5 NFL players due for a big payday ft. Lamar Jackson, Kyler Murray, and more
The NFL has designed a pay scale for rookie contracts that predetermine their value based on where they are selected. The issue of players holding out for more money prior to even playing a game in their first season in the league has been resolved.
Rather than negotiate the terms of a player’s first contract, a wage scale has been implemented to help the process for both sides.
All players selected during the NFL Draft will receive a four-year contract from their new teams, while undrafted free agent signings will be given a three-year contract.
Any player who is selected in the first round also has a fifth-year team option built into their contract, which must be decided upon at the conclusion of their third season in the league.
Players who want to renegotiate the terms of their deal and seek more money on a new contract extension are required to wait until the conclusion of their third season before they are eligible to do so.
Here are three elite players who have completed at least three NFL seasons but are yet to receive the massive contract they are currently seeking.
#5 - DK Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks
In the three seasons since being selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft, DK Metcalf has accumulated 216 receptions for 3,170 yards and 29 touchdowns.
He also has one Pro Bowl and a second-team All-Pro selection while proving to be one of the most dangerous deep threats in the league.
Metcalf is currently in contract negotiations with the Seahawks. The franchise has repeatedly insisted that extending him is their number one priority, but an agreement is yet to be reached.
#4 - Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
Kyler Murray was selected by the Arizona Cardinals with the first overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft. He won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award during his first season and followed that up with two Pro Bowl selections, while accounting for 70 total touchdowns in three years.
From @NFLTotalAccess: Kyler Murray’s camp dared the #AZCardinals to respond to their contract offer. What happens next will be fascinating. https://t.co/45VTd4bawa
While the production has been solid, the team's success has left more to be desired. He just has a 22-24-1 overall record as a starting quarterback, including a 0-1 record in the postseason. Regardless, he is seeking to become one of the highest paid players in the league.