With the NFL about to go live on Television, everyone’s curious about the highest and lowest earners heading into the 2022 NFL season. As reported following the 2017 regular season, the average NFL salary is approx 0.7 million dollars.
In the last 5 years, the NFL Players Association has negotiated another CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement). And that number is only going to increase. But again, every player doesn’t earn the same. Here are the top 6 lowest paid players in NFL 2022.
1. New York Jets: WR Robby Anderson
Contract: 3 years, $1.6 million
As per reports, WR Robby Anderson is one of the lowest paid 2022 NFL players. You won’t find an incumbent NFL player making such a less amount. Robby Anderson signed a 3-year $1.6 million deal. Plus, there’s no guaranteed money as an undrafted free agent. At times, he flashed as an occasional starter as a rookie before making a run at 1,000 yards. Anderson finished with 941, while scoring 7 touchdowns in his second NFL season.
2. Minnesota Vikings: WR Stefon Diggs
Contract: 4 years, $2.5 million
The Minnesota Vikings have two main players. One offensive and the other defensive. They’ve entered the final year of rookie contracts. Their 2015 third-round pick Danielle Hunter emerged as the strongest defensive player. He had a 25.5 career sack. Further, there’s the fifth-rounder Stefan Diggs. He caught almost 70 per cent of the passes thrown his way. With nearly 2500 yards, he had 15 touchdowns as a starting receiver through three seasons. WR Stefan Diggs is one of the lowest paid in the 2022 NFL season.
3. Kansas City Chiefs: WR Tyreek Hill
Contract: 4 years, $2.6 million
Kansas City Chiefs have 4 comically underpaid players. Among them, at the lowest is WR Tyreek Hill. As of now, they are paying the star wide receiver Tyreek Hill $647K per year, at incredible discounts. Hill ranked fourth in the most-valuable player in Kansas City, while making the Pro Bowl for the second year in a row.
4. Detroit Lions: DE Anthony Zettel
Contract: 4 years, $2.5 million
Six Detroit Lions players were deemed more valuable than the defensive player, Anthony Zettel. However, the 25-year-old is still one of the lowest paid NFL players. He signed a rookie contract as a sixth-round pick in 2016. He’s being paid less than $650K per year. But coming off a 16-start season, Anthony tacked up 6.5 sacks (while emerging as an excellent run defender).
5. Carolina Panthers: OT Daryl Williams
Contract: 4 years, $2.8 million
Coming off an 11-sack season, the veteran pass-rusher Daryl Williams made $5 million on a fresh one-year deal. This made it hard to deny right tackle Daryl Williams after he exploded in his third NFL campaign. Daryl Williams was picked fourth-round in 2015 by Pro Football Focus as the top right tackle. He, however, was deemed to be the fourth-most-valuable player. Yet, he was making just $709k per year.
6. Chicago Bears: RB Jordan Howard
Contract: 4 years, $2.6 million
In the 2016 season, two key players Ezekiel Elliott and Le’Veon Bell rushed for more yards than Chicago Bears running back Jordan Howard. He is coming off a second consecutive 1,100-yard campaign. The 23 year old increased his digital total from six to nine in 2017. Despite this, he is still making an annual salary of $647,006. Unfortunately for Howard, he might have to wait for a big payday. The 2016 fifth-round pick has crushed expectations, but his rookie contract is only half complete.