Josh Palmer

Buffalo Bills, Wide Receiver
Age: 25y-6m-1d (Sep 22, 1999)
Exp: 4 Years
Country: US
College: Tennessee
Drafted: Round 3 (#77 overall), 2021
Agent(s): Adisa Bakari, Jeffrey Whitney (The Sports & Entertainment Group)
2025 Cap Hit

$4,310,000

2025 Cash

$10,750,000

Career Earnings

$6,802,057

2025-2027 Free Agent (CURRENT)

Josh Palmer signed a 3 year, $29,000,000 contract with the Buffalo Bills, including $8,000,000 signing bonus, $15,000,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $9,666,667. In 2025, Palmer will earn a base salary of $2,160,000, a signing bonus of $8,000,000 and a workout bonus of $250,000, while carrying a cap hit of $4,310,000 and a dead cap value of $15,000,000.
Contract Terms:
3 yr(s) / $29,000,000
Average Salary:
$9,666,667
Signing Bonus:
$8,000,000
GTD at Sign:
$15,000,000
Total GTD:
$15,000,000
Free Agent:
2028 / UFA
MANAGE CONTRACT
Year Age Status Cap HitAnnual Cap % League Cap Cash Annual Cash Cumulative Dead Cap Annual
2025 26 $4,310,000 1.54% $10,750,000 $10,750,000 $15,000,000
2026 27 $11,850,000 3.86% $10,250,000 $21,000,000 $11,240,000
POTENTIAL OUT: 2027, 2 YR, $21,000,000; $4,800,000 DEAD CAP
2027 28 $9,600,000 2.84% $8,000,000 $29,000,000 $4,800,000
2028 29
Void
UFA
 $3,200,000 0.86% - $29,000,000 $3,200,000
2029
Void
 $1,600,000 0.39% - $29,000,000 -
Year Age Status Base P5 Salary Signing Proration Roster/Gm Bonus Workout Bonus Cap Hit Cap % League Cap Dead Cap
2025 26 $2,160,000 $1,600,000 $300,000 $250,000 $4,310,000 1.54% $15,000,000
2026 27 $9,660,000 $1,600,000 $340,000 $250,000 $11,850,000 3.86% $11,240,000
POTENTIAL OUT: 2027, 2 YR, $21,000,000; $4,800,000 DEAD CAP
2027 28 $7,410,000 $1,600,000 $340,000 $250,000 $9,600,000 2.84% $4,800,000
2028 29
Void
UFA
 - $1,600,000 - - $3,200,000 0.86% $3,200,000
2029
Void
 - $1,600,000 - - $1,600,000 0.39% -
Year Age Status Base P5 Salary Signing Bonus Roster/Gm Bonus Workout Bonus Cash Total Cash Cumulative Cash Remaining
2025 26 $2,160,000 $8,000,000 $340,000 $250,000 $10,750,000 $10,750,000 $29,000,000
2026 27 $9,660,000 - $340,000 $250,000 $10,250,000 $21,000,000 $18,250,000
POTENTIAL OUT: 2027, 2 YR, $21,000,000; $4,800,000 DEAD CAP
2027 28 $7,410,000 - $340,000 $250,000 $8,000,000 $29,000,000 $8,000,000
2028 29
Void
 - - - - - $29,000,000 -
2029 30
Void
 - - - - - $29,000,000 -
Contract Notes

  • $15M guaranteed (signing bonus + 2025 salary + $4.84M of 2026 salary)
  • Additional $3M of 2026 salary fully guarantees the 5th league day of 2026 (injury guaranteed at sign)
  • Per Game Active Bonus: $20,000 ($340,000)
  • 2028-2029 years void 23 days before the 2028 league year
  • Annual Incentives: $2M

Source: NFL contract specifics generally collected from verified reports.

2021-2024 Rookie

Contract Terms:
4 yr(s) / $5,032,438
Average Salary:
$1,258,110
Signing Bonus:
$1,019,676
GTD at Sign:
$1,019,676
Total GTD:
$1,019,676
Free Agent:
2025 / UFA
Spotrac Premium Tools
To see the rest of the Josh Palmer's contract breakdowns, & gain access to all of Spotrac's Premium tools, sign up today. Already Subscribed? Login Here
Seasons

4 Years

Career Earnings thru 2025

$6,802,057

Earnings w/ Different Teams

1 team

Earnings Per Year

Year Age Team(s) Status Cash Total Cash Cumulative Awards
2021 22
Active
$1,679,676
$1,679,676
2022 23
Active
$888,794
$2,568,470
2023 24
Active
$1,117,587
$3,686,057
2024 25
Active
$3,116,000
$6,802,057
Total      
$6,802,057
$6,802,057
2025 26
Active
$10,750,000
2026 27
Active
$10,250,000
2027 28
Active
$8,000,000
Total
$35,802,057

Earnings Per Team

Years Team Base Signing Roster Restructure Option Incentives Cash Cumulative
4 $5,782,381 $1,019,676 - - - - $6,802,057
Year Team(s) Age Base Signing Roster Restructure Option Workout Incentives Cash Total Cash Cumulative
2021
22
$660,000
$1,019,676
$1,679,676
$1,679,676
2022
23
$888,794
$888,794
$2,568,470
2023
24
$1,117,587
$1,117,587
$3,686,057
2024
25
$3,116,000
$3,116,000
$6,802,057
Total
$5,782,381
$1,019,676
$6,802,057
$6,802,057
2025
26
$2,160,000
$8,000,000
$250,000
$10,750,000
2026
27
$9,660,000
$250,000
$10,250,000
2027
28
$7,410,000
$250,000
$8,000,000
Total
$25,012,381
$9,019,676
$750,000
$35,802,057

Earnings Per Team

Years Team Base Signing Roster Restructure Option Incentives Cash Cumulative
4 $5,782,381 $1,019,676 - - - - $6,802,057

Injuries

Year Weeks Reason
2023 LAC 9 - 14 Knee
  • Mar 10, 2025 Signed a 3 year $29 million contract with Buffalo (BUF)
  • Sep 13, 2024 Fined $11,255 Unnecessary Roughness against Las Vegas (LV)
  • Jul 23, 2021 Signed a 4 year $5.03 million contract with Los Angeles (LAC)
  • Apr 30, 2021 Drafted by Los Angeles (LAC): Round 3 (#77 overall)

Fines

Date Reason Fine Amount
Sep 13, 2024 Unnecessary Roughness against Las Vegas (LV) $11,255
Fines: 1 $11,255
Year Team GP GS Snaps Snaps% Rec Receptions Rec Yards Rec Touchdowns Fum
2024 LAC 15 8 616 57.70 39 584 1 0
2023 LAC 10 6 525 68.40 38 581 2 1
2022 LAC 16 11 898 75.30 72 769 3 1
2021 LAC 17 5 458 38.30 33 353 4 0

Calculated Market Value

$4.3M Avg. Annual Salary

Market Value

  • 3 years, $12,799,089
  • Avg. Salary: $4,266,363
  • NFL Rank: 498
  • WR Rank: 53

Current Contract

  • Free Agent: 2028
  • Avg. Salary: $9,666,667
  • NFL Rank: 276
  • WR Rank: 34

Comparable Players

We've selected the following players based on their age, contract status, and statistical production to compare Josh Palmer to.

Player Length Value Avg. Salary Age When Signed
Jarvis Landry 1 $3,000,000 $3,000,000 29
Robert Woods 2 $15,250,000 $7,625,000 30
Marquise Brown 1 $7,000,000 $7,000,000 26
Zay Jones 1 $2,250,000 $2,250,000 29
Averages 1 $6,875,000 $4,968,750 28.5

Base Calculated Value

After adjusting the above contracts as if signed at Palmer's current age (25), a linear regression is performed, providing us with the following initial value.

Length Value Avg. Salary
5 $25,867,720 $5,173,544

Statistical Comparisons

Now we'll compare our variables and Palmer statistically over the two seasons prior to their signing. In this case we're analyzing: GP%, Rec Tgt/Gm, Rec/Gm, Rec Yds/Gm, Rec TD/Gm, YAC/GM, Drops/Gm, Rating

Player GP% Rec Tgt/Gm Rec/Gm Rec Yds/Gm Rec TD/Gm YAC/GM Drops/Gm Rating
Jarvis Landry
2020-2021
 81.82 6.96 4.59 52.22 0.19 22.38 0.27 74.95
Robert Woods
2021-2022
 76.47 6.15 3.77 41.65 0.23 14.15 0.31 71.85
Marquise Brown
2022-2023
 76.47 8.00 4.54 49.35 0.27 15.77 0.23 68.15
Zay Jones
2022-2023
 73.53 7.40 4.64 45.76 0.28 14.40 0.36 64.25
Average 77.07 7.13 4.39 47.25 0.24 16.68 0.29 69.80
Josh Palmer
2023-2024
 73.53 5.04 3.08 46.60 0.12 11.72 0.28 67.30
Pct Change -4.59 -29.31 -29.84 -1.38 -50.00 -29.74 3.45 -3.58
Median Prime % Change -16.95%
Average Prime % Change -18.12%

Calculated Market Value: Josh Palmer

After applying our Prime % figures into our base calculated value, we're given two values. The average of these values becomes our current calculated market value.

Terms Avg. Salary
3 years, $12,799,089 $4,266,363

FEATURED PLAYER NEWS

News image
Breaking Down Josh Allen's $330M Contract

Breaking down the facts, figures, & future outlook for Josh Allen's 6 year, $330M contract with the Buffalo Bills.

TRANSACTIONS

Mar 10, 2025
Signed a 3 year $29 million contract with Buffalo (BUF)
Sep 13, 2024
Fined $11,255 Unnecessary Roughness against Las Vegas (LV)
Jul 23, 2021
Signed a 4 year $5.03 million contract with Los Angeles (LAC)
Apr 30, 2021
Drafted by Los Angeles (LAC): Round 3 (#77 overall)

TRENDING PLAYERS

  • 1 Ja'Marr Chase (WR, CIN)
  • 2 Aaron Rodgers (QB, NYJ)
  • 3 Tee Higgins (WR, CIN)
  • 4 Trey Hendrickson (DE, CIN)
  • 5 Dak Prescott (QB, DAL)
  • 6 Asante Samuel Jr. (CB, LAC)
  • 7 Brock Purdy (QB, SF)
  • 8 Jameis Winston (QB, NYG)
  • 9 Russell Wilson (QB, PIT)
  • 10 Kirk Cousins (QB, ATL)
  • 11 Micah Parsons (DE, DAL)
  • 12 Chris Godwin (WR, TB)
  • 13 Josh Allen (QB, BUF)
  • 14 Zack Baun (ILB, PHI)
  • 15 Bryce Huff (OLB, PHI)

TRENDING PAGES

  • 1 NFL Free Agents
  • 2 NFL Transactions
  • 3 NFL Cap Tracker
  • 4 NFL Draft
  • 5 NFL Salary Rankings
Top