Justin Jefferson and the Minnesota Vikings announced Monday that they agreed to a contract extension to make the wide receiver the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.
Jefferson’s new contract with the Vikings is for four years and $140 million, including $110 million guaranteed. The Vikings’ deal is indicative of both the rise of the salary cap and the higher value teams have started to place on premier wideouts.
The LSU product is the eighth wide receiver to sign an extension so far this offseason, and his deal has set the market on asking prices for other top receivers. Pass-catchers like CeeDee Lamb of the Dallas Cowboys and Ja’Marr Chase of the Cincinnati Bengals will look to secure similar paydays after they’ve found early success at the pro level.
By signing a receiver to such a lucrative deal, Minnesota may have also opened the gates to more big paydays for other non-quarterbacks. Here are the biggest contracts handed out to such players by average annual value after Jefferson’s Vikings extension set a new record.
JUSTIN JEFFERSON Wide receiver, Vikings strike historic four-year, $140 million contract extension
Biggest non-QB contracts in NFL history
1. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings: 4 years, $140 million (AAV: $35 million)
Two years after the Miami Dolphins made Tyreek Hill the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history with a four-year, $120 million extension, the Vikings far surpassed that number to hold onto Jefferson. The three-time Pro Bowler, three-time All-Pro and 2022 Offensive Player of the Year will stay in Minnesota for another four years, in part thanks to his team’s decision to let quarterback Kirk Cousins walk in free agency.
2. Nick Bosa, EDGE, San Francisco 49ers: 5 years, $170 million (AAV: $34 million)
Jefferson’s new deal edged out Bosa for the new record by AAV, but the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year has the more lucrative contract by guaranteed money ($122.5 million to Jefferson’s $110 million). The former Ohio State edge rusher led the league in tackles for a loss (21) in 2021 before leading it in sacks (18.5) in 2022 en route to DPOY honors. He signed his megadeal the following offseason. In 2023, he put together another double-digit sacks season and set new career highs in tackles (53) and passes defended (4) and earned his fourth Pro Bowl nod.
3. A.J. Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles: 3 years, $96 million (AAV: $32 million)
Though he was already under contract through the 2026 season, Brown signed another contract extension in April to keep him in Philadelphia through 2029. He held the record for highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL for all of five and a half weeks. The Eagles’ move to bring in the former Tennessee Titan via a draft day trade in 2022 has paid off well for them. Brown was a Pro Bowler and second-team All-Pro wideout in each of the last two seasons. He tallied over 1,400 receiving yards each year and has scored 18 receiving touchdowns during his time in Philly.
4. Chris Jones, DT, Kansas City Chiefs: 5 years, $158.75 million (AAV: $31.75 million)
Jones didn’t even play in the Chiefs’ first game of 2023 because he was still holding out for a new contract with the team. When he finally got a new, one-year deal in early September, he returned to action and went on to have one of the best seasons of his career. He rode a 10.5-sack season – in addition to 13 tackles for a loss, 30 tackles and 29 quarterback hits – to a fifth straight Pro Bowl season and second straight first-team All-Pro nod. It was enough for Kansas City to pay Jones what they did this offseason to make him the highest-paid defensive tackle in NFL history, passing Aaron Donald.
5. Aaron Donald, DT, Los Angeles Rams: 3 years, $95 million ($31.67 million)
Donald, who recently retired, spent years as one of the NFL’s most dominant defenders, if not the most dominant. He had the contract to back it up. The former defensive tackle and the Rams agreed to this contract restructure ahead of the 2022 season that, at the time, made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL. The three-time Defensive Player of the Year received two more Pro Bowl nods (his ninth and tenth of his career) and first-team All-Pro honors in 2023 (his eighth) to finish his career.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biggest non-QB contracts in NFL history after Justin Jefferson extension