Agent’s Take: Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb headline another wide receiver market explosion

The wide receiver market had an unprecedented salary explosion in 2022. There were four wide receivers with contracts averaging $20 million per year or more at the end of the 2021 season. The number of members in the $20 million-per-year wide receiver club grew to 14 in a matter of months even with the Tennessee Titans releasing Julio Jones that offseason. 

Either three or four wide receivers hit the $25 million-per-year mark in 2022 depending on interpretation. On paper, Tyreek Hill became the NFL’s first $30 million-per-year non-quarterback. He signed a four-year, $120 million contract extension, averaging $30 million per year, in March 2022 as a part of his trade from the Kansas City Chiefs to the Miami Dolphins. 

The extension has $72.2 million in guarantees where a wide receiver-record $52.535 million was fully guaranteed at signing. Realistically, Hill has a three-year extension for $75 million because of $45 million in 2026, the final contract year.

Hill’s extension surpassed Davante Adams’ deal. The ink was barely dry on the five-year, $140 million contract Adams received from the Las Vegas Raiders a couple of days before when he was traded by the Green Bay Packers after being designated as a franchise player. This deal has $65.67 million in guarantees, of which $42.75 million was fully guaranteed at signing. The maximum value of Adams’ contract is $141.25 million because of an annual $250,000 Pro Bowl incentive. 

In actuality, Adams has $67.5 million for three years rather than a five-year contract, averaging $28 million per year, because there’s $72.5 million over the last two years. Odds are Adams isn’t going to play 2025 and 2026 for $36.25 million each when he’s 32 and 33 years old.

The Tennessee Titans surprisingly traded A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles during the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Brown was rewarded with a four-year, $100 million extension,…

Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/agents-take-justin-jefferson-ceedee-lamb-headline-another-wide-receiver-market-explosion/

Author : Joel Corry

Publish date : 2024-03-27 19:08:13

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