Two Players With A Chance To Become Highest Paid At Their Positions During NFL Free Agency

Think of free agency as the Super Bowl for NFL agents. And, as it begins at noon on Monday – with new teams, players and their agents able to negotiate new deals – we've got a major competition afoot:

The chase for money. 

And not just big money but the most money.

Agents typically want to help make their clients the highest-paid player at their positions, but this free agency period there are maybe only two players with the likelihood of coming away as the highest-paid at his position: (Yeah, you have to get further down in the article for those names).

Meanwhile, players such as Malik Willis, Trey Hendrickson, Mike Evans and others are going to dive into free agency and get significant deals as the negotiating period begins at noon, eastern time.

Willis is likely to come away as the highest-paid quarterback out of this free agency class. That's crazy, considering he's only thrown 155 passes in four seasons, and has a 3-3 record as a starter. But here we are.

Someone – the Jets or perhaps Arizona? – is expected to view him as a potential starter. That won't mean $50 million per season on an annual average salary. But it could mean $25 million. 

Nov 16, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) warms-up with center Tyler Linderbaum (64) prior to a game against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

The players who might become the highest paid players at their positions?

Center Tyler Linderbaum will. If he doesn't, his agent didn't do his job. 

The (former?) Ravens center is arguably the best at his position now and usually those guys get rewarded with the highest contract. The Ravens want him back, obviously. But they just spent big on acquiring Maxx Crosby so that may affect their top-end price point in the Linderbaum negotiations.

Edge rusher Trey Hendrickson is one of the most accomplished performers in free agency, as is receiver Mike Evans. But both are over 30 years old at positions where youth gets rewarded and guys past 30 fall to second- and third-tier salaries.

Neither is challenging to be the highest paid at their positions despite being great.

Daniel Jones Wants How Much?

POSITIONS

Offense:

QB: Dak Prescott (Cowboys) – $60M APY.

Candidates: No one, really. Willis will get a contract to be someone's starter but anywhere near those heights. And Daniel Jones is asking for a deal that averages $50M per season, which is the reason the Colts slapped a transition tag on him. Kyler Murray will probably be released, and he also isn't going to sign for a record deal, but instead will collect the guaranteed money from his Arizona contract.

RB: Saquon Barkley (Eagles) – $20.6M APY.

Candidates: No one is going to eclipse this mark. Seattle's Kenneth Walker, a very good player, will get paid but not like that.

OG: Tyler Smith (Cowboys) – $24M APY.

Candidates: Pittsburgh's Isaac Seumalo is arguably the best guard on the market, but he'll be 32 years old when the season begins. 

C: Creed Humphry (Chiefs) – $18M APY.

Candidates: Linderbaum. That's it.

Evans Value High But Not Through Roof

OT: Rashawn Slater (Chargers) – $28.5M APY.

Candidates: Rasheed Walker and Braden Smith are perhaps the best tackles expected to his free agency but there are reasons neither will be displacing Slater. Smith is 30 and has been injured. Walker is perhaps the best available at a premium position but dominant? He's very good, but not dominant.

WR: Ja'Marr Chase (Bengals) – $40.25M APY.

Candidates: No one, really. But Alec Pierce is out there and so is Mike Evans. They'll be well paid.

TE: George Kittle (49ers) – $19.1M APY.

Candidates: Travis Kelce if he returns, although at age 36 not likely. Speaking of likely, Isaiah Likely will get a big contract as will Dallas Goedert,

ORLANDO, FLORIDA - JANUARY 31: Trey Hendrickson #91 of the Cincinnati Bengals and AFC poses for a portrait during the NFL Pro Bowl on January 31, 2025 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/Getty Images)

Trey Hendrickson About To Cash In

Defense:

Edge: Micah Parsons (Packers) – $46.5M APY.

Candidates: Trey Hendrickson is available, but he won't come close to this number because he's 31 years old, and while Jaelan Phillips will also get a nice deal, he's also not reaching anywhere close to Parsons.

Interior DL: Chris Jones (Chiefs) – $31.75M APY.

Candidates: John Franklin-Myers is going to be a top 15 free agent, according to some teams. But he's not going to come near Jones, despite his 7.5 sacks last season.

LB: Fred Warner (49ers) – $21M APY.

Candidates: Quay Walker is young (26) and explosive. He's going to get paid. But he's not going to get Fred Warner paid.

CB: Sauce Gardner (Colts) – $31M APY.

Candidates: Alontae Taylor (Saints), Jaylon Watson (Chiefs), and Riq Woolen (Seahawks), are all excellent players. They're not getting to the $30M per year club.

Safety: Kyle Hamilton (Ravens) – $25.1 APY.

Candidates: Teams have begun to value safeties much higher of late and Bryan Cook (Chiefs) is one of the best expected to hit the market. Reed Blankenship is also expected to hit free agency but not at that level.

Brandon Aubrey #17 of the Dallas Cowboys kicks off during an NFL football game against the New York Giants at AT&T Stadium on November 28, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

Aubrey Should Be Highest Paid Kicker

Special teams:

K: Harrison Butker (Chiefs) – $6.4M APY.

Candidates: Brandon Aubrey got tagged at $5.76 million as a restricted free agent with a second-round tender. Before that, the Cowboys acknowledged he would be the highest-paid kicker in the NFL at around $7 million per season. Aubrey wants more.

P: Michael Dickson (Seahawks) – $4.05M APY.

Candidates: Blake Gillikan is off the market after signing a one-year deal to return to the Cardinals. He wasn't breaking the bank anyway. Braden Mann is perhaps the best punter available.

LS: James Winchester (Chiefs) $1.7M APY.

Candidates: There could be up to nine available long snappers available as unrestricted free agents – seven of those have played at least 10 NFL seasons. Jacob Bobenmoyer signed with the Raiders in 2023 and averaged approximately $1.2M per season. He is a free agent again.