Who are the NFL's highest-paid players at every position? In 2022, multiple players reset the market. And a few more record-setting deals have been made in 2023 -- including Philadelphia Eagles QB Jalen Hurts becoming the highest-paid NFL player... for 10 days. Then came Lamar Jackson, who signed a new record-deal to remain with the Baltimore Ravens just before the 2023 NFL draft.
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:
Three-year average (APY)
Total guaranteed money
Salary information courtesy of Roster Management System.
Let's start with Lamar and the highest-paid quarterbacks:
Jump to:
QB | RB | WR | TE
OL | EDGE | DT | LB
CB | S | K | LS | P
Quarterback
Highest three-year APY:
1. Lamar Jackson, $52 million
Signed: April 2023 (contract ends in 2028)
2. Jalen Hurts (PHI), $51 million
3. Aaron Rodgers (NYJ), $50.2 million
4. Russell Wilson (DEN), $50 million
5. Kyler Murray (ARI), $49.2 million
6. Deshaun Watson (CLE), $46 million
7. Josh Allen (BUF), $45.9 million
Total guaranteed money:
1. Deshaun Watson, $230 million
Signed: March 2022 (contract ends in 2026)
2. Kyler Murray (ARI), $189.5 million
3. Lamar Jackson (BAL), $185 million
4. Jalen Hurts (PHI), $179.3 million
5. Russell Wilson (DEN), $165 million
6. Aaron Rodgers (NYJ), $150.6 million
7. Josh Allen (BUF), $150 million
Running back
Highest three-year APY:
1. Christian McCaffrey, $17.2 million
Signed: April 2020 (contract ends in 2025)
2. Alvin Kamara (NO), $12.7 million
3. Joe Mixon (CIN), $12.53 million
Total guaranteed money:
1. Christian McCaffrey, $36.3 million
Signed: April 2020 (contract ends in 2025)
2. Alvin Kamara (NO), $34.3 million
3. Dalvin Cook (MIN), $28 million
Wide receiver
Highest three-year APY:
1. Cooper Kupp, $26.7 million
Signed: June 2022 (contract ends in 2026)
2. Stefon Diggs (BUF), 26.2 million
3. Tyreek Hill (MIA), $25 million
Total guaranteed money:
1. Cooper Kupp, $75 million
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:
1. Darren Waller, $17 million
Signed: September 2022 (contract ends in 2026)
2. George Kittle (SF), $15.3 million
3. Mark Andrews (BAL), $15.06 million
Total guaranteed money:
1. George Kittle, $40 million
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:
1. David Bakhtiari, $23.5 million
Signed: November 2020 (contract ends in 2024)
2. Laremy Tunsil (HOU), $22 million
3. Chris Lindstrom (ATL), $21.8 million
Total guaranteed money:
1. Ronnie Stanley, $64.1 million
Signed: October 2020 (contract ends in 2025)
2. Chris Lindstrom (ATL), $62.7 million
3. Ryan Ramczyk (NO), $60.2 million
Cornerback
Highest three-year APY:
1. Jaire Alexander, $21.7 million
Signed: May 2022 (contract ends in 2026)
2. Jalen Ramsey (MIA), $20.6 million
3. Denzel Ward (CLE), $20.2 million
Total guaranteed money:
1. Denzel Ward, $71.25 million
Signed: April 2022 (contract ends in 2027)
2. Jalen Ramsey (MIA), $71.2 million
3. Marlon Humphrey (BAL), $66.9 million
Edge rusher
Highest three-year APY:
1. T.J. Watt, $30.5 million
Signed: September 2021 (contract ends in 2025)
2. Joey Bosa (LAC), $29.2 million
3. Myles Garrett (CLE), $26.7 million
Total guaranteed money:
1. Joey Bosa, $102 million
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:
1. Aaron Donald, $31.6 million
Signed: June 2022 (contract ends in 2025)
2. Jeffery Simmons (TEN), $23.5 million
T3. Dexter Lawrence (NYG), $22.5 million
T3. Daron Payne (WSH), $22.5 million
4. DeForest Buckner (IND), $21.2 million
Total guaranteed money:
1. Daron Payne, $60.02 million
Signed: March 2023 (contract ends in 2027)
T2. Aaron Donald (LAR), $60 million
T2. Chris Jones (KC), $60 million
T2. Dexter Lawrence (NYG), $60 million
5. Jeffery Simmons (TEN), $59.8 million
Off-ball linebacker
Highest three-year APY:
1. Roquan Smith, $20 million
Signed: January 2023 (contract ends 2027)
2. Fred Warner (SF), $19.5 million
3. Tremaine Edmunds (CHI), $19 million
Total guaranteed money:
1. Roquan Smith, $60 million
Signed: January 2023 (contract ends 2027)
2. Shaquille Leonard (IND), $52.5 million
3. C.J. Mosley (NYJ), $51 million
Safety
Highest three-year APY:
1. Derwin James Jr., $19.6 million
Signed: August 2022 (contract ends in 2027)
2. Minkah Fitzpatrick (PIT), $18.6 million
3. Jamal Adams (SEA), $17.6 million
Total guaranteed money:
1. Derwin James Jr., $42 million
Signed: August 2022 (contract ends in 2027)
T2. Jamal Adams (SEA), $36 million
T2. Minkah Fitzpatrick (PIT), $36 million
T2. Jessie Bates III (ATL), $36 million
Jeremy Fowler breaks down Jeffery Simmons signing a four-year extension with the Titans.
Kicker
Highest three-year APY:
1. Justin Tucker, $6.2 million
Signed: August 2022 (contract ends in 2027)
2. Matt Gay (IND), $5.9 million
3. Chris Boswell (PIT), $5.6 million
Total guaranteed money:
1. Justin Tucker, $17.5 million
Signed: August 2022 (contract ends in 2027)
2. Matt Gay (IND), $13 million
2. Chris Boswell (PIT), $12.5 million
Long-snapper
Highest three-year APY:
1. Joe Cardona, $1.6 million
Signed: March 2023 (contract ends 2026)
2. Charley Hughlett (CLE), 1.47 million
3. Josh Harris (LAC), $1.44 million
Total guaranteed money:
1. Joe Cardona, $2.6 million
Signed: March 2023 (contract ends 2026)
2. Andrew DePaola (MIN), $2.2 million
3. Charley Hughlett (CLE), $1.9 million
Punter
Highest three-year APY:
1. Michael Dickson, $3.9 million
Signed: June 2021 (contract ends in 2025)
2. Jack Fox (DET), $3.6 million
3. Tress Way (WSH), $3.3 million
Total guaranteed money:
1. Michael Dickson, $8.5 million
Signed: June 2021 (contract ends in 2025)
2. Jack Fox (DET), $7.5 million
2. Tress Way (WSH), $6.4 million