The San Francisco 49ers possess the highest-paid RB and TE
As no surprise, the San Francisco 49ers set the market regarding running back and tight end.
The NFL is a zero-sum game, meaning winning often goes to the team willing to spend.
Well, in the San Francisco 49ers' case, spending isn't something the team hasn't been shy about doing. In a recent ESPN article, the worldwide leader ranked the highest-paid NFL players at each position.
No shocker, San Francisco possessed the highest-paid running back for the three-year APY and total guaranteed money. Additionally, the 49ers also had the highest-paid tight end regarding total guaranteed money.
At running back, the position leader is — no surprise — Christian McCaffrey. His contract ends in 2025, and he leads the way with a three-year APY of $17.2 million. Second on the list is New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara at $12.7 million. And third behind those two is Cinncinatti Bengal running back Joe Mixon at $12.53 million.
Now, on to guaranteed money. Again, it is McCaffrey pacing the field with a $36.6 million guaranteed salary. He signed the contract in April 2020. Second is Kamara, who is making $34.3 million in guaranteed money. Third is Dalvin Cook at $28 million.
It is no surprise that McCaffrey paces running backs in contract terms because, when healthy, he is the standard bearer for the position in the NFL. He can do a little bit of everything out of the backfield.
In 2022, McCaffrey finished ninth in rushing attempts (244), eighth in yards (1,139), and 12th in touchdowns (eight). He was a threat in the passing game nearly as much as he was a threat running between the tackles. So, it is not shocking that his contract reflects just how talented of a player he is.
The other position the 49ers pace the NFL at is tight end. George Kittle is the highest-paid player in that position in terms of guaranteed money. Kittle will earn $40 million guaranteed on the contract he signed in August of 2020. The contract ends in 2026.
Behind Kittle in terms of guaranteed money is Mark Andrews with the Baltimore Ravens at $36.7 million and Dallas Goedert of the Philadelphia Eagles at $34.8 million.
So, as it turns out, the 49ers don't only pace the league in terms of wins, but also at critical offensive positions, making sense of the team's offensive success.
