Josh Palmer

Buffalo Bills, Wide Receiver
Age: 26y-5m-14d (Sep 22, 1999)
Exp: 5 Years
Country: US
College: Tennessee
Drafted: Round 3 (#77 overall), 2021
Agent(s): Adisa Bakari, Jeffrey Whitney (The Sports & Entertainment Group)
2026 Cap Hit

$11,750,000

2026 Cash

$10,250,000

Career Earnings

$17,452,057

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, $18,000,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $9,666,667. In 2026, Palmer will earn a base salary of $9,660,000 and a workout bonus of $250,000, while carrying a cap hit of $11,750,000 and a dead cap value of $11,240,000.
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:
$18,000,000
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% $10,650,000 $10,650,000 $15,250,000
2026 27 $11,750,000 3.90% $10,250,000 $20,900,000 $11,240,000
POTENTIAL OUT: 2027, 2 YR, $20,900,000; $4,800,000 DEAD CAP
2027 28 $9,600,000 3.01% $8,000,000 $28,900,000 $4,800,000
2028 29
Void
UFA
 $3,200,000 0.96% - $28,900,000 $3,200,000
2029
Void
 $1,600,000 0.44% - $28,900,000 -
Year Age Status Base P5 Salary Signing Proration Active/GM Roster Bonus Workout Bonus Cap Hit Cap % League Dead Cap
2025 26 $2,160,000 $1,600,000 $300,000 $250,000 $4,310,000 1.54% $15,250,000
2026 27 $9,660,000 $1,600,000 $240,000 $250,000 $11,750,000 3.90% $11,240,000
POTENTIAL OUT: 2027, 2 YR, $20,900,000; $4,800,000 DEAD CAP
2027 28 $7,410,000 $1,600,000 $340,000 $250,000 $9,600,000 3.01% $4,800,000
2028 29
Void
UFA
 - $1,600,000 - - $3,200,000 0.96% $3,200,000
2029
Void
 - $1,600,000 - - $1,600,000 0.44% -
Year Age Status Base P5 Salary Signing Bonus Active/Gm Roster Bonus Workout Bonus Cash Total Cash Cumulative Cash Remaining
2025 26 $2,160,000 $8,000,000 $240,000 $250,000 $10,650,000 $10,650,000 $28,900,000
2026 27 $9,660,000 - $340,000 $250,000 $10,250,000 $20,900,000 $18,250,000
POTENTIAL OUT: 2027, 2 YR, $20,900,000; $4,800,000 DEAD CAP
2027 28 $7,410,000 - $340,000 $250,000 $8,000,000 $28,900,000 $8,000,000
2028 29
Void
 - - - - - $28,900,000 -
2029 30
Void
 - - - - - $28,900,000 -
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
  • Receiving TD Incentive (non-cumulative)
    4: $250,000
    6: $500,000
    8: $1M
  • Receiving Yard Incentive (non-cumulative)
    600: $250,000
    750: $500,000
    900: $1M
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
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Seasons

5 Years

Career Earnings thru 2026

$17,452,057

Earnings w/ Different Teams

2 teams

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
2025 26
Active
$10,650,000
$17,452,057
Total      
$17,452,057
$17,452,057
2026 27
Active
$10,250,000
2027 28
Active
$8,000,000
Total
$35,702,057

Earnings Per Team

Years Team Base Signing Roster Restructure Option Incentives Cash Cumulative
4 $5,782,381 $1,019,676 - - - - $6,802,057
1 $2,160,000 $8,000,000 - - $250,000 - $10,650,000
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
2025
26
$2,160,000
$8,000,000
$250,000
$10,650,000
$17,452,057
Total
$7,942,381
$9,019,676
$250,000
$17,452,057
$17,452,057
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
$35,702,057

Earnings Per Team

Years Team Base Signing Roster Restructure Option Incentives Cash Cumulative
4 $5,782,381 $1,019,676 - - - - $6,802,057
1 $2,160,000 $8,000,000 - - $250,000 - $10,650,000

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
2025 BUF 12 8 393 34.72 22 303 0 0
2024 LAC 15 8 616 57.79 39 584 1 0
2023 LAC 10 6 525 45.45 38 581 2 1
2022 LAC 16 11 898 75.34 72 769 3 1
2021 LAC 17 5 458 38.33 33 353 4 0
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