Christian McCaffrey is one of the best running backs in the NFL right now. However, is the 27-year-old San Francisco 49ers star the highest-paid running back? Let’s find out the details of his contract that will lead us to the answer.
In 2020, when McCaffrey was still playing for the Carolina Panthers, he signed a lucrative four-year contract extension worth over $64 million. He was traded to the 49ers in October 2022. Therefore, this shifted McCaffrey’s contract responsibilities for the remaining years on the 49ers.
When it comes to being the highest-paid running back in the NFL, McCaffrey edges a win on average annual value. His total contract value of $64 million comes to $16 million yearly. In the second spot stands Alvin Kamara of the New Orleans State. Kamara’s total contract value is $75 million, however, his contract is for five years. Therefore, the 28-year-old’s yearly average comes to $15 million.
Moving further down the line, Derrick Henry occupies the third spot. The Tennessee Titans running back earns an average of $12.5 million yearly with the total value of his four-year contract standing at $50 million. Nick Chubb of the Cleveland Browns is a close fourth with a three-year contract worth $36.6 million ($12.2 million average per year). Rounding off the top five spots is Josh Jacobs of the Las Vegas Raiders with a one-year contract worth $11.79 million.
San Francisco 49ers changed the terms of Christian McCaffrey’s contract to accommodate their draft picks
Early in 2023, the 49ers reworked McCaffrey’s contract to create significant salary-cap space. That meant the 49ers made enough salary-cap space to sign each of their nine draft picks.
“It just gives us some room,” 49ers general manager John Lynch said after the 2023 Draft, according to NBC Sports. “We were pressed right up there when we were to sign our rookies.
“We wanted to have some flexibility and it made sense. Christian’s going to be here, simple conversion, and we did it, and we’re thankful to Christian for agreeing to do it. Good thing for him. Good thing for us.”
McCaffrey was set to earn $11.8 million base salary for the 2023 NFL season and he will get it in full. However, according to NBC Sports, his payment will come in the “form of a $10.72 million signing bonus and a base salary of $1.08 million.”
Further, “The signing bonus will count $2.114 million annually on the team’s salary cap for each of the next five years. Therefore, the contract “conversion” created $8.576 million in cap space for the 49ers.”
McCaffrey’s bumper contract is still puny in front of the quarterbacks who are the highest earners in the NFL. The highest-paid NFL star when ranked according to average annual salary is Cincinnati Bengal’s Joe Burrow. The quarterback earns $55 million on average yearly as part of a five-year contract worth $275 million.
