Not many positions have benefited from the NFL’s ever-growing salary cap more than wide receiver; just ask Zay Flowers and Chris Olave.
Flowers and Olave have each become two of the highest-paid wide receivers in the opening week of training camp. Flowers agreed to a four-year, $140 million extension with the Baltimore Ravens on Tuesday, which includes $108 million in guaranteed money. That deal came days after Olave agreed to a four-year, $124 million deal with the New Orleans Saints, as that deal includes $90 million in guaranteed money.
The deals for Flowers and Olave came after a busy offseason for wide receiver contracts as well. Jaxon Smith-Njigba signed an extension with the Seattle Seahawks that made him the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history back in March. Alec Pearce, meanwhile, re-signed with the Indianapolis Colts on a four-year, $116 million deal just minutes into the start of free agency.Â
In recent years, an annual salary of $30 million became the barometer for the best receivers in the NFL. But the elite players have received more than that. Ja’Marr Chase broke the $40 million threshold when he signed his extension with the Cincinnati Bengals last offseason.
As of Tuesday, Aug. 4, here are the highest annual salaries among NFL wide receivers, including Pierce’s reported contract with the Colts (data courtesy of Over the Cap):
| Player | Annual Avg. | Total Value |
| Jaxon Smith-Njigba | $42.15 million | $168.6 million |
| Ja’Marr Chase | $40.25 million | $161 million |
| Drake London | $35.26 million | $141 million |
| Justin Jefferson | $35 million | $140 million |
| Zay Flowers | $35 million | $140 million |
| CeeDee Lamb | $34 million | $136 million |
| DK Metcalf | $33 million | $132 million |
| Garrett Wilson | $32.5 million | $130 million |
| A.J. Brown | $32 million | $96 million |
| Chris Olave | $31 million | $124 million |
| Amon-Ra St. Brown | $30 million | $120 million |
| Nico Collins | $30 million | $60 million |
| Brandon Aiyuk | $30 million | $120 million |
| Alec Pierce | $29 million | $116 million |
| Terry McLaurin | $29 million | $87 million |
| Tee Higgins | $28.75 million | $115 million |
| Jaylen Waddle | $28.25 million | $84.75 million |
| D.J. Moore | $27.5 million | $110 million |
| George Pickens | $27.3 million | $27.3 million |
| Jameson Williams | $26.7 million | $80 million |
| DeVonta Smith | $25 million | $75 million |
| Courtland Sutton | $23 million | $92 million |
| Christian Watson | $23 million | $92 million |
