The highest salary in the NFL is $1,696,000.
The top-paid players in the league are quarterbacks and wide receivers. Quarterbacks make an average of $6.2 million per season and wide receivers make an average of $5.7 million per season. Running backs follow with an average salary of $3.6 million per year, while tight ends make $3.5 million per year on average.
The lowest-paid position in the NFL is offensive linemen, who earn an average annual salary of $2,557,000 per year. Defensive linemen earn just under $2,500,000 per year on average, followed by linebackers at just over $2,500,000 per year on average. Defensive backs earn just over $2,500,000 per year on average as well; however their salaries have been steadily increasing over time due to the rise in popularity of pass-happy offenses across the league.
Nfl Highest Salary
Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt has signed a four-year extension worth more than $112 million. The contract includes $80 million fully guaranteed upon signing and makes him the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL. Take a look at the highest-paid NFL players for the 2021 season, ranked by the average annual value of their contracts according to Over the Cap
1 / 20
1) Patrick Mahomes (QB), Kansas City Chiefs – $45 million
Ryan Kang/NFL
2 / 20
2) Josh Allen (QB), Buffalo Bills – $43 million
Ric Tapia/NFL
3 / 20
3) Dak Prescott (QB), Dallas Cowboys – $40 million
Cooper Neill/NFL
4 / 20
4) Deshaun Watson (QB), Houston Texans – $39 million
Matt Patterson/AP
5 / 20
5) Russell Wilson (QB), Seattle Seahawks – $35 million
Ryan Kang/NFL
6 / 20
6) Aaron Rodgers (QB), Green Bay Packers – $33.5 million
Todd Rosenberg/NFL
7 / 20
7) Jared Goff (QB), Detroit Lions – $33.5 million
Paul Sancya/AP
8 / 20
8) Kirk Cousins (QB), Minnesota Vikings – $33 million
Todd Rosenberg/NFL
9 / 20
9) Carson Wentz (QB), Indianapolis Colts – $32 million
Michael Conroy/AP
10 / 20
10) Matt Ryan (QB), Atlanta Falcons – $30 million
Logan Bowles/NFL
11 / 20
11) Ryan Tannehill (QB), Tennessee Titans – $29.5 million
Ric Tapia/NFL
12 / 20
12) T.J. Watt (OLB), Pittsburgh Steelers – $28.003 million
Perry Knotts/NFL
13 / 20
13) Jimmy Garoppolo (QB), San Francisco 49ers – $27.5 million
Ryan Kang/NFL
14 / 20
14) DeAndre Hopkins (WR), Arizona Cardinals – $27.25 million
Ryan Kang/NFL
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15) Matthew Stafford (QB), Los Angeles Rams – $27 million
Kelvin Kuo/AP
16 / 20
16) Joey Bosa (DE), Los Angeles Chargers – $27 million
Ryan Kang/NFL
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17) Derek Carr (QB), Las Vegas Raiders – $25.005 million
Justin Edmonds/Associated Press
18 / 20
18) Myles Garrett (DE), Cleveland Browns – $25 million
Cooper Neill/NFL
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19) Tom Brady (QB), Tampa Bay Buccaneers – $25 million
Ben Liebenberg/NFL
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20) Khalil Mack (DE), Chicago Bears – $23.5 million
Ben Liebenberg/NFL
