The landscape of the highest-paid cornerbacks in the NFL has been relatively stagnant in recent years, but it appears the market is starting to escalate ahead of the 2024 regular season.
Who is the highest-paid CB in the NFL, and which other cornerbacks are among the top earners?
Who Is the Highest-Paid Cornerback in the NFL?
Miami Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey is the highest-paid corner in the NFL, signing a three-year extension at $24.1/year average annual value (AAV), edging out Patrick Surtain II of the Denver Broncos. Ramsey sat at No. 5 before the extension.
Ramsey has long been considered one of the premier cornerbacks in the NFL and has been paid as such. In Sept. 2020, he inked a five-year, $100 million extension with the Los Angeles Rams that made him the league’s highest-paid defensive back. Thus, this is the second time Ramsey has reset the CB market.
Jalen Ramsey and the Dolphins have reached an agreement on a three-year extension worth $24.1 million per year to make him the highest-paid CB in NFL history for a second time in his career.
Deal negotiated by David Mulugheta of Athletes First. pic.twitter.com/8GgE9lh7NW
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 6, 2024
Highest-Paid Cornerbacks 2-10
2) Patrick Surtain II, Denver Broncos | AAV: $24 Million
Surtain II was the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL for two days. In fact, he was the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history after signing a four-year, $96 million extension just days before the start of the 2024 regular season.
The average annual value (AAV) of his deal is $24 million, so there’s a significant gap between Surtain, Ramsey, and their CB peers. Also, Surtain’s deal includes $77.5 million in guaranteed money, which is significantly more than any other defensive back has received (Editor’s note: We will update this when Ramsey’s guaranteed money specs are available).
Surtain surpassed Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. for the title of highest-paid defensive back in NFL history, as Winfield signed a four-year pact worth $84.1 million earlier this offseason (with just $45 million guaranteed).
3) Jaire Alexander, Green Bay Packers | AAV: $21 Million
Alexander signed a four-year, $84 million extension with the Green Bay Packers in May 2022. One of only five corners with an annual salary north of $20 million, Alexander set a positional record by receiving a $30 million signing bonus.
However, that signing bonus was Alexander’s only guaranteed money on his new deal with the Packers. While his cap charges were manageable in previous years, Alexander’s cap figure will hit almost $24 million in 2024 and remain there through 2026. Green Bay could theoretically cut Alexander next spring, clearing $7+ million in cap space while absorbing $18 million in dead money.
4) A.J. Terrell, Atlanta Falcons | AAV: $20.25 Million
The Atlanta Falcons and A.J. Terrell agreed to a four-year, $81 million extension on August 22. The $65.8 in effectively full guarantees was the largest amount given to a CB on a four-year deal until Surtain topped it. The 2020 first-round pick of the Falcons finished in the top 30 in pass deflections in the NFL.
Raheem Morris is making moves on the defense. The Terrell extension is on the heels of trading for Patriots EDGE Matthew Judon and signing free agent safety Justin Simmons.
5) Denzel Ward, Cleveland Browns | AAV: $20.1 Million
The Browns made Denzel Ward one of the league’s highest-paid corners in April 2022, inking him to a five-year extension worth $100.5 million. Now entering his age-27 campaign while coming off his third Pro Bowl appearance, Ward received $71.25 in total guarantees, No. 1 among corners.
Ward’s 2024 salary became guaranteed on the first day of the 2023 league year, and nearly all of his 2025 salary guarantee vested on the third day of the 2024 league year. Cleveland restructured his contract in February 2024, reducing his current-season cap charge to $12 million but increasing it to $24+ million annually from 2025 through 2027.
6) Marlon Humphrey, Baltimore Ravens | AAV: $19.5 Million
Marlon Humphrey signed a five-year, $97.5 million extension with the Ravens in Oct. 2020 that included $40 million in fully guaranteed money.
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Baltimore has continuously restructured Humphrey’s deal, pushing money into the future while reducing his yearly cap charges. The Ravens haven’t re-done his deal yet this offseason, leaving Humphrey’s 2024 cap number at almost $23 million. He has $4 million roster bonuses due on the fifth day of the 2025 and 2026 league years, which will act as decision triggers for Baltimore’s front office.
T-7) Marshon Lattimore, New Orleans Saints | AAV: $19.4 Million
The Saints gave Marshon Lattimore a five-year, $97 million extension in Sept. 2021 and have already reworked the contract three times to create additional cap space. In January 2024, New Orleans agreed to a unique contract structure with Lattimore that could allow the club to trade the veteran corner this summer.
Instead of converting Lattimore’s 2024 salary into a signing bonus (the typical NFL strategy), the Saints turned his salary into an option bonus. While the money still prorates on New Orleans’ cap, the option bonus will transfer to Lattimore’s next team if he’s traded.
The Saints will absorb $30+ million in dead money if they trade Lattimore before June 1, but just $10-13 million if they wait until June 2 or later. Moving Lattimore could make sense for New Orleans, which just drafted CB Kool-Aid McKinstry in Round 2. But a trade probably won’t happen until later this summer.
T-7) Trevon Diggs, Dallas Cowboys | AAV: $19.4 Million
In July 2023, the Cowboys handed Diggs the exact same contract that the Saints gave Lattimore: five years, $97 million. He tore his ACL in practice two months later but is on track for the start of training camp.
Diggs, 24, led the NFL with 11 interceptions in 2021, which helped him earn first-team All-Pro honors. The former second-round pick received $33.304 million fully guaranteed on his Dallas extension. Diggs will have his $9 million salary (currently guaranteed for injury only) fully guaranteed for 2025 if he’s still on the roster on the fifth day of the league year.
T-9) L’Jarius Sneed, Tennessee Titans | AAV: $19.1 Million
L’Jarius Sneed began the offseason as the Kansas City Chiefs’ franchise player before being traded to the Titans in exchange for a 2025 third-round pick. Tennessee extended Sneed as part of the deal, giving the 27-year-old a four-year deal worth $76.4 million.
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Sneed set a new NFL cornerback record with $51.5 million in full guarantees, besting Ward’s deal by $7 million. He also received partial salary guarantees into his third year, which should keep him on the Titans’ roster throughout at least 2025.
T-9) Tyson Campbell, Jacksonville Jaguars | AAV: $19.1 Million
Per multiple reports, the Jaguars continued to re-sign some of their own this offseason, inking CB Tyson Campbell to a four-year/$76.5 million extension. As Ian Rapoport noted, Campbell is now the highest-paid CB in NFL history to not earn a Pro Bowl berth — yet. The second-rounder from the University of Georgia has amassed six interceptions in his first three years in the league.
He battled injuries last year, playing in 11 games. The Jaguars look for Campbell to serve as a centerpiece to the secondary and build around him. Jacksonville’s 2023 pass defense was bottom 10 in the league in total passing yards and passing yards per game.
