5 NFL Contract Extension Predictions

Michael Ginnitti
Michael Ginnitti, Managing Editor & NFL/MLB ExpertJanuary 22, 2025
© USA TODAY Sports

Before the chaos of the NFL offseason kicks into gear, we’ll dive into five players who appear poised to lock in a contract extension in the coming weeks and months, providing outcome predictions for each.

QB Brock Purdy (SF, 25)

Remaining Contract: 1 year, $5M

Purdy’s 2025 salary will escalate from $1M up to around $5M thanks to a Proven Performance Bonus (figure to be determined once the 2025 league salary cap is set). It’s a small consolation prize for a player who has been providing his team with as much financial value as possible for the better part of 3 seasons.

Has Purdy done enough to demand a near top of the market contract? Does his value outside of the 49ers create leverage? Will the Niners play hardball here? Common sense says the two sides move quickly on this deal, coming in at a healthy, but not crushing, bottom line number.

Let’s keep this simple and cap adjust the Daniel Jones contract from 2023:

Prediction: 4 years, $194M, $100M guaranteed

ED Micah Parsons (DAL, 25)

Remaining Contract: 1 year, $24M

Parsons produced 12 sacks, 43 tackles, and 2 forced fumbles in just 13 games for the Cowboys last season and will enter a contract year in 2025 (fully guaranteed $24M 5th-year option salary). He’s been one of the games most productive edge defenders since stepping onto the field back in 2021, and should be of Dallas’ top priority signings this offseason.

The top numbers for edge defenders currently stand at: $34M APY, $122.5M GTD, though it should be noted (since the Cowboys tend to wait until the last minute with these things) that T.J. Watt, Myles Garrett, Max Crosby, and Zach Allen are all contract extension candidates this offseason as well, which should continue to push this market even further.

Prediction: 4 years, $150M ($115M guaranteed)

WR Ja’Marr Chase (CIN, 24)

Remaining Contract: 1 year, $21.8M

127 catches, 1,708 yards, 17 touchdowns. There are certainly worse ways to launch yourself into a contract negotiation offseason, and Justin Jefferson’s $35M APY, $110M guaranteed could very much be in danger here. While drops remain a bit of a concern (9 in 2024), the former #5 overall pick has done more than enough to warrant a market resetting contract this spring.

Prediction: 4 years, $145M ($100M guaranteed)

CB Derek Stingley Jr. (HOU, 23)

Remaining Contract: 1 year, $5.4M + 2026 option

The #3 overall pick in 2022 now has 11 interceptions in 37 games and enters the offseason as PFF’s 4th highest rated cornerback. Houston will (of course) exercise his 5th year option before the May 2nd deadline, then should have its sights on locking in Stingley to a deal in the same ballpark as Patrick Surtain’s extension in Denver (4 years, $96M, $77.5M guaranteed).

Prediction: 4 years, $105M ($83M guaranteed)

S Kyle Hamilton (BLT, 23)

Remaining Contract: 1 year, $2.9M + 2026 option

Hamilton’s versatility fills up the box score on a weekly basis (107 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and a pick in 2024), and the #2 rated safety in football according to PFF is now extension-eligible for the first time at just 23 years old.

The safety market got a nice bump last offseason with Antoine Winfield Jr.’s extension in Tampa Bay. Hamilton should all but destroy his numbers ($21M APY, 53.5% guaranteed). Assuming the Ravens exercise Hamilton’s 5th-year option (estimated $18.3M) before extending him, he’ll be carrying around $21M with him into the negotiation.

Prediction: 3 years, $75M ($58M guaranteed)

 


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