With the direction the NFL is going, there’s little doubt that a wide receiver will sign the first-ever contract for at least $35 million annually; the issue is when, not if, this will happen.
Randy Mueller, a former general manager of the Miami Dolphins and New Orleans Saints who currently writes about the NFL for The Athletic, thinks it may happen this year since four of the league’s best wide receivers are seeking for new contracts.
“With Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb, Ja’Marr Chase, and Brandon Aiyuk all available for new deals, we are poised for another surge in the receiver market, which has already reset twice in the last month,” Mueller said. “We might be looking at $35 million per year, which would be 13.7 percent of the cap, or more, as all four could plausibly reset the market.”
The Vikings are most likely in the greatest position to part with that sort of cash out of the four clubs Mueller mentioned: Minnesota, Dallas, Cincinnati, and San Francisco. For the next four, maybe five seasons, the team will have quarterback J.J. McCarthy on a rookie deal, and for the next two seasons at least, they will have inexpensive wide receiver Jordan Addison.
Mueller said, “If I were in charge of the Vikings, I would pay Jefferson and keep churning WR2 at the end of Addison’s contract.”
The 49ers have paid receiver Deebo Samuel $23.8 million a season, and they have given some of their best players their fair share of lucrative contracts. After 2025, when they re-sign quarterback Brock Purdy, they will have to pay him more than $50 million a year.
Dallas is taking its time extending the contract for Lamb. It must also determine whether to give quarterback Dak Prescott $50 million or more when his contract expires after this season, as well as take into account the enormous salary edge-rusher Micah Parsons will want after the next campaign.
One may argue that Chase is the most important member of his squad, except from Jefferson. Over the following five years, Cincy spent $275 million on QB Joe Burrow. Given that the Bengals would likely lose fellow wide receiver Tee Higgins in the spring, it would be imprudent to forgo investing the same sum on his preferred weapon.
Mueller stated, “If I were the Bengals, I would probably sign Chase as soon as possible to avoid resetting the market after Lamb’s and Jefferson’s deals come in. Chase has two years left on his contract.”
