Who are the NFL's highest-paid players at every position? Plenty of record-setting deals have been made in 2023 -- the quarterback position has been reset with a new highest-paid player four times just this year. First Jalen Hurts, then Lamar Jackson and Justin Herbert and finally Joe Burrow becoming the highest-paid player in the NFL history as the 2023 season kicked off.
In August, Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson reset the tight end market and San Francisco 49ers DE Nick Bosa became the highest-paid defensive player. In October, Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor finally got his extension, but it didn't reset the top of the market.
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 Burrow 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. Joe Burrow, $55 million
Signed: September 2023 (contract ends in 2028)
2. Justin Herbert (LAC), $53.3 million
3. Lamar Jackson (BAL), $52 million
4. Jalen Hurts (PHI), $51 million
5. Russell Wilson (DEN), $50 million
Total guaranteed money:
1. Deshaun Watson, $230 million
Signed: March 2022 (contract ends in 2026)
2. Joe Burrow (CIN), $219.01 million
3. Justin Herbert (LAC), $193.7 million
4. Kyler Murray (ARI), $189.5 million
5. Lamar Jackson (BAL), $185 million
6. Jalen Hurts (PHI), $180 million
Running back
Highest three-year APY:
1. Christian McCaffrey, $17.2 million
Signed: April 2020 (contract ends in 2026)
2. Alvin Kamara (NO), $12.7 million
3. Jonathan Taylor (IND), $14 million
Total guaranteed money:
1. Christian McCaffrey, $36.3 million
Signed: April 2020 (contract ends in 2026)
2. Alvin Kamara (NO), $34.3 million
3. Jonathan Taylor (IND), $26.5 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 2023 (contract ends in 2026)
2. T.J. Hockenson (MIN), $16 million
3. George Kittle (SF), $15.3 million
Total guaranteed money:
1. T.J. Hockenson, $42.5 million
Signed: August 2023 (contract ends in 2027)
2. George Kittle (SF), $40 million
3. Mark Andrews (BAL), $37.6 million
Offensive line
Highest three-year APY:
1. Laremy Tunsil, $25 million
Signed: March 2023 (contract ends in 2026)
2. Andrew Thomas (NYG), $24.2 million
3. David Bakhtiari (GB), $23.5 million
4. 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. Andrew Thomas (NYG), $61.9 million
4. Ryan Ramczyk (NO), $60.2 million
Cornerback
Highest three-year APY:
1. Jaire Alexander, $21.7 million
Signed: May 2022 (contract ends in 2027)
2. Jalen Ramsey (MIA), $20.6 million
3. Marshon Lattimore (NO), $20.3 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. Marshon Lattimore (NO), $68.3 million
Edge rusher
Highest three-year APY:
1. Nick Bosa, $34 million
Signed: September 2023 (contract ends in 2028)
2. T.J. Watt (PIT), 30.5 million
3. Joey Bosa (LAC), $29.2 million
Total guaranteed money:
1. Nick Bosa, $122.5 million
Signed: September 2023 (contract ends in 2028)
2. Joey Bosa (LAC), $102 million
3. Myles Garrett (CLE), $100 million
Defensive tackle
Highest three-year APY:
1. Aaron Donald, $31.6 million
Signed: June 2022 (contract ends in 2025)
T2. Quinnen Williams (NYJ), $23.5 million
T2. Jeffery Simmons (TEN), $23.5 million
Total guaranteed money:
1. Quinnen Williams, $66 million
Signed: July 2023 (contract ends in 2027)
2. Aaron Donald (LAR), $65 million
3. Daron Payne (WSH), $60.02 million
4. Chris Jones (KC), $60 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 2026)
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 2026)
2. Jamal Adams (SEA), $38 million
T3. Minkah Fitzpatrick (PIT), $36 million
T3. Jessie Bates III (ATL), $36 million
Stephen A. Smith explains why the Vikings re-signing T.J. Hockenson helps the team more than it hurts it.
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, $1.63 million
Signed: March 2023 (contract ends 2026)
2. Zach Wood (NO), $1.62 million
3. Thomas Hennessy (NYJ), $2.6 million
Total guaranteed money:
1. Thomas Hennessy, $2.62 million
Signed: April 2023 (contract ends 2027)
2. Joe Cardona (NE), $2.6 million
3. Zach Wood (NO), $2.3 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