Who is the highest-paid NFL player in 2024? Ranking top 10 stars making bank

NFL players are some of the best-paid players in professional sports, and there's a reason why the league is a multi-billion dollar empire. Here, we will showcase some players making the most money in the National Football League in 2024.

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Ten highest-paid NFL stars in 2024

Here's a list of the 10 highest-paid players in the National Football League:

#10 Josh Allen, Quarterback, Buffalo Bills - $43 million per year

Josh Allen is a top-five quarterback and the second-best dual-threat QB in the NFL. The Wyoming product is the star player for perennial AFC contenders, the Buffalo Bills.

Allen has racked up numerous top-five MVP finishes in his career and has shown improvement over time. His salary seems just right for the value he offers the Bills.

#9 Kirk Cousins, Quarterback, Atlanta Falcons - $45 million per year

We might never know how much the Minnesota Vikings offered Kirk Cousins to stay with the franchise, but it's clear that more was needed to keep the perennial Pro Bowler in Minnesota. Cousins has signed with the Atlanta Falcons, a franchise that has been in dire need of an elite passer since the glory days of Matt Ryan.

Cousins will earn a mouthwatering $45 million yearly to throw balls to Drake London and Kyle Pitts. His agent deserves a raise after securing a lucrative deal following his season-ending injury in 2023.

#8 Deshaun Watson, Quarterback, Cleveland Browns - $46 million per year

Will Deshaun Watson ever rediscover the form that made him one of the most sought-after QBs of the last decade? The Cleveland Browns front office certainly hopes so, as the former Pro Bowler is still on a lucrative $46 million per year deal.

Watson's 2023 season ended in Week 11 due to a shoulder injury, and he will hope for better luck in a make-it-or-break-it 2024.

#7 Kyler Murray, Quarterback, Arizona Cardinals - $46.1 million per year

Kyler Murray has all the tools to be an elite NFL quarterback, with the Oklahoma product possessing speed, shiftiness and an underrated arm. However, Murray has never had luck with injuries, and he's coming off yet another injury-riddled season in 2023 that saw the Cardinals end up with a high first-round pick.

Murray is on a $46.1 million per year contract, and the Cardinals' fan base will soon expect a return on their sizable investment.

#6 Jalen Hurts, Quarterback, Philadelphia Eagles - $51 million per year

Jalen Hurts had a forgettable 2023 postseason, with his Philadelphia Eagles failing to meet preseason expectations, crashing out in the wildcard round. Maybe it was the overreliance on the tush push or the rumored dressing room issues.

Whatever the issue, Jalen Hurts needs to play like a $51 million per year quarterback to give the Eagles a fighting chance of making the Super Bowl in a surprisingly competitive NFC Conference in the upcoming season.

#5 Lamar Jackson, Quarterback, Baltimore Ravens - $52 million per year

Lamar Jackson is the best dual-threat QB in the NFL and a key part of John Harbaugh's offense in Baltimore. Jackson is the reigning league MVP and led the Ravens to an AFC Championship Game, where they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs.

If Jackson keeps playing like he did last year, his $52 million per year deal will soon seem like a bargain.

#4 Justin Herbert, Quarterback, Los Angeles Chargers - $52.5 million per year

Justin Herbert is one of the NFL's best young QBs, despite the Los Angeles Chargers always "chargering" at the end of the season. Herbert will hope for better luck with injuries in the upcoming season.

The $52.5 million per year QB will have a new coach in Jim Harbaugh, a former elite QB.

#3 Patrick Mahomes, Quarterback, Kansas City Chiefs - $52.65 million per year

The face of the league is unsurprisingly one of the best-paid players. Patrick Mahomes has won everything in football and is arguably a top-five QB of all time before the age of 30.

The three-time Super Bowl champion gets $52.65 million yearly to sling the rock to Travis Kelce and Co. at Arrowhead Stadium.

#2 Jared Goff, Quarterback, Detroit Lions - $53 million per year

Jared Goff is a testament to perseverance in professional sports, and now the former first-overall pick is the second highest-paid player in the NFL. Goff is earning the big bucks after years of excellence in Detroit.

#1 Joe Burrow, Quarterback, Cincinnati Bengals - $55 million per year

Ahead of the 2023 NFL season, Joe Burrow set a new benchmark for players in the NFL. The LSU product signed a mammoth $55 million per year deal with the Cincinnati Bengals.

All that's left is for Joe Cool to bring a Super Bowl to Cincinnati and complete the lore.