The Los Angeles Rams and Trent McDuffie reset the cornerback market on Sunday night when they agreed to a four-year extension worth $124 million, a record-setting average of $31 million per year.
That makes him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history, leapfrogging Sauce Gardner at $30.1 million.
McDuffie was already under contract for 2026 but he now gets long-term security in Los Angeles with his $124 million extension. Even better, his new contract doesn’t kick in until 2027, according to The Athletic’s Nate Atkins.
That means he’ll still play on the fifth-year option from his rookie deal, earning $13.6 million for 2026. Then, his new contract will begin in 2027, paying him an average of $31 million per year for four seasons.
When you combine his fifth-year option with his four-year extension, it’s a total of $137.6 million for five years, which works out to an average of $27.52 million per year. That’s even more palatable than $31 million annually on his new deal.
This was an important distinction because oftentimes when a player signs an extension, the team rips up the remaining year(s) of the contract and starts fresh immediately. That’s the case with Quentin Lake, who signed a three-year extension in January that replaces the final year of his rookie contract in 2026 and runs through 2028.
With McDuffie, the Rams now have him under contract through 2030 after trading a first-rounder and three additional picks for him. In other words, he’ll be in horns for a long time.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: This key distinction with Trent McDuffie’s contract is good news for Rams
Reporting by Cameron DaSilva, Rams Wire / Rams Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
