In the 2023 NFL season, there are a few players who could change the market for their positions by getting record-breaking deal extensions. The average annual value (AAV) of a deal is the big number that players seem to want to hit.
That’s how teams usually compare the big contracts they give to their stars. Right now, there are a few spots in the NFL where a new deal could change the market.
Even roles with less value, like inside linebacker and safety, will have contracts that change based on the market. Whether these players get new contracts now or in a month, let’s take a look at who could change their market in the NFL in 2023 with a huge deal extension.
Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow, who was taken with the first overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft out of LSU, and the Cincinnati Bengals are probably talking about a huge deal extension for the fourth-year quarterback.
Burrow is the second-best quarterback in the NFL, and he is one of the few QBs who can go head-to-head with Patrick Mahomes. He led the Bengals to a surprising run to the Super Bowl in 2021 against all odds, and he’s sure to win at least one or two more rings during his career if the bet on nfl games online odds-making rounds are anything to go by.
The fight between Burrow and Mahomes could be this generation’s Manning-Brady. Burrow’s average annual value (AAV) will probably be higher than Jalen Hurts’ recent deal extension.
Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings
Justin Jefferson is off to a fast start that puts him on track for the Hall of Fame. How busy he’s been is really crazy. He is by far the best wide receiver in the NFL, and I don’t think that will change in the next five years.
It also helps a lot to catch throws from Kirk Cousins, who is a very good quarterback. At $30 million per season, Tyreek Hill has the highest average annual value for a wide receiver deal. I’d expect a new deal for Justin Jefferson to pay him $32 million per season and last for four or five years.
Jefferson could also have a good chance of getting 2,000 catching yards in a season. Could that happen in the NFL season of 2023?
Nick Bosa, EDGE, San Francisco 49ers
Nick Bosa plays football like he’s crazy. He just won his first Defensive Player of the Year award, likely the first of many, and is about to start his fifth season in the NFL. He has 43.0 sacks after four seasons and had 18.5 sacks, 19 tackles for loss, and a huge 48 quarterback hits in 2022.
Bosa plays with his hand in the dirt, but he will be paid like a stand-up EDGE rusher. TJ Watt, who makes just over $28 million per season, has the highest AAV at this spot right now. Bosa could be just getting started in the NFL in the 2023 season, so a four-year deal worth $120 million or a five-year deal worth $150 million seems about right.
