• Loading stock data...
Sunday, September 14, 2025
Tuned In is Almost Sold Out! Limited Tickets Remain!

NFL Free Agency: $1B+ Plus in Deals, but the Fine Print Shows True Value

  • Dozens of NFL players have already agreed to terms with new teams.
  • A lack of fully guaranteed contracts dramatically reduces what they will be paid.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

NFL free agents can’t officially sign with their new teams until 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, but already, well north of $1 billion in contracts, and counting, have been agreed to during the league’s two-day negotiating period that began Monday afternoon. However, given it’s the season of misinformation, those payouts likely won’t all end up being as high as what’s been reported.

For example, take the five contracts below, which involve some of the biggest names in the market. Together, the deals represent $627.75 million over 21 years. The catch is that just 55% of that money is fully guaranteed, and opportunities for teams to end deals early could reduce the deals to as little as $394.8 million.

Falcons QB Kirk Cousins

  • The headline: Four years, $180 million
  • The fine print: $100 million is guaranteed, with a potential out after 2026 that would essentially turn the contract into a three-year, $135 million deal. (Nothing is guaranteed in ’27, when Cousins will turn 39 and would be owed $45 million, carrying a cap hit of $57.5 million.)

Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield

  • The headline: Three years, $100 million
  • The fine print: $50 million is guaranteed, with a potential out after 2025 that would essentially turn the contract into a two-year, $60 million deal.

Packers RB Josh Jacobs

  • The headline: Four years, $48 million
  • The fine print: $12.5 million is guaranteed (just over 25% of the total contract value), with a potential out after 2024 that would essentially make it a one-year, $14.8 million deal.

Chiefs DE Chris Jones

  • The headline: Five years, $158.75 million
  • The fine print: $95 million is guaranteed, with a potential out after 2026 that would essentially turn the contract into a three-year, $95 million deal. (Base salaries of $28.25 million in ’27 and $35 million in ’28 are not guaranteed.)

Giants DE Brian Burns

  • The headline: Five years, $141 million
  • The fine print: $87.5 million is guaranteed, with a potential out after 2026 that would essentially turn the contract into a three-year, $90 million deal.

For the players’ sakes, hopefully that full $627.75 million amount will be realized. But unfortunately, most NFL fans know that won’t be the case. (contract numbers via Spotrac)

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Most NFL Home Teams Opt to Honor Charlie Kirk Before Games

Several NFL teams playing at home on Sunday recognized the late activist. Some did not.

College Football’s Costly Start for Virginia Tech, UCLA: Coaches Out

UCLA and Virginia Tech fire their coaches while Notre Dame slumps badly.

YouTube’s Revised NFL Game Rating Still Has Fox, ESPN Execs Upset 

Adjusted viewership metrics from the streamer reignited debate about the game.

Massachusetts Sues Kalshi To Block Sports Prediction Markets

A lawsuit claims the company’s offerings are indistinguishable from traditional sports bets.

Featured Today

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 19: A detailed view of the MLB Debut patch on the jersey of Patrick Monteverde #44 of the Miami Marlins prior to game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on April 19, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The Tiny Jersey Patch at the Center of the MLB Rookie Card..

Autographed cards containing a piece of baseball history have upended the market.
September 11, 2025

Eagles-Chiefs Super Bowl Rematch Could Set More NFL Ratings Records

Fox will nationally televise Sunday afternoon’s matchup.
September 10, 2025

ESPN’s ‘MNF’ Ratings Up 8% As NFL Surges to Strong Start

ESPN posts its second-best Week 1 “Monday Night Football” audience.
Sep 7, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills fans react during the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at Highmark Stadium.
September 9, 2025

As Bills Ascend, Their Next Frontier Lies in Canada

Buffalo and the powerful Canadian entity MLSE come together in a new pact.

Crawford-Alvarez Bout Draws Biggest Crowd in Vegas Boxing History

Record attendance, a big gate, and growing ambitions mark the high-profile bout.
Premier Lacrosse League
September 14, 2025

‘The Circus Is Coming to Town’: Why Upstart Leagues Start on Tour

In their ambitious plans, a traveling schedule is only temporary.
September 14, 2025

Low-Payroll Brewers Buck the Math, Clinch First MLB Playoff Berth

Milwaukee continues to defy its market size and economic constraints.
Sponsored

How World Series Champ Dexter Fowler Became a Premier League Team Owner

Dexter Fowler discusses navigating retirement and embracing new roles as an owner & investor.
Sep 11, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) dribbles past Golden State Valkyries forward Janelle Salaun (13) in the second half at Target Center.
September 12, 2025

As WNBA Grows, Engelbert Says Its Playoff Field Won’t for a While

Eight of thirteen WNBA teams made the playoffs this year.
September 12, 2025

UEFA Delays Overseas Matches Ruling As LaLiga Miami Game Looms

Barcelona-Villarreal is scheduled for late December at Hard Rock Stadium.
Jun 27, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; A view of a Wilson basketball and the Dallas Wings logo during the game between the Wings and the Indiana Fever at the American Airlines Center.
September 11, 2025

Democratic Women’s Caucus Urges WNBA to End CBA Stalemate

The league and WNBPA must reach an agreement by Oct. 31.
Feb 15, 2025; San Francisco, CA, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver speaks in a press conference during All Star Saturday Night ahead of the 2025 NBA All Star Game at Chase Center.
September 11, 2025

Silver Says Free Highlights Are an Issue As NBA Begins $77B Deal

Silver called basketball a “highlight-based sport.”