What Position Gets Paid The Most In The NFL?

The average salary for an NFL player is $2.1 million per year, but some positions are paid significantly more than others. Here’s a look at the five highest-paid positions in the NFL.

Introduction

In the National Football League, the highest paid position is quarterback. In 2019, the average salary for a quarterback was $2.7 million. The second highest paid position is defensive end, with an average salary of $2.4 million.

Quarterbacks

Quarterbacks are the highest-paid position in the NFL, with an average salary of $2.58 million per year in 2017. This is more than twice the league average salary of $1.175 million, and it’s also more than double the next closest position, defensive end, which has an average salary of $1.17 million.

There are a number of reasons for this discrepancy in pay. Quarterbacks are the most important position on the field, and they have a direct impact on the outcome of games. They also tend to have longer careers than players at other positions, which means they can command higher salaries over the course of their careers. Finally, quarterbacks are often among the face of their franchises and are thus able to leverage their popularity into endorsement deals that further increase their earnings.

Running Backs

Running backs are the workhorses of the NFL. They are responsible for running the football on offense and often play a pivotal role in the outcome of a game. Not surprisingly, running backs are some of the highest-paid players in the league. In 2019, the average salary for a running back was $1,505,000. The following list includes the top five highest-paid running backs in the NFL.

1. Todd Gurley – Los Angeles Rams – $15 million
2. Le’Veon Bell – Pittsburgh Steelers – $13.1 million
3. Devonta Freeman – Atlanta Falcons – $8 million
4. Melvin Gordon – Los Angeles Chargers – $5.6 million
5. Leonard Fournette – Jacksonville Jaguars – $4.2 million

Wide Receivers

Wide receivers are often some of the most physically gifted athletes on the field and are tasked with one of the most important jobs in football, catching passes and gaining yards. It’s no surprise, then, that they are among the highest-paid players in the NFL.

The average salary for a wide receiver in the NFL is $2.5 million per year, but some of the league’s top players can earn much more. The highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL is Pittsburgh Steelers star Antonio Brown, who signed a four-year extension worth $68 million in 2017. Brown is followed by Green Bay Packers receiver Davante Adams, who signed a four-year, $58 million extension in December 2018.

Other top-paid wide receivers include:

-DeAndre Hopkins, Houston Texans: $16.2 million per year
-Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants: $16 million per year
-Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons: $15.3 million per year
-Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $15 million per year
– TY Hilton$, Indianapolis Colts: $13.5 million per year

Tight Ends

In 2019, the average salary for a tight end was $2.6 million. The highest-paid tight end in the NFL is Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs, who makes an annual salary of $9 million.

Offensive Linemen

Offensive linemen are the backbone of any good football team. They are responsible for protecting the quarterback and opening up holes for the running backs. Because of their importance, they are some of the highest-paid players in the NFL.

The average salary for an offensive lineman is $2.85 million per year. The highest-paid offensive lineman in the NFL is Orlando Brown Jr. of the Baltimore Ravens, who makes $13.6 million per year.

Defensive Linemen

Defensive linemen are the highest-paid position in the NFL, with an average salary of $2,367,000. This is due to the fact that they are often required to stop the opposing team’s running game and put pressure on the quarterback.

Linebackers

In the NFL, the average salary for a linebacker is $2.4 million per year. The median salary for this position is $1.9 million. The top linebackers in the league earn more than $3 million per year, while the bottom earners make less than $700,000 per year. Linebackers are typically paid more than any other position on the defensive side of the ball, with the exception of defensive end.

Defensive Backs

Defensive backs (DBs) are the players on an American football team who defend the opposing team’s receivers, and try to prevent them from catching the ball. These players usually line up six to ten yards back from the line of scrimmage.

There are two main types of defensive backs: cornerbacks and safeties. Cornerbacks line up on the outside of the field, and their main job is to defend against receivers who are trying to catch passes. Safeties line up behind the linebackers, and their main job is to defend against passes that have been thrown over the middle of the field.

The New York Jets have the highest-paid defensive back in the NFL, with a salary of $14 million per year. The next highest-paid DB is tropical cornerback Darrell Revis, who makes $12 million per year.

Special Teams

Special teams is a vital part of the game of football, and the players who excel in this area are often rewarded with larger contracts than those who play on offense or defense. According to Spotrac.com, the average salary for a player on an NFL special teams unit is $913,835, which is more than double the league average of $435,837.

The highest-paid player on special teams is Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker, who has a base salary of $5.5 million for the 2018 season. Other high-paid players include New Orleans Saints punter Thomas Morstead ($3.4 million), Houston Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn ($2.9 million), and Chicago Bears return specialist/wide receiver Tarik Cohen ($2.6 million).

While most special teams players are not household names, they can still earn quite a bit of money for their contributions to their team’s success.