With NFL training camps underway, teams are actively signing their top players to long-term deals as the league continues its financial expansion. The salary cap for the 2026 season now exceeds $300 million per team, more than double what it was over a decade ago, creating substantial resources for franchise investments.
Quarterbacks command the highest salaries across the league, with Patrick Mahomes leading the position after signing a revised contract this offseason that made him the first player in NFL history to agree to a deal worth more than $500 million. He surpassed Dak Prescott, who previously held the quarterback earnings record at $60 million per year average value. Several other signal-callers, including Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Trevor Lawrence, Jordan Love and Matthew Stafford, are signed at $55 million average annual value.
Beyond the quarterback position, Will Anderson Jr. became the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history with a three-year, $150 million agreement. Among specialists at their positions, running back Gibbs secured a three-year, $67.5 million deal with the Detroit Lions that could reach $75.75 million, while wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, fresh off earning NFL Offensive Player of the Year honors, commands top receiver money following a Super Bowl championship run. Devon Witherspoon reset the cornerback market with a four-year, $132 million contract that includes $101 million guaranteed, following his third consecutive Pro Bowl selection and first All-Pro honor.
Other notable deals include offensive linemen Taliese Skoronski and Broderick Wright, tight end George Kittle, and defensive standouts Jalen Carter, Fred Warner and Derrin James. The ongoing contract negotiations reflect the competitive nature of retaining talent while managing salary cap constraints, as teams balance spending across multiple positions to build championship rosters.
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