The Rams moved heaven and earth — and a litany of draft picks — to acquire a lockdown corner. On Sunday, they paid him handsomely.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Los Angeles agreed to terms on a four-year extension with Trent McDuffie. The extension comes mere days after landing him in a blockbuster trade with the Chiefs. McDuffie, a one-time first-team All-Pro, leapfrogged a host of notable cornerbacks — including Sauce Gardner and Derek Stingley Jr. — to become football’s highest-paid corner.
At his best, McDuffie is one of the league’s best corners, with a dizzying mix of physicality and speed who routinely blankets the league’s better wideouts. His production warrants a gleaming contract. Los Angeles rewarded him for his exploits, hoping to find another anchor on its already impressive defense.
Here’s a look at McDuffie’s contract — and how it compares to other notable cornerbacks.
Trent McDuffie contract details
- Years: Four
- Value: $124 million
McDuffie’s new deal won’t go into effect until the 2027 season. When it does, he’ll fetch an average annual value (AAV) of $31 million, the highest in league history.
Of McDuffie’s $124 million contract, $100 million is guaranteed. That’s the sixth-highest figure among defenders in league history, bettered only by Aidan Hutchinson ($140.5 million), Micah Parsons ($136 million), Myles Garrett ($122.8 million) and Nick Bosa ($108 million).
Highest-paid cornerbacks for 2026
McDuffie leapfrogged Derek Stingley Jr. and Sauce Gardner to become the league’s highest-paid cornerback. He’s not too far away from his competition, only making $1 million more than his All-Pro-caliber counterparts.
All told, nine cornerbacks make at least $20 million annually.
Here’s how McDuffie’s new deal compares with other high-profile earners.
| Rank | Quarterback | Team | AAV |
| 1 | Trent McDuffie | Rams | $31 million |
| 2 | Sauce Gardner | Colts | $30.1 million |
| 3 | Derek Stingley Jr. | Texans | $30 million |
| 4 | Jaycee Horn | Panthers | $25 million |
| 5 | Patrick Surtain II | Broncos | $24 million |
| 6 | DaRon Bland | Cowboys | $22.5 million |
| 7 | Jalen Ramsey | Steelers | $21.175 million |
| 8 | AJ Terrell | Falcons | $20.25 million |
| 9 | Denzel Ward | Browns | $20.1 million |
| 10 | Marlon Humphrey | Ravens | $19.5 million |
NFL highest-paid defensive players
Here are the NFL’s highest-paid defensive players by average annual value:
| Rank | Player | AAV | Team |
| 1 | Micah Parsons | $46.5 million | Packers |
| 2 | Aidan Hutchinson | $45 million | Lions |
| 3 | T.J. Watt | $41 million | Steelers |
| 4 | Danielle Hunter | $40.1 million | Texans |
| 5 | Myles Garrett | $40 million | Browns |
| 6 | Maxx Crosby | $35.5 million | Ravens |
| 7 | Nick Bosa | $34 million | 49ers |
| 8 | Chris Jones | $31.75 million | Chiefs |
| 9 | Trent McDuffie | $31 million | Rams |
| 10 | Sauce Gardner | $30.1 million | Colts |
