Taking Nick Bosa’s position as the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL, Justin Jefferson is now in his position. His four-year, $140 million deal with the Minnesota Vikings sets a new record for total guarantees and is fully guaranteed when he signs. The average annual salary is $35 million.
After quarterback Josh Jefferson extended his contract, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is thinking about signing CeeDee Lamb to a long-term deal. Lamb will skip this week’s obligatory Cowboys minicamp despite having a 2024 salary of $17.991 million. After having the best receiving season in Cowboys history, he will certainly earn more than Jefferson’s $35 million annually.
Lamb has the most receptions (242), the second-most yards (3,108), and the second-most touchdown catches (21). Since Lamb had a better 2023 than Jefferson but was second-to-last in receiving yards per game compared to his fellow 2020 first-round choice, the Cowboys may have greater trouble paying him. If the Cowboys wanted a five-year, big-money deal from Lamb, they would have to go above and beyond Jefferson’s contract guarantees.
Due to the team’s strict contract rules, quarterback Chase Chase of the Cincinnati Bengals is having trouble getting a new deal. Cincinnati veteran contracts only include signing bonuses or roster bonuses as guaranteed funds; bigger contracts may also include an unsecured third or fifth day of the league year roster bonus. Aaron Rodgers is the lone exception to the shared framework between the Green Bay Packers and the Bengals. In order to finalize a contract, the Bengals might have to dish out record-breaking cash flow and the largest signing bonus ever for a player who isn’t a quarterback. If the Bengals decide to extend Chase’s deal before the start of the regular season, it may potentially annoy wide receiver Tee Higgins. Brandon Aiyuk, the wide receiver, is reportedly aiming for a deal that pays more than $25 million annually because he is unhappy about the lack of a new deal. Brandon Hill, a wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins, is also on the market for a new deal.
