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The bare minimum an NFL player can make in 2018 is $480,000, which is an absolute haul especially when you consider it’s 15-20 times the average salary of your average 20-something in this country. Granted, I’m not sure one of us would willingly run a slant route across the middle in zone defense no matter how much money was flashed in front of our eyes. But for those who are physically blessed enough to do so and willing to incur the possible future damage to the body, they can be set for life after just a handful of years in the NFL.
Personal finance site GOBankingRates examined NFL contracts to decipher the highest-paid player on every team, as well as their total guaranteed amount (immune to injuries, performance) and their average guarantee annually. Some of these numbers are cartoonish. Check out your favorite team’s highest paid player below.
Buffalo Bills: Star Lotulelei, Defensive Tackle.
$50 million, $18,500,000 guaranteed at signing, $3,700,000 average guarantee per year.
New Orleans Saints: Terron Armstead, Left Tackle.
$65 million, $20,880,000 guaranteed at signing, $4.176,000 average guarantee per year.
New England Patriots: Stephon Gilmore, Cornerback.
$65 million, $31,000,000 guaranteed at signing, $6,200,000 average guarantee per year.
Baltimore Ravens: Joe Flacco, Quarterback.
$66.4 million, $44,000,000 guaranteed at signing, $14,666,667 average guarantee per year.
New York Jets: Trumaine Johnson, Cornerback.
$72.5 million, $34,000,000 guaranteed at signing, $6,800,000 average guarantee per year.
Cleveland Browns: Jarvis Landry, Wide Receiver.
$75.5 million, $34,000,000 guaranteed at signing, $4,680,000 average guarantee per year.
Miami Dolphins: Ryan Tannehill, Quarterback.
$77 million, $21,500,000 guaranteed at signing, $5,375,000 average guarantee per year.
Tennessee Titans: Taylor Lewan, Left Tackle.
$80 million, $34,000,000 guaranteed at signing, $6,800,000 average guarantee per year.
Arizona Cardinals: Chandler Jones, Defensive End.
$82.5 million, $31,000,000 guaranteed at signing, $6,200,000 average guarantee per year.
Los Angeles Chargers: Phillip Rivers, Quarterback.
$83,250,000 million, $37,500,000 guaranteed at signing, $9,375,000 average guarantee per year.
Minnesota Vikings: Kirk Cousins, Quarterback.
$84 million, $84 million guaranteed at signing, $28,000,000 average guarantee per year.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Ben Roethlisberger, Quarterback.
$87.4 million, $34,250,000 guaranteed at signing, $8,562,500 average guarantee per year.
Seattle Seahawks: Russell Wilson, Quarterback.
$87.6 million, $31,700,000 guaranteed at signing, $7,925,000 average guarantee per year.
New York Giants: Odell Beckham Jr., Wide Receiver.
$90 million, $40,959,000 guaranteed at signing, $8,191,800 average guarantee per year.
Washington Redskins: Alex Smith, Quarterback.
$94 million, $55,000,000 guaranteed at signing, $13,750,000 average guarantee per year.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Marcell Dareus, Defensive Tackle.
$95.1 million, $42,900,000 guaranteed at signing, $7,150,000 average guarantee per year.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Gerald McCoy, Defensive Tackle.
$95.2 million, $14,757,308 guaranteed at signing, $2,108,187 average guarantee per year.
Cincinnati Bengals: Andy Dalton, Quarterback.
$96 million, $17,000,000 guaranteed at signing, $2,833,333 average guarantee per year.
Dallas Cowboys: Tyron Smith, Left Tackle.
$97.6 million, $22,118,013 guaranteed at signing, $7,764,752 average guarantee per year.
Houston Texans: J.J. Watt, Defensive End.
$100 million, $20,876,385 guaranteed at signing, $3,479,398 average guarantee per year.
Kansas City Chiefs: Justin Houston, Outside Linebacker.
$101 million, $32,500,000 guaranteed at signing, $5,416,667 average guarantee per year.
Philadelphia Eagles: Fletcher Cox, Defensive Tackle.
$102.6 million, $36,299,000 guaranteed at signing, $6,049,833 average guarantee per year.
Carolina Panthers: Cam Newton, Quarterback.
$103.8 million, $41,000,000 guaranteed at signing, $8,200,000 average guarantee per year.
Denver Broncos: Von Miller, Outside Linebacker.
$114.5 million, $42,000,000 guaranteed at signing, $7,000,000 average guarantee per year.
Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, Quarterback.
$122,970,000 million, $47,000,000 guaranteed at signing, $9,400,000 average guarantee per year.
Oakland Raiders: Derek Carr, Quarterback.
$125,025,000 million, $40,000,000 guaranteed at signing, $8,000,000 average guarantee per year.
Green Bay Packers: Aaron Rodgers, Quarterback.
$134 million, $78,700,000 guaranteed at signing, $19,675,000 average guarantee per year.
Los Angeles Rams: Aaron Donald, Defensive End.
$135 million, $50,000,000 guaranteed at signing, $8,333,333 average guarantee per year.
Detroit Lions: Matthew Stafford, Quarterback.
$135 million, $60,500,000 guaranteed at signing, $12,100,000 average guarantee per year.
San Francisco 49ers: Jimmy Garoppolo, Quarterback.
$137 million, $48,700,000 guaranteed at signing, $9,740,000 average guarantee per year.
Chicago Bears: Khalil Mack, Outside Linebacker.
$141 million, $60,000,000 guaranteed at signing, $10,000,000 average guarantee per year.
Atlanta Falcons: Matt Ryan, Quarterback.
$150 million, $94,500,000 guaranteed at signing, $18,900,000 average guarantee per year.
I need a raise.
[h/t GOBankingRates]