What Are The Highest Paid Positions In The NFL?

We all know that NFL players are some of the highest-paid athletes in the world. But do you know which positions are the highest paid? Here’s a look at the top five.

Introduction

In the National Football League, the average career lasts just over three years. With such a short shelf-life, players are always looking for ways to maximize their earnings. In addition to signing bonuses and performance-based incentive bonuses, players also receive a portion of the revenue from the sale of jerseys bearing their names and numbers. Consequently, the most popular and successful players tend to be the ones who earn the most money.

Quarterbacks

Quarterbacks are the highest paid position in the NFL by average annual salary per player. In 2014, the average quarterback made $3.2 million per year, according to USA Today. That is an increase of $1 million from 2012, when the average quarterback made $2.1 million. The top quarterback in the NFL by average annual salary is Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers, who makes $22 million per year.

Running Backs

Running backs are among the most important players in football, and they are also some of the highest-paid players in the NFL. The average salary for a running back is $1.6 million, but the top running backs in the league can earn much more. The highest-paid running back in the NFL is currently LeSean McCoy of the Buffalo Bills, who has a base salary of $9 million for the 2018 season.

Wide Receivers

Salaries for NFL wide receivers range from the low millions to the high tens of millions. The average salary for an NFL wide receiver is just over $4 million, but the top players can earn much more.

The highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL is currently A.J. Green of the Cincinnati Bengals, who has a yearly salary of $15 million. Other top-earning wide receivers include DeAndre Hopkins of the Houston Texans ($13.5 million), Julio Jones of the Atlanta Falcons ($13 million), and Keenan Allen of the Los Angeles Chargers ($11.25 million).

While salaries for wide receivers are high, they are often dwarfed by those of quarterbacks and running backs. The highest-paid player in the NFL is currently quarterback Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks, who has a yearly salary of $35 million.

Tight Ends

Tight ends are one of the most physically demanding positions in football and are often called upon to block defensive ends and linebackers at the line of scrimmage. They also play an important role in the passing game, acting as a receiver and sometimes as an extra blocker.

Due to their large size and athleticism, tight ends are some of the most sought-after players in the NFL. The average salary for a tight end is $1.6 million, but the top players at the position can earn much more. The highest-paid tight end in the NFL is currently New England Patriots’ Rob Gronkowski, who has a base salary of $10 million for the 2019 season.

Offensive Linemen

Offensive linemen are some of the most important players in football, yet they are often overshadowed by quarterbacks and running backs. These players are responsible for protecting the quarterback and opening up holes for the running game.

Offensive linemen typically earn more than other positions because of their importance to the team. The average salary for an offensive lineman is $2.4 million per year, making them the highest-paid position in the NFL.

Quarterbacks are the second highest-paid position, with an average salary of $2.1 million per year. Quarterbacks are the most important offensive players and are responsible for leading the team on the field.

Running backs are the third highest-paid position, with an average salary of $1.6 million per year. Running backs are responsible for carrying the ball and scoring touchdowns.

Defensive linemen are the fourth highest-paid position, with an average salary of $1.5 million per year. Defensive linemen are responsible for stopping the opposing team’s offense from scoring points.

Linebackers round out the top five, with an average salary of $1.4 million per year. Linebackers defend against both the run and the pass and often play a pivotal role in stopping opposing offenses

Defensive Linemen

Defensive linemen are the highest-paid players in the NFL, with an average annual salary of $2.9 million. These players are responsible for stopping the run and rushing the passer, and they usually line up in a 4-3 defense.

Linebackers

In the National Football League, the highest paid position is typically occupied by quarterbacks, followed by defensive end, linebacker, and offensive tackle. In the 2018 season, Von Miller, a linebacker for the Denver Broncos, was the highest paid NFL player with an annual salary of $19 million.

Cornerbacks

In the National Football League, the average career lasts less than five years. Players who can play at a high level for an extended period of time are very rare and therefore, very valuable. A player’s position has a lot to do with their value to an NFL team. Quarterbacks, left tackles, and pass rushers are usually the highest-paid players on a team because they have the biggest impact on the game. This list will look at the ten highest-paid positions in the NFL and see how much money these players are making.

1) Cornerbacks:
The average salary for cornerbacks is $13,266,667. The top earner at this position is Darrelle Revis of the New York Jets who is making $16,000,000 this year. Other notable cornerbacks who are amongst the highest-paid at their position include Patrick Peterson of the Arizona Cardinals ($14,015,325), Richard Sherman of the Seattle Seahawks ($13,633,333), and Joe Haden of the Cleveland Browns ($13,374,999).

2) Safeties:
The average salary for safeties is $10,322,857. The top earner at this position is Earl Thomas of the Seattle Seahawks who is making $10,500,000 this year. Other notable safeties who are among the highest-paid at their position include Eric Weddle of the Baltimore Ravens ($9 million), Devin McCourty of the New England Patriots ($9 million), and Kam Chancellor of the Seattle Seahawks ($7 million).

3) Linebackers:
The average salary for linebackers is $9,754285. The top earner at this position is Jamie Collins of the New England Patriots who is making $12 million this year. Other notable linebackers who are among the highest-paid at their position include Luke Kuechly of Carolina Panthers ($11 million), Lavonte David of Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($9.7 million), and Von Miller of Denver Broncos ($19 million).
4) Defensive Ends:
The average salary for defensive ends is $8158462 . The top earner at this position is Robert Quinn of Los Angeles Rams who is making $14300000 this year . Other notable defensive ends amongst then include Ezekiel Ansah Of Detroit Lions (Making 12000000 yearly), Chandler Jones Of Arizona Cardinals (Making 11372500 yearly) , Jason Pierre Paul Of Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Making 10500000 yearly).

Safeties

The safety position is one of the most important in football, and as a result, safeties are some of the highest-paid players in the NFL. The average salary for an NFL safety was $3.71 million in 2019, according to Spotrac.

The highest-paid safety in the NFL is Eagles’ Malcolm Jenkins, who makes an average of $9 million per year. Jenkins is followed by Cardinals’ Tyrann Mathieu ($12.5 million), Raiders’ Lamarcus Joyner ($10.83 million), and Cowboys’ Earl Thomas ($10 million).

While salaries for safeties have increased in recent years, they still lag behind other positions such as quarterback, running back, and wide receiver. The average salary for an NFL quarterback was $4.9 million in 2019, while the average for a running back was $2.7 million and the average for a wide receiver was $2.4 million.

Special Teams

Punters and kickers are often thought of as the lowest-paid members of an NFL team, but that’s not always the case. In fact, some of the highest-paid players in the league are punters and kickers.

Special teams players can earn a lot of money if they are good at their jobs. Punters and kickers who perform well can earn contracts that pay them millions of dollars per year.

The highest-paid punter in the NFL is currently Johnny Hekker of the Los Angeles Rams. Hekker signed a four-year, $18 million contract extension with the Rams in 2018 that includes $9 million in guaranteed money.

The highest-paid kicker in the NFL is currently Justin Tucker of the Baltimore Ravens. Tucker signed a four-year, $20 million contract extension with the Ravens in 2019 that includes $12 million in guaranteed money.

So, if you’re good at kicking or punting, you can definitely make a lot of money playing in the NFL.