NFL: Key Contracts, Player’s or Team’s Friends? Deep Analysis

NFL Contract Analysis: Which Ones Are Most and Least Favorable?

The intricate contract system in the NFL is key to understanding which agreements benefit teams the most and which ones benefit players. It’s not simply a matter of rating contracts as “best” or “worst,” as perspective is fundamental. A contract unfavorable to a team can be excellent for a player, and vice versa. In this analysis, we will explore outstanding agreements in different positions, from those most favorable to teams to those most advantageous to players, explaining the reasons behind each one. We begin, as is often the case, with the quarterbacks.

Quarterbacks: The Heart of the Strategy

Quarterbacks’ contracts are crucial. Here we analyze a team-friendly deal and another that benefits the player.

Favorable Agreement for the Team: Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks

The agreement: Three years, $100.5 million, with $37.5 million fully guaranteed at signing and $55 million in total guarantees. Darnold, after a season with 35 touchdown passes with the Vikings, arrived as an unrestricted free agent, and the Seahawks secured this deal. The Seahawks’ policy of not guaranteeing money in veteran contracts beyond the first year makes the deal favorable for the team. If the Seahawks decide to terminate the contract after this season, they only have to pay him $37.5 million. If Darnold is still on the roster five days after this season’s Super Bowl, his 2026 roster bonus is fully guaranteed, as is a portion of his 2026 salary. If Seattle reaches the Super Bowl, they will need to make a decision immediately after the season. If Darnold plays the first two years of this contract, he will have earned $65 million. If he plays all three, he will receive the full $100.5 million. Even so, that’s only $33.5 million per year, making Darnold the eighteenth highest-paid quarterback in the league by average annual salary. A favorable deal for the team.

Favorable Agreement for the Player: Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

The agreement: Four years, $240 million, with $129 million fully guaranteed at signing and $231 million in total guarantees. Prescott waited until the last moment to sign this extension, which gave him an advantageous position. He received a considerable signing bonus and other cash amounts. The deal also included a guaranteed amount for 2025 and an injury guarantee for 2026 that became a full guarantee. If the Cowboys were to release Prescott now, he would have already received $174 million. His deal continues to benefit him, with guaranteed salaries in future years. The odds of Prescott receiving the $231 million in guarantees are very high. A consolation for the Cowboys is that, due to insurance and the fact that Prescott missed the last nine games of the 2024 season due to an injury, they were able to recover part of the signing bonus. However, Prescott did not have to return that money, but rather the insurance company. A favorable agreement for the player.

Runners: The Value in the Ground Game

The value of running backs in the NFL is also reflected in their contracts. Here we analyze a team-friendly contract and another for the player.

Favorable Agreement for the Team: Josh Jacobs, Green Bay Packers

The agreement: Four years, $48 million, with $12.5 million fully guaranteed upon signing and $12.5 million in total guarantees. The Packers signed Jacobs as a relative bargain. The deal was good for the Packers because they weren’t committed to him beyond the first year. Jacobs received a signing bonus, a non-guaranteed salary, and game and roster bonuses that raised his total compensation in 2024. Three running backs make more than that per season, so it’s good money for one season. If the Packers had decided to release him this offseason, they would have only lost those $14.8 million.

If the Packers cut Jacobs after this season, they would have paid him $23 million in two years, an average of $11.5 million per year, which ranks him sixth among running backs. Unless the Packers reward Jacobs with an extension after his solid first season, he will remain one of the best values in the league at his position. And if his game declines, Green Bay can cut him without owing him any money.

Favorable Agreement for the Player: Ashton Jeanty, Las Vegas Raiders

The agreement: Four years, $35,895,812 fully guaranteed upon signing, plus a team option for the fifth year in 2029. Once the Raiders selected Jeanty, this was his contract; rookie deals are assigned, and first-round picks get fully guaranteed deals. Jeanty’s average annual salary also places him among the top 11 running backs in the NFL. A rookie running back contract for a top 10 pick offers no value to the team.

Open Receivers: Strategy and Value in the Aerial Attack

Open receiver contracts reflect the importance of the passing game. We analyze a team-friendly deal and another for the player.

Favorable Agreement for the Team: DK Metcalf, Pittsburgh Steelers

The agreement: Four years, $132 million, with $60 million fully guaranteed upon signing and $60 million in total guarantees.

Although it seems like a good deal for Metcalf, it’s not that unfavorable for the team. The Steelers will pay Metcalf $35 million this year and $25 million in 2026. After that, it’s entirely up to them. His 2027 salary is not guaranteed. If they wanted to cut him after 2026, they would have to do so before the third day of the league year in March 2027 to avoid paying him another $6.5 million. It’s a good deal for Pittsburgh, given the importance of wide receivers and Metcalf’s age.

Favorable Agreement for the Player: Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals

The agreement: Four years, $161 million, with $73.9 million fully guaranteed at signing and $112 million in total guarantees. Chase negotiated a contract that currently makes him the highest-paid non-quarterback player in the league. He obtained guarantees in future years. He will receive a considerable amount in salary and guaranteed bonuses in the first year of the agreement. The Bengals wanted to cut Chase after this season, they would have paid him $73.9 million for one season. The fact that Chase and his agent got this deal is a triumph.

Defenders of the Line: Impact on Quarterback Pressure

The contracts of defensive line players are also crucial. Here we analyze a favorable agreement for the team and another for the player.

Favorable Agreement for the Team: Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas Raiders

The agreement: Three years, $106.5 million, with $62.5 million guaranteed at signing and $91.5 million in total guarantees. Crosby and the Raiders agreed to a new deal. The new deal extended his contract until 2029, but also made some modifications. The new deal guarantees him $32.5 million in 2025 and $30 million in 2026. The deal is favorable for the team because the Raiders are not committed to Crosby beyond 2026. Crosby could have pressured the Raiders for more, but he wanted to help the organization manage its salary cap. That benefits the team.

Favorable Agreement for the Player: Danielle Hunter, Houston Texans

The agreement: Two years, $49 million, with $48 million fully guaranteed, plus a one-year extension and $35.6 million. Hunter signed with Houston for $49 million over two years. Hunter received a signing bonus and an amount in salary and bonuses in the first year. The Texans, after a season of 12 sacks, did not want to risk Hunter leaving as a free agent, so they signed an extension. Hunter will end up earning $61.5 million in his first two years in Houston and $84.1 million fully guaranteed in his first three.

Cornerbacks: The Defense Against the Pass

Cornerback contracts are important for pass defense. Here we analyze a favorable deal for the team and another for the player.

Favorable Agreement for the Team: Pat Surtain II, Denver Broncos

The agreement: Four years, $96 million, with $40,688,565 fully guaranteed upon signing and $77.5 million in total guarantees. Surtain signed this deal before the 2024 season. Surtain’s deal turned out to be excellent for the Broncos, who will likely need to give him a raise if he continues to play as he has. The best player in the same position got $6 million less in total guarantees. Surtain’s deal turned out to be excellent for the Broncos.

Favorable Agreement for the Player: Jaycee Horn, Carolina Panthers

The agreement: Four years, $100 million, with $46.707 million fully guaranteed upon signing and $72 million in total guarantees. Horn secured a deal between the two best cornerbacks in the league. Horn’s average annual salary is the second highest of any cornerback in the league. Horn has been inconsistent in terms of health throughout his career and now has a deal that guarantees him money in 2026 and includes almost $23 million in total injury guarantees in 2027 and 2028. Horn achieved a great triumph with this contract.

Safety: The Last Line of Defense

The safeties’ contracts are important for the defense. Here we analyze a favorable agreement for the team.

Favorable Agreement for the Team: Kerby Joseph, Detroit Lions

The agreement: Four years, $86 million, with $24.381 million fully guaranteed at signing and $36.121 million in total guarantees. Joseph’s deal seems to fall short compared to other players in his position. If the Lions want to, they can get out of this deal after the 2026 season. Joseph’s deal should be useful for the Lions.