Top 5 highest paid tight ends in NFL in 2023 feat. TJ Hockenson's $68,500,000 extension

Being entrusted with pass blocking, run blocking, and receiving passes, tight ends are an essential component of any football squad. An outstanding catching tight end is a matchup headache for defenders and can completely change any NFL attack.

Tight ends like Mark Andrews, George Kittle, and Travis Kelce have been the offensive catalyst for their respective teams. Have you ever thought about the salary of these tight ends?

Here, we'll take a look at the top 5 tight ends in terms of salary in 2023.

Who are the highest-paid tight ends in the NFL in 2023? Revisiting list after TJ Hockenson's contract extension

Vikings star TJ Hockenson signed an extension with the franchise on August 31. Going by yearly average, Hockenson's $17.125M salary will see him rank as the highest-paid in the league.

The guaranteed sum of $42.5 million is also the highest for a tight end in NFL history.

#1. Darren Waller - New York Giants

In order to acquire Darren Waller this summer, the New York Giants gave a third-round selection to the Las Vegas Raiders.

The highest salary for a tight end in NFL history is presently $17 million per season, earned by Waller.

Waller is one of the best tight ends in the league right now. He had consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns in 2019 and 2020, however, his past two years' performances were hampered by injury.

Only Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs and Mark Andrews of the Baltimore Ravens have more receiving yards than Waller since 2019 (3,394).

#2. George Kittle - San Francisco 49ers

Out of Iowa, George Kittle was selected in the fifth round by the San Francisco 49ers. In 2017, he inked his first deal as a rookie, which was worth $2.69 million.

Before turning 26, Kittle had played in three Pro Bowls and had two campaigns with at least 1,000 yards. The San Francisco 49ers signed him to a five-year, $75 million contract in 2021. Kittle's contract runs until the 2025 campaign.

With the ball in his hands, Kittle is a complete freak with a receiving grade of 87.8, which places him second over the past two years.

#3. Travis Kelce - Kansas City Chiefs

It would be unfair to rank any tight end on par with Travis Kelce right now. The veteran has seven consecutive campaigns with at least 1,000 receiving yards, and his 1,416 receiving yards in 2020 set a single-season high.

He received a career-best 110 passes in 2022, and he doesn't appear to be slowing down.

The four-year, $57.25 million contract for Kelce contains guarantees worth $22.75 million. His signing bonus was not included in the agreement, and his yearly compensation is an average of $14.313 million. With a base payroll of $11.25 million, Kelce is eligible for $14.802 million against the Chiefs' salary cap in 2023.

#4. Dallas Goedert - Philadelphia Eagles

Tossing Zach Ertz aside in favor of Dallas Goedert was a risky move taken by the Philadelphia Eagles. By doing this, they extended the 28-year-old's contract by four years for a total of $57 million.

As part of the $35.172 million in guarantees, Goedert has received a signing bonus of $10.218 million.

In his first 51 professional games, Goedert had accumulated 166 catches for 1,894 yards and 14 scores at the time of the deal.

#5. Mark Andrews - Baltimore Ravens

For the 2023 NFL season, Mark Andrews is the fifth highest-paid tight end. Andrews' current contract was signed in September 2021. He will receive $56 million over the course of the contract, or $14 million a year, on average.

Even though he is a part of the run-first Baltimore Ravens system, Andrews has excelled when Lamar Jackson is fit. Only Travis Kelce in 2020 and George Kittle in 2018 have more receiving yards than Andrews in 2021 (1,361).