Biggest NFL Contracts of the 2022 Offseason

From extensions to free agent deals to the franchise tag, tracking the most expensive contracts NFL players are signing ahead of the 2022 season.

The money is officially flowing ahead of the 2022 NFL season. The franchise tag deadline came and went on March 8. Free agency officially began on March 16, also the official start of the new league year. And there’s been a lot of fun to be had.

As pen hits paper and more big-money NFL contracts get locked in, whether via free agency, extensions, or franchise tenders, Boardroom has your running count of the biggest, most expensive deals locked in this offseason, from Aaron Rodgers to Aaron Donald and from Deshaun Watson to Derek Carr to Davante Adams and beyond.

Largest NFL Contracts Signed This Offseason
(Total Value)

All numbers via Spotrac unless otherwise noted.

1. Broncos QB Russell Wilson: $245,000,000

Type: Extension
Length: 5 years
2022 salary: $24,000,000
Guaranteed money: $165,000,000

2. Cardinals QB Kyler Murray: $230,500,000

Type: Extension
Length: 5 years
2022 salary: $30,000,000
Guaranteed money: $160,000,000

Click here to read Boardroom’s deep dive on Murray’s contract extension with the Cardinals.

3. Browns QB Deshaun Watson: $230,000,000

Type: Extension
Length: 5 years
2022 salary: $46,035,000
Guaranteed money:$230,000,000

Click here to read Boardroom’s deep dive on Watson’s contract extension with the Browns.

At a reported $46M per year, Deshaun Watson is now the 2nd highest average paid player in the history of football.

His reported $150M fully guaranteed at signing surpasses Aaron Rodgers by almost $50M.

All $230M is reportedly practically guaranteed.

This wasn’t just a trade.
— Spotrac (@spotrac) March 18, 2022

4. Rams QB Matthew Stafford: $160,000,000

Type: Extension
Length: 4 years
2022 salary: $61,500,000
Guaranteed money: $130,000,000

5. Packers QB Aaron Rodgers: $150,815,000

Type: Extension
Length: 3 years
2022 salary: $42,000,000
Guaranteed money:$150,815,000

NOTE: The terms of Rodgers’ deal replace his original on-the-books salary for 2022. Effectively, it includes two new years and $123,844,412 of new money.
Click here to read Boardroom’s deep dive on Rodgers’ contract extension with the Packers.

6. Raiders WR Davante Adams: $141,250,000

Type: Extension
Length: 5 years
2022 salary: $23,320,576
Guaranteed money: $65,670,000

7. Raiders QB Derek Carr: $121,500,000

Type: Extension
Length: 3 years
2022 salary: $19,877,519
Guaranteed money: $65,277,519

NOTE: Carr’s three-year extension begins next season.

The Raiders have been SPENDING this offseason:

QB Derek Carr: 3-years, $121.5M
WR Davante Adams: 5-years, $142.5M
DE Maxx Crosby: 4-years, $98.98M
Edge Chandler Jones: 3-years, $51M

💰 💰 💰
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) April 13, 2022

t-8. Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill: $120,000,000

Type: Extension
Length: 4 years
2022 salary: $26,635,000
Guaranteed money: $72,200,000

NOTE: Hill’s deal includes three new years and $75 million in new money, adding to his previous on-the-books salary for 2022.
Click here to read Boardroom’s deep dive on Hill’s contract extension with the Dolphins.

t-8. Bills EDGE Von Miller: $120,000,000

Type: Free agency (via Rams)
Length: 6 years
2022 salary: $19,970,000
Guaranteed money: $51,435,000

10. Bills WR Stefon Diggs: $104,000,000

Type: Extension
Length: 4 years
2022 salary: $24,580,000
Guaranteed money: $70,000,000

11. Browns CB Denzel Ward: $100,500,000

Type: Extension
Length: 5 years
2022 salary: $13,294,000
Guaranteed money: $71,250,000

12. Eagles WR A.J. Brown: $100,000,000

Type: Extension
Length: 4 years
2022 salary: $24,220,000
Guaranteed money: $57,000,000

13. Rams DT Aaron Donald: $95,000,000

Type: Restructure and extension
Length: 3 years
2022 salary: $31,500,000
Guaranteed money: $95,000,000

The #Rams get their Super Bowl hero back for a guaranteed $65M over the next two seasons with the contract structured to allow Aaron Donald to retire or return in 2024 for an additional guaranteed $30M. https://t.co/Gsq6lYCQmV
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 6, 2022

14. Raiders EDGE Maxx Crosby: $94,000,000

Type: Extension
Length: 4 years
2022 salary: $16,882,000
Guaranteed money: $53,000,000

3-11-20 – The day Maxx Crosby got sober and turned his life around.

3-11-22 – The day Maxx Crosby became one of the NFL’s highest-paid defenders.

What a journey. https://t.co/jNRpCh1yHu
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 11, 2022

15. Titans EDGE Harold Landry III: $87,500,000

Type: Extension
Length: 5 years
2022 salary: $20,250,000
Guaranteed money: $52,500,000

t-16. Packers CB Jaire Alexander: $84,000,000

Type: Extension
Length: 4 years
2022 salary: $31,076,000
Guaranteed money: $30,000,000

t-16. Jaguars WR Christian Kirk: $84,000,000

Type: Free agency (via Cardinals)
Length: 4 years
2022 salary: $20,250,000
Guaranteed money: $52,500,000

Christian Kirk’s deal:
Signing bonus: $20M
Salaries: $1.5M, $15.5M, $14.5M, $15.5M
Annual roster bonuses: $500K
Annual workout bonuses: $500K
Annual incentives: $3M
2024 roster bonus: $1M

Max value of $84M
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 14, 2022

18. Chargers CB J.C. Jackson: $82,500,000

Type: Free agency (via Patriots)
Length: 5 years
2022 salary: $28,000,000
Guaranteed money: $40,000,000

19. Rams WR Cooper Kupp: $80,100,000

Type: Extension
Length: 3 years
2022 salary: $30,000,000
Guaranteed money: $75,000,000

20. Dolphins OT Terron Armstead: $75,000,000

Type: Free agency (via Saints)
Length: 5 years
2022 salary: $14,120,000
Guaranteed money: $43,370,000

Largest NFL Contracts Signed This Offseason
(Average Annual Value)

1. Packers QB Aaron Rodgers: $50,271,667

2022 salary cap hit: $28,533,569
Free agency: 2025

NOTE: Alternatively, calculating AAV based strictly on the number of new years (two) and the amount of new money ($123,844,412) in Rodgers’ deal produces a figure of $61,922,206.

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers' deal …

'22: $1.15M base, $40.8M roster bonus.
'23: $59.465M base.
'24: $49.25M base.
'25: $15.85M base, $5M option bonus.
'26: $10M base, $5M option bonus.

• '22-'23: fully guaranteed.
• '22-'24: injury guaranteed.
• Options due 4/15/25, 4/15/26.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 15, 2022

2. Broncos QB Russell Wilson: $49,000,000

2022 salary cap hit: $24,000,000
Free agency: 2029

3. Cardinals QB Kyler Murray: $46,100,000

2022 salary cap hit: $6,772,000
Free agency: 2028

4. Browns QB Deshaun Watson: $46,000,000

2022 salary cap hit: $10,035,000
Free agency: 2027

5. Raiders QB Derek Carr: $41,500,000

2022 salary cap hit: $19,877,519 (extension begins next year)
Free agency: 2025

6. Rams QB Matthew Stafford: $40,000,000

2022 salary cap hit: $13,500,000
Free agency: 2027 (potential out following 2025 season)

7. Vikings QB Kirk Cousins: $35,000,000

2022 salary cap hit: $31,416,668
Free agency: 2024

NOTE: Cousins’ deal reportedly lowers his previous 2022 salary cap number, extends him through 2023, and includes two non-guaranteed years covering 2024 and ’25.

Vikings gave Kirk Cousins a one-year, fully-guaranteed $35 million extension, per source. He will make $40 million this year and $30 million next. Deal has two voidable years in it to lower his cap number this year to $31.25M. $15M of deal will be paid by this time next year.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 13, 2022

8. Rams DT Aaron Donald: $31,666,667

2022 salary cap hit: $24,000,000
Free agency: 2025

Aaron Donald:
2014: DROY, Pro Bowl
2015: All Pro, Pro Bowl
2016: All Pro, Pro Bowl
2017: All Pro, Pro Bowl, DPOY
2018: Unanimous All Pro, Pro Bowl, DPOY
2019: All Pro, Pro Bowl
2020: Unanimous All Pro, Pro Bowl, DPOY
2021: Unanimous All Pro, Pro Bowl

That’s how you get $95M.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) June 6, 2022

9. Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill: $30,000,000

2022 salary cap hit: $6,485,000
Free agency: 2026

10. Raiders WR Davante Adams: $28,250,000

2022 salary cap hit: $8,170,576
Free agency: 2027

11. Rams WR Cooper Kupp: $26,700,000

2022 salary cap hit: $17,800,000
Free agency: 2027

12. Bills WR Stefon Diggs: $26,000,000

2022 salary cap hit: $11,736,111
Free agency: 2028

13. Eagles WR A.J. Brown: $25,000,000

2022 salary cap hit: $5,632,800
Free agency: 2027

14. Seahawks WR D.K. Metcalf: $24,000,000

2022 salary cap hit: $8,838,827
Free agency: 2026

15. 49ers WR Deebo Samuel: $23,850,000

2022 salary cap hit: $4,890,519
Free agency: 2026

16. Raiders EDGE Maxx Crosby: $23,500,000

2022 salary cap hit: $6,677,566
Free agency: 2026

17. Commanders WR Terry McLaurin: $23,333,333

2022 salary cap hit: Not reported
Free agency: 2026

t-18. Packers CB Jaire Alexander: $21,000,000

2022 salary cap hit: $7,076,000
Free agency: 2027

t-18. Jaguars WR Christian Kirk: $21,000,000

2022 salary cap hit: $7,500,000
Free agency: 2026

Jalen Ramsey & Darius Slay react to Christian Kirk’s new contract 👀 pic.twitter.com/hQeeTu20Fi
— PFF (@PFF) March 14, 2022

20. Panthers WR D.J. Moore: $20,628,000

2022 salary cap hit: $11,116,000
Free agency: 2026

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