Tuesday turned into a major payday across the NFL, with three members of the 2023 first-round class landing monster extensions. Zay Flowers, Bijan Robinson and Darnell Wright all cashed in, and each deal set a different kind of benchmark.
The contracts also say plenty about how teams are valuing young talent now. Flowers got paid like a true difference-maker at receiver, Robinson reset the market for running backs on annual value, and Wright’s extension put him at the top of the tackle class in guaranteed money. For a draft class that is just reaching extension eligibility after its third season, the timing could not have been better.
Flowers’ new deal is the loudest number of the bunch. Baltimore gave the Ravens receiver $108 million in guaranteed money, the most ever for a wideout in NFL history. That’s a massive commitment for a player who, at 5-foot-9 and 183 pounds, has still managed to stay on the field and produce.
Since the Ravens took him with the No. 22 pick in 2023, Flowers has played in 50 of 51 regular-season games over his first three seasons. He’s posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, scored 16 total touchdowns and earned selection to the past two Pro Bowl Games. He’s also become Lamar Jackson’s favorite target.
Still, the price tag is enormous for a receiver who is a strong piece of the offense but not quite in the top echelon at the position.
Robinson’s extension came with its own history-making twist. He did not beat Jeremiyah Love for the most guaranteed money ever handed to a running back, but he did take the top spot in average annual salary. His $22.25 million per year now tops Saquon Barkley’s $20.6 million.
The Falcons star has quickly built a resume that justifies the conversation. Robinson earned two first-team All-Pro nods in 2025, one as a running back and another as an all-purpose player, and he made his second straight Pro Bowl. Through his first four seasons, he has rushed for 3,910 yards and 25 touchdowns while adding 1,738 receiving yards and nine more scores.
Usually, a huge running back contract would be easy to question. The position has a way of making teams regret the spending. But Robinson has become the centerpiece of Atlanta’s offense, and if he stays healthy, the bet could pay off.
Wright’s extension rounds out the group and brings a different kind of statement from Chicago. His $29 million APY makes him the highest-paid right tackle ever, and only Laremy Tunsil’s $30.1 million at left tackle sits above him. The deal also includes the most guaranteed money ever for an offensive lineman.
Drafted by the Bears with the No. 10 pick in 2023, Wright has started 49 games and spent the last two seasons protecting Caleb Williams on the front side. In 2025, he helped Chicago average 144.5 rushing yards per game, third-best in the league, and was part of an offensive line that allowed Williams to be sacked only 24 times, third-fewest among quarterbacks who started all 17 games. That performance earned Wright second-team All-Pro honors.
He’s only got one true standout season on the books, which makes the size of the deal notable. But the Bears are clearly betting that what they saw in 2025 is the real thing, not a one-year spike.
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Falcons Quarterback Battle Is Already Leaving Week 1 In Doubt
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The result has been a lot of waiting and a little improvisation, with veteran Cooper Rush brought in to take part in drills while the others ease back. Penix still has a stretch to go before he is ready for full practice, and Tagovailoas return is being managed carefully, which means the Week 1 picture is still far from settled. [Read more 🡒]