NFL contracts get the most attention in the offseason, when most deals are signed, renegotiated or terminated. But there is perhaps no greater in-season spotlight on player finances than Week 18, when many veterans get a final opportunity to cash in on bonuses and performance-based incentives. Which players have the most to gain in the final week of regular-season action?
Here are some of the most notable bonuses and incentives on the line in Week 18:
| Player | Team | Amount | Needs | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
QB Baker Mayfield | Buccaneers | $2M | Playoff berth (win vs. Saints) | YES |
QB Geno Smith | Seahawks | $2M | Playoff berth (win + help) | |
QB Gardner Minshew | Colts | $2M | 65% of 2023 offensive snaps | YES |
RB Alexander Mattison | Vikings | $650K | 125 rushing yards | NO |
WR Odell Beckham Jr. | Ravens | $1.75M | 5 catches, 185 yards, 2 TDs | NO (did not play as Ravens rested several starters) |
WR DeAndre Hopkins | Titans | $1.5M | 7 catches, 49 yards, 2 TDs | NO (7 catches, 46 yards, TD) |
WR Darius Slayton | Giants | $750K | Active vs. Eagles | YES |
WR Nelson Agholor | Ravens | $500K | 10 catches ($250K), 58 yards ($250K) | NO |
| WR Josh Reynolds | Lions | $250K | 36 receiving yards | YES |
TE Mike Gesicki | Patriots | $750K | 53% of 2023 offensive snaps | |
TE Dalton Schultz | Texans | $500K | 6 catches ($250K), 107 yards ($250K) | NO |
| TE Adam Trautman | Broncos | $100K | One touchdown | |
| TE Austin Hooper | Raiders | $125K | 51% of snaps (currently at 51%) | |
| TE Tyler Higbee | Rams | $125K | Five receiving yards | |
| RB Devin Singletary | Texans | $375K | 50% of offensive snaps ($125K), 55% of offensive snaps ($125K), 165 rushing yards ($125K) | |
| RB Joe Mixon | Bengals | $100K | Two touchdowns | YES |
| RB D'Onta Foreman | Bears | $100K | Two touchdowns | |
| RB Ezekiel Elliott | Patriots | $425K | $50K for every game played, 252 total yards in Week 18 for $375K | Didn't get total yards |
| RB Austin Ekeler | Chargers | $100K | 110 rushing or receiving yards | |
| DE Tyquan Lewis | Colts | $150K | 1.0 sacks | NO |
| DE Clelin Ferrell | 49ers | $350K | 50% of snaps to earn $250K (currently at 45%), 1.5 sacks to earn $100K | |
| OLB Leonard Floyd | Bills | $2M | 1.5 sacks | |
| OLB Bud Dupree | Falcons | $2M | 1.5 sacks ($1M), 70% of 2023 snaps ($1M) | |
| DE Calais Campbell | Falcons | $500K | 60% of defensive snaps (currently at 60%) | |
| OLB Preston Smith | Packers | $1M | 2 sacks | |
OLB Jadeveon Clowney | Ravens | $750K | 0.5 sack | YES |
OLB Arden Key | Titans | $500K | 2 sacks | |
| DT Chris Jones | Chiefs | $1.25 million | One sack | |
| S Jordan Poyer | Bills | $250K | 90% of snaps (currently at 90%) |
Plenty is on the line this weekend for these players.
- Joe Mixon scored two touchdowns in the first quarter during the Bengals matchup with the Browns on Sunday. His second TD secured him $100K.
- Late in the second quarter during Baltimore's rainy matchup against Pittsburgh, Clowney got to Mason Rudolph for a sack. That sack was worth $750K, and his teammates knew it, so the Ravens defense had some fun out on the field.