2023 NFL Season: Who is the highest paid at each position?

2023 NFL Season: Who is the highest paid at each position?

Cornerback – Jaire Alexander, $21 million, Denzel Ward, $20.1 million per year

The two highest-paid cornerbacks in the NFL ahead of the 2023 NFL season are Jaire Alexander and Denzel Ward.  Neither are better than Patrick Surtain II, who still on his rookie deal and will likely sign an extension next year.

Sauce Gardner is also a player who could reset this market.  I would expect Surtain to flirt with $25 million per year when he signs his extension next offseason, and Gardner may surpass that when he signs his.  Having a shutdown cornerback in today’s NFL is crucial as this is a pass-first league.

Safety – Derwin James, $19 million, Minkah Fitzpatrick, $18.247 per year

The two highest-paid safeties in the NFL are Derwin James and Minkah Fitzpatrick.  Both have recently signed these long-term deals.  James is an interesting one.  He’s got the side to play in the box as a linebacker-hybrid, but he has struggled a ton with injuries during his career.

Fitzpatrick is a do-it-all safety who is arguably the best in the NFL.  Both are extremely talented and are very deserving of their respective contracts.

Let’s do a bonus and look at the highest paid kicker and punter!

Kicker and Punter – Justin Tucker, $6 million, Michael Dickson, $3.674 million per year

Much less lucrative contracts, but both Tucker and Dickson are the two best in the NFL at what they do.  It’s hard to say much more.  Tucker has the longest FG in NFL history at 66 yards and Michael Dickson averaged 48.5 yards per punt this year.