY:
Signed: June 2025 (contract ends in 2029)
2. Logan Cooke (JAX), $4.245 million
3. AJ Cole (LV), $4.243 million
Total guaranteed money:
1. AJ Cole, $11 million
Signed: May 2025 (contract ends in 2029)
2. Michael Dickson (SEA), $10.2 million
3. Logan Cooke (JAX), $10 million
