We see the list of highest-paid wide receivers in the NFL get shaken up almost every single offseason. Last year saw a lot of movement, and we’ve already seen some more shifts during the 2024 offseason. Who is the highest-paid WR in the NFL, and which other receivers round out the top 10 at the position?
Who Is the Highest-Paid Wide Receiver in the NFL?
Topping the list of highest-paid wide receivers is A.J. Brown, the star wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Eagles and star WR AJ Brown agreed to terms on a new 3-year extension for $96 million, the highest for any WR in NFL history. He’s now under contract through 2029 and his total guarantee of $84 million is also the highest in the NFL too.
Before the new deal, Brown sat tied for fourth in the league with the same $25 million figure for his AAV dating back to an extension signed shortly after he was traded to the Eagles on the first night of the 2022 NFL Draft before jumping to the front of the line ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Brown joined a unique club of NFL wide receivers as one of just four with a $100 million tag and has now increased his value ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft allowing him to sit atop the league amongst his peers.
Highest-Paid Wide Receivers in the NFL
2) Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions | AAV: $30.002 million
St. Brown signed a four-year extension for just over $120 million with the Lions on April 24, 2024, and earned the most guaranteed money of any WR contract in NFL history with $77 million in guarantees as well, per multiple reports.
At an average annual salary of $30,002,500, St. Brown just barely broke the previous record-high for wide receivers, which belonged to Miami Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill, who makes $30 million per year and has now been surpassed by Brown.
St. Brown was initially slated to make just $3.366 million in 2024 base salary on the final year of his rookie contract.
3) Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins | AAV: $30 million
Hill agreed to his new deal after being acquired by Miami Dolphins in a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs back in March 2022. Hill’s four-year, $120 million contract extension included a $25.5 million signing bonus, $52.535 million guaranteed at signing, and $72.2 million in total guarantees.
Hill is slated to make just shy of $20 million in base salary in 2024, which is fully guaranteed. His deal will likely continue to morph, however, with current cap hits of $34.244 million in 2025 and $56.309 million in 2026 that are unlikely to remain the same.
4) Davante Adams, Las Vegas Raiders | AAV: $28 million
After being traded to Las Vegas, Davante Adams signed a five-year contract worth $140 million. Just $22.75 million was guaranteed at signing, with another $42.92 million becoming guaranteed in 2023.
The value of Adams’ contract really becomes known in the final three years. His cap number will jump to $25.35 million in 2024 and then all the way up to $44.1 million in 2025 and 2026.
It seems unlikely we’ll ever see him hit that cap number, so this will essentially end up being a three-year deal worth just over $22 million annually. Those final two years will serve as leverage for Adams and his agent to push for a new contract.
5) Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams | AAV: $26.7 million
Coming off winning the Super Bowl MVP, Cooper Kupp topped all the other three-year contract extensions signed in 2022. The deal is worth a total of $80.1 million, with $35 million guaranteed at signing and $75 million in total guarantees at the end of the contract.
Incredibly, Kupp’s cap number climbs to $29.78 million in 2024 and is slated for the same figure in 2025 before a slight drop to $27.33 million in 2026, the deal’s final year.
6) DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles | AAV: $25 million
DeVonta Smith became the second Eagles wide receiver to enter the top 10 when he signed a three-year, $75 million contract extension in April 2024. He received $69.997 million in guarantees, with $33.99 million fully guaranteed at signing, of which $15 million is a new guarantee.
Smith received a $20.351 million signing bonus, and both his 2024 and 2025 salaries are fully guaranteed. He will also earn $14 million fully guaranteed for 2026 if he is on the roster on the third day of the league year in 2025, alongside a $22 million guarantee in 2027 if he’s on the roster for the third day of the 2026 league year.
7) DK Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks | AAV: $24 million
DK Metcalf was one of a few players who received three-year contract extensions in 2022, inking a deal worth up to $72 million at the time. Metcalf received a $30 million signing bonus and $58.2 million in guarantees, including $31 million at signing, a further $14.22 million in 2023, and another $13 million ahead of 2024.
Metcalf is currently set to have a $24.5 million cap hit in 2024 and a $29.5 million hit in 2025.
8) Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers | AAV: $23.9 million
A rocky 2022 offseason ended happily for Deebo Samuel and the 49ers, as he inked a three-year contract extension worth $71.55 million, including $41 million fully guaranteed and $58.1 million in total guarantees.
MORE: The 49ers Should Trade Deebo Samuel Instead of Brandon Aiyuk
Samuel’s salary cap number remained relatively low in 2023 at $8.74 million but rises to $28.63 in 2024 and $24.2 million in 2025.
How San Francisco continues working around that contract as other key players come up for new deals of their own remains to be seen.
9) Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts | AAV: $23.3 million
After initially being franchise-tagged, the Indianapolis Colts and Michael Pittman Jr. agreed on a long-term deal in March 2024. The deal ultimately came out to a three-year, $68 million contract with $46 million in guarantees and $41 million fully guaranteed at signing, including a $15 million signing bonus.
10) Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders | AAV: $23.2 million
Terry McLaurin and the Washington Commanders agreed to a three-year contract extension worth $68.2 million in 2022. As part of that, there was a $28 million signing bonus, which made up a large part of the $34.65 million in guarantees.
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Having remained on the roster through the third day of the new league year, McLaurin’s entire salary for the 2024 season is now fully guaranteed.
The contract values used in this list are from Over the Cap.
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