The 2024 NFL Draft is being held in Detroit, but that won't be the only thing Lions fans are celebrating this weekend.
The Lions signed Amon-Ra St. Brown on Wednesday to a four-year contract extension that will make him one of the highest-paid receivers in the NFL.
St. Brown was a fourth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft but has since blossomed into one of the NFL's top receivers. The USC product was named an All-Pro in 2023 after catching 119 passes for 1,515 yards and 10 touchdowns. He helped lead the Lions to an NFC championship game appearance, and at just 24, he still has a very bright future.
Detroit decided to be proactive in retaining St. Brown. It marks the second big-money receiver contract given to a member of the 2021 NFL Draft class, as the Eagles inked DeVonta Smith a three-year extension worth up to $75 million earlier in the offseason.
What did St. Brown get tacked onto the final year of his rookie contract? Here's what to know about Detroit's big-money re-signing.
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Amon-Ra St. Brown contract details
St. Brown signed a four-year extension with the Lions worth up to $120 million, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The contract comes with $77 million guaranteed and will keep him in Detroit through his age-29 season.
St. Brown's extension also ties him as the NFL's highest-paid receiver in terms of average annual value (AAV) with Tyreek Hill. The duo are two of three currently making at least $30 million per year on their current contracts.
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Highest-paid NFL WRs
Below is a look at the 10 highest-paid NFL wide receivers in AAV, per OverTheCap.com.
| Rank | Player | Team | AAV |
| 1 | A.J. Brown | Eagles | $32 million |
| 2 | Tyreek Hill | Dolphins | $30 million |
| Amon-Ra St. Brown | Lions | $30 million | |
| 4 | Davante Adams | Raiders | $28 million |
| 5 | Cooper Kupp | Rams | $26.7 million |
| 6 | DeVonta Smith | Eagles | $25 million |
| 7 | DK Metcalf | Seahawks | $24 million |
| 8 | Deebo Samuel | 49ers | $23.85 million |
| 9 | Michael Pittman Jr. | Colts | $23.33 million |
| 10 | Terry McLaurin | Commanders | $23.2 million |
Here are the highest-paid wide receivers in total contract value:
| Rank | Player | Team | Total contract |
| 1 | A.J. Brown | Eagles | $196 million |
| 2 | Davante Adams | Raiders | $140 million |
| 3 | Tyreek Hill | Dolphins | $120 million |
| Amon-Ra St. Brown | Lions | $120 million | |
| 5 | Amari Cooper | Browns | $100 million |
| 6 | Calvin Ridley | Titans | $92 million |
| 7 | Cooper Kupp | Rams | $80.1 million |
| 8 | Keenan Allen | Bears | $80.1 million |
| 9 | DK Metcalf | Seahawks | $72 million |
| Christian Kirk | Jaguars | $72 million |
St. Brown's deal may seem massive at present, but it's worth noting that the price of the receiver market is expected to rise precipitously in the coming months.
Vikings star Justin Jefferson and Cowboys top receiver CeeDee Lamb are both due big-money contract extensions. They could blow the top off the receiver market, so the Lions were smart to lock in cost-certainty with St. Brown before those deals came to pass.
St. Brown won't complain too much about his new deal. His rookie contract was worth just under $4.27 million over four years, so getting a $115.73 million raise will likely sit well with him.
