Training camp in the National Football League is fast approaching and that means plenty of star players will be off the practice field, holding out for a new contract. With NFL revenue skyrocketing, salaries are climbing higher and higher with each big deal.
Now, we’re projecting what some of the top NFL contract extensions for stars like T.J. Watt, Myles Garrett, Trey Hendrickson and Terry McLaurin could look like.
T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers: 4 years, $161 million
NFL contract extensions
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Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt is obviously targeting the Myles Garrett contract (4 years, $160 million) as his number to beat in a new deal. The issue for Pittsburgh seems to be the length and necessary total guarantees ($123-plus million) to give to a 31-year-old who has had some durability issues in recent years. However, Pittsburgh has sort of boxed itself in with an all-in approach, and it can’t really afford to have a disgruntled Watt in a contract year. Negotiations might get ugly, and there’s a legitimate chance a deal isn’t signed until the first week of September, but an agreement will be reached. At a $161 million total value, Watt’s $40.25 million AAV just surpasses Garrett’s.
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James Cook, Buffalo Bills: 3 years, $42.6 million
NFL contract extensions
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The Buffalo Bills front office has a history of letting its top running backs play out their contract and then replacing them with someone in the NFL Draft. Right now, it appears the organization is taking a different course with James Cook. A Pro Bowl selection in consecutive seasons, Cook’s growth as a pass-catcher, paired with his efficiency running the football (4.9 yards per carry average on 533 attempts), merits a new deal. A $14.2 million AAV would place him fourth at his position, a reasonable compromise. As for the contract length, it would essentially be two years of guaranteed money, with the final season offering Buffalo a clear path to making him a cap casualty without a big financial hit.
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Kyle Hamilton, Baltimore Ravens: 4 years, $92 million
NFL contract extensions
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It remains absurd that NFL teams let Kyle Hamilton fall to the Baltimore Ravens at the 14th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. He has already become one of the best defensive backs in the NFL, earning All-Pro honors in consecutive seasons. It’s now time for Baltimore to reward the 24-year-old with a contract that reflects his production and value. A four-year extension would match the length of the deals Kerby Joseph and Antoine Winfield Jr. received. However, Hamilton would truly be resetting the market at safety with a $1.5 million AAV bump over what Joseph makes. Given how indispensable Hamilton is to the Ravens’ defense, allowing him to reset the market by $1.5 million is worth it.
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Rashawn Slater, Los Angeles Chargers: 5 years, $140 million
NFL contract extensions
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When healthy, Rashawn Slater is one of the best left tackles in the NFL. While he hasn’t earned All-Pro honors since his rookie season (2021), Slater did make the Pro Bowl in 2024. He’s also been asked to do even more to compensate for a weak interior offensive line. It’s time for the Los Angeles Chargers to pay him, ensuring Justin Herbert is protected for years to come. The five-year, $140 million deal ($28 million AAV) would come in just under the record-breaking contract Tristan Wirfs ($28.12 million AAV) received from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While it’s not a record-breaker, it will set the new starting point in contract talks for left tackles moving forward.
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Trey Hendrickson, Cincinnati Bengals: 3 years, $106.5 million
NFL contract extensions
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The Cincinnati Bengals would be wise to take Trey Hendrickson’s threat to sit out regular-season games seriously. Hendrickson knows how bad this defense is when he’s not on the field. Without him, Cincinnati’s defense would be catastrophic to its playoff hopes. While the Bengals have the leverage in negotiations this summer, all that changes in September, as Chris Jones sitting out a regular-season opener for the Kansas City Chiefs proved a few seasons ago. In this scenario, Hendrickson misses out on the coveted fourth year that many of his peers receive. However, a $35.5 million AAV ties him with Maxx Crosby among edge rusher salaries, and he gets more of the long-term guarantees he wants. It’s a compromise that should make everyone happy.
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Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders: 4 years, $122 million
NFL contract extensions
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It’s usually not smart for a newer regime to sour the relationship with the No. 1 receiver for a young quarterback. What makes it even worse for the Washington Commanders is that Terry McLaurin is beloved in both the locker room and the community, making him the caliber of person and player you should never want to lose. It’s why it would be stunning if the two sides don’t find common ground for a deal. He’s not coming anywhere near a top-five salary at the position ($32-plus million AAV), but something just under that is reasonable. A four-year, $122 million contract provides McLaurin with a reasonable $30.5 million AAV, which Washington can afford since Jayden Daniels remains on a rookie contract through 2028. By the time McLaurin’s big cap hits are off the books, Daniels can get extended.
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Sauce Gardner, New York Jets: 4 years, $118 million
NFL contract extensions
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Cornerback is a volatile position, where production and effectiveness can suddenly plummet in one year without any clear reason for it. Unfortunately for Sauce Gardner, the worst season of his career came right before he is first eligible for a contract extension. That’s why there is at least a chance the new-look New York Jets regime waits a year to extend him, wanting to see how he performs in Aaron Glenn’s system. With that said, the price for All-Pro talent never goes down the following year. Just ask the Bengals. Gardner might have cost himself a shot at the top salary at his position, but he won’t be far behind it ($29.5 million AAV), and the total value would exceed the Derek Stingley Jr. contract ($90 million).
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Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys: 5 years, $210 million
NFL contract extensions
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Rounding out our NFL contract predictions, it’s the Micah Parsons contract coming in as the biggest deal ever for a non-quarterback. The Dallas Cowboys prefer long-term security (five years) over the four-year extension, but that comes at a price. In this case, Parsons sets the non-quarterback records for AAV ($42 million), signing bonus ($55 million), guaranteed at signing ($100 million), and total guarantees ($160 million). While blowing past the previous marks for the highest signing bonus ($50 million), guaranteed at signing ($88.743 million), and total guarantees ($123.596 million) might seem lofty, remember this is the same Cowboys organization that gave Dak Prescott a deal worth $60 million per year.
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NFL, MLB & college football writer for Sportsnaut. Graduated from San Diego State University with BA in Journalism, 2019. ... More about Matt Johnson