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With the passing game in the NFL becoming more important every season, the value of wide receivers is also growing. They have become one of the highest-paid positions in the NFL, with several players eclipsing a value of more than 20 million dollars per year. Here are five wide receivers who earn a higher average salary than any other.
NFL's highest-paid wide receivers by AAV
#5 (tied) - Mike Williams, Los Angeles Chargers - $20 million
Mike Williams signed a brand new contract extension with the Los Angeles Chargers during the 2022 offseason worth 60 million dollars over the next three years. He cracks the top five for highest-paid wide receivers in the league, but he's not the highest-paid player on his team.
#5 (tied) - Amari Cooper, Cleveland Browns - $20 million
Amari Cooper was traded from the Dallas Cowboys to the Cleveland Browns during the 2022 NFL offseason. The move was a salary dump for the Cowboys as they received a couple of late-round draft picks in return. Shortly after the trade was made official, the Browns released Jarvis Landry, the top wide receiver on their roster from a season ago.
#4 - Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers - $20.025 million
The Los Angeles Chargers have two of the top five highest-paid wide receivers in the NFL on their roster, with Keenan Allen making just slightly more than Mike Williams. The Chargers are fully committed to surrounding Justin Herbert with as many weapons as possible and giving him the best shot possible at success. Herbert is one of the most talented young quarterbacks in the league, so the Chargers are embracing that.
Highest paid wide receivers in the NFL by AAV
Here are the highest paid wide receivers in the NFL based on their average annual salary.
#3 - Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers - $20.145 million
After being unable to agree on a long-term contract extension, the Green Bay Pacers paced the franchise tag on Davante Adams for the 2022 season. The decision to tag him resulted in a one-year contract worth over 20 million dollars and moved him to the third highest-paid wide receiver.
The issue for the Packers is that Davante Adams is not satisfied with being third and is reportedly frustrated that he was franchise tagged. He wants to be the highest-paid wide receiver of all time and has threatened to sit out the 2022 season if the Packers don't give him a new contract.
#2 - Julio Jones, Tennessee Titans - $22 million
Julio Jones is one of the best wide receivers of this generation. Unfortunately, he has struggled to stay healthy recently. He was acquired by the Tennessee Titans via trade with the Atlanta Falcons before the 2021 season and could only appear in ten games while recording just one touchdown all season. The Titans are hoping the legendary wide receiver can turn things around in the 2022 season and get back on track.
#1 - DeAndre Hopkins, Arizona Cardinals - $27.25 million
DeAndre Hopkins is the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL by a wide margin, clearing second place by more than five million dollars of average annual salary. Hopkins is also the second-highest-paid non-quarterback in the entire NFL. Before the 2021 season being plagued by injuries, Hopkins was on a streak of four consecutive seasons, being named to the All-Pro team, which is why the Arizona Cardinals paid him so much.
