Who Shatters the Stagnant TE Market Next?
NFL Money Explosion: Why Every Position Got Rich Except Tight Ends (And Who Might Change That)
The 2026 NFL league year started on March 11, and it’s been a historic cash grab for almost every offensive player—except tight ends.
The Big Picture: 2026 is Payday for Almost Everyone
Imagine you and your friends all work at the same company. One day, almost everyone gets a massive raise—quarterbacks, wide receivers, running backs, even the big guys on the offensive line. But one group—tight ends—barely sees a bump. That’s exactly what’s happening in the NFL right now.
The salary cap (the total amount of money each team is allowed to spend on players) has jumped from $198.2 million in 2020 to $301.2 million in 2026—a 52% increase. Most positions have seen their top salaries rise with the tide. Tight ends? Not so much.
The Scoreboard: Who Got Paid in 2026
Here are the new record-setters at each position this year:
| Position | Player | Team | Average Per Year | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quarterback | Patrick Mahomes | Chiefs | $60M+ | First QB to break the $60M/year barrier |
| Wide Receiver | Jaxon Smith-Njigba | Seahawks | Top WR money | Passed Ja’Marr Chase as highest-paid WR |
| Running Back | Jahmyr Gibbs | Lions | $22.5M | New RB record; Bijan Robinson & Jonathan Taylor also at $20M+ |
| Offensive Tackle | Laremy Tunsil | — | $30M | First and only $30M/year offensive lineman |
| Guard | Peter Skoronski | — | $25M | New benchmark for guards |
| Center | Tyler Linderbaum | Raiders | $27M | 50% jump over previous center record (3-yr, $81M deal) |
Important: "Average per year" = total contract value number of years. It’s the easiest way to compare deals.
The Exception: Tight Ends Got Left Behind
While everyone else was breaking the bank, Kyle Pitts—coming off a career year (88 catches, ~1,000 yards, 2nd-team All-Pro)—signed a 3-year, $53M deal ($17.67M/year). That made him only the 3rd-highest-paid tight end.
The Current Tight End Pay Ladder (2026)
- George Kittle (49ers) – $19.1M/year (backloaded deal, $22.4M in 2029 at age 36)
- Trey McBride (Cardinals) – $19M/year (most guaranteed money ever for a TE: $43M)
- Kyle Pitts (Falcons) – $17.67M/year (but $36M fully guaranteed at signing—a TE record)
- Isaiah Likely (Giants) – $13.3M/year → Big drop-off after the top 3
Callout: In 2023, eight tight ends made $13.5M/year or more. Now? Barely three.
Why Are Tight Ends Underpaid?
It’s not new. The position has been stuck in neutral for over a decade.
A Timeline of Tight End Pay (Simplified)
| Year | Player | Deal | Avg/Year | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Jimmy Graham | 4-yr, $40M | $10M | First $10M/year TE |
| 2020 | Austin Hooper | 4-yr, $42M | $10.5M | Barely beat Graham—6 years later! |
| 2020 (camp) | George Kittle | 5-yr, $75M | $15M | Big reset |
| 2020 (camp) | Travis Kelce | 4-yr, $57.25M | $14.3M | Team-friendly deal |
| 2025 | Kittle (new) | 4-yr, $76.4M | $19.1M | Backloaded; first 3 new years avg $18M |
| 2025 | Trey McBride | 4-yr, $76M | $19M | First 3 new years avg $19.3M |
The Problem in Plain English
- The market hasn’t hit $20M/year—six years after Kittle’s first big deal.
- Salary cap went up 52% since 2020, but top TE pay only went up ~27%.
- Teams don’t value TEs like they do WRs or RBs, even when they put up similar numbers.
- Pitts proved it: elite production + franchise tag + All-Pro = still only 3rd highest paid.
The Surprising Bright Spot: Blocking Tight Ends Are Cashing In
While receiving TEs are stuck, blocking specialists are suddenly getting paid.
| Player | Team | Deal | Avg/Year | Milestone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlie Kolar | Chargers | 3-yr, $24.3M | $8.1M | First blocking TE > $8M/year |
| Darnell Washington | Steelers | 4-yr, $42M | $10.5M | First blocking TE > $10M/year |
The Gap Is Closing Fast
- 2020: Top TE (Kittle $15M) vs. Top Blocking TE (Nick Boyle $6M) → 150% gap
- 2026: Top TE (Kittle $19.1M) vs. Top Blocking TE (Washington $10.5M) → 81.9% gap
- Blocking TE pay jumped 35.5% in 2026 alone—more than the entire TE market moved in 6 years.
Why? Teams are realizing you need TEs who can block and catch. The "two-way" TE is becoming rare and valuable.
Three Players Who Could Finally Break the Tight End Bank
All three are in contract years (playing on their rookie deals, about to hit free agency or sign extensions). All three are represented by Jack Bechta—the same agent who negotiates for George Kittle.
1. Tucker Kraft — Green Bay Packers
- 2025 pace (8 games before ACL tear): 469 yards, 6 TDs, led all TEs in yards
- 15.3 yards/catch (8th in NFL), 10.8 yards after catch/catch (best among TEs)
- Bonus: He’s a good blocker—Packers ran for 0.18 more yards/carry with him on field
- Status: Activated from PUP list, on track for Week 1
- Packers’ likely offer: ~Pitts money ($17.7M/year)
- Agent’s target: Kittle’s 2020 deal adjusted for cap inflation → ~$22.75M/year
- Catch: Packers rarely give big guarantees beyond signing bonus
2. Sam LaPorta — Detroit Lions
- 2023: 86 catches (rookie TE record, since broken by Bowers), 2nd-team All-Pro
- 2024: Missed last 8 games (herniated disc, surgery); was averaging 54.3 yards/game
- Same agent as Kraft & Kittle
- Lions’ history: Waited until late October to extend Aidan Hutchinson (coming off injury)
- Risk: If Lions balk, LaPorta hits free agency at age 26—prime for a bidding war
- Note: Lions traded T.J. Hockenson instead of paying him—could happen again
3. Brock Bowers — Las Vegas Raiders
- 2024: 112 catches (all-time rookie record, any position)
- Raiders’ #1 passing target
- Eligible for extension after 2026 season (Jan 10, 2027)
- Agent’s playbook: Could use Linderbaum’s 50% center jump to argue for $30M+/year
- Ceiling: Unknown—but he’s the best bet to finally smash the $20M barrier
What Happens Next?
| Scenario | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Kraft or LaPorta signs ~$18-20M/year | Market inches up, but still no $20M breakthrough |
| One hits $22M+ (Kittle-inflation number) | First TE to truly reset the market since 2020 |
| Bowers gets $30M+ in 2027 | Position finally catches up to WRs/RBs; changes how teams value TEs |
| Lions/Packers let them walk | Free agency bidding war → instant market reset |
Bottom line: The 2026 season is the last chance for the TE market to join the party before Bowers potentially rewrites the rules in 2027.
Summary
- 2026 = historic payday for QBs, WRs, RBs, OL, Centers (Linderbaum +50%!)
- Tight ends = left behind—top pay stuck at ~$19M, hasn’t hit $20M in 6 years
- Blocking TEs are the surprise winners—pay up 35% in one year
- Three young stars (Kraft, LaPorta, Bowers) hold the keys to the next breakthrough
- All share the same agent (Jack Bechta), who has a track record of moving markets
- Watch the 2026 season closely—contract talks, injuries, and production will decide if TEs finally get their piece of the pie
FAQ
Why do NFL contracts always talk about "average per year" instead of total value?
A: Because contracts have different lengths, guarantees, and structures. "Average per year" (total years) lets you compare apples to apples. But guaranteed money is what the player actually keeps if cut.
What’s a "franchise tag" and why did Kyle Pitts get one?
A: It’s a one-year contract a team can force on a pending free agent. It pays the average of the top 5 salaries at that position. Teams use it to keep stars from leaving while negotiating long-term. Pitts played on it in 2025, then signed his extension.
What does "backloaded" mean in George Kittle’s contract?
A: The deal pays less in early years and more in later years (e.g., $22.4M in 2029 when he’s 36). Teams do this to fit under the salary cap now, but it often means the player never sees those final years—they get cut or restructured first.
Why are blocking tight ends suddenly getting paid more?
A: Modern defenses are faster. Teams need TEs who can block elite pass rushers and run routes. True two-way TEs are rare. As receiving TEs specialize, the ones who can block become scarce—and valuable.
Could Brock Bowers really get $30 million a year?
A: It sounds crazy, but Tyler Linderbaum (a center) just got a 50% raise to $27M. Bowers’ agent could argue: "If a center is worth $27M, the best receiving TE in football is worth more." It’s a negotiation tactic—but with the cap rising, it’s not impossible.
Final Thought: The NFL is a copycat league. Once one tight end breaks $20M (or $25M, or $30M), the rest will follow. The dominoes are lined up—Kraft, LaPorta, and Bowers are the ones who could tip the first one.