Denver Broncos guard Quinn Meinerz and outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper were among the top 25 earners in 2023 as part of the NFL’s performance-based pay program.
“The Performance-Based Pay program is a collectively bargained benefit that compensates all players based upon their playing time and salary levels,” according to the NFL. Put simply, the program rewards players on low salaries who play significant snaps.
Meinerz and Cooper are still on team-friendly rookie contracts and they both started all 17 games last season. Meinerz received $747,505 in performance-based pay, a nice increase from his $1,095,078 salary last season.
Cooper received $738,916 in performance-based pay, which is not far away from his $940,000 base salary in 2023. The two players were rewarded for essentially outperforming their contracts.
Meinerz and Cooper weren’t the only Broncos players who received performance-based pay for the 2023 season.
The following players also got a boost to their salaries, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis: cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian ($625,000), cornerback Fabian Moreau ($526,000), defensive lineman Jonathan Harris ($485,000), safety Delarrin Turner-Yell ($387,000), cornerback Damarri Mathis ($376,000), tight end Adam Trautman ($368,000), center Lloyd Cushenberry ($357,000), linebacker Drew Sanders ($356), safety P.J. Locke Locke ($343,000), wide receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey ($342,000) and fullback Mike Burton ($339,000) also received performance-based bonuses.
View the full list of Denver’s bonuses on 9News.
Follow the Broncos Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts