Tuesday was payday in the NFL, as three first-round picks from the 2023 draft cashed in on record-breaking contract extensions.
For those unfamiliar, drafted players become eligible for contract extensions after their third season, making this offseason a pivotal one for members of the 2023 draft class. We’ve already seen a variety of negotiation tactics play out, with Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez limiting his participation during minicamp before reporting as a full participant this summer. Others in Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs, meanwhile, have been hold-ins to begin their teams’ training camps, a strategy that certainly paid off for Robinson, who landed a record-setting extension alongside fellow 2023 first-rounders Zay Flowers of the Ravens and Darnell Wright of the Bears.
Here’s a breakdown of all three monumental extensions, with and a grade for each.
Zay Flowers, WR, Baltimore Ravens
Contract details: Four years, $140 million ($35 million APY), $108 million guaranteed
Despite standing 5'9" and weighing only 183 pounds, Flowers has stayed remarkably healthy to start his career. Since being drafted by the Ravens with the No. 22 pick in 2023, the speedy wide receiver has appeared in 50 of 51 regular-season games over his first three seasons. During that span, Flowers has tallied back-to-back 1,000-plus-yard seasons, scored 16 total touchdowns, and has been named to the past two Pro Bowl Games.
Baltimore handed him a whopping $108 million in guaranteed money with this extension, by far the most for a wide receiver in NFL history.
It’s a steep price for a player in Flowers that, while a solid piece—and quarterback Lamar Jackson’s favorite target—isn’t among the top echelon of wide receivers in the game.
Grade: B
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