Nahshon Wright is leading a growing list of NFL players cashing in on performance-based pay (PBP) bonuses. The 27-year-old cornerback, who signed a one-year, $5.5 million deal with the Jets earlier this month, earned an additional $1.4 million on top of the $1.1 million he made with the Bears last season.
Wright’s payout tops the list of 25 players who crossed the $1 million threshold in 2025—a new league record, just a year after Jamien Sherwood became the first player to hit seven figures through the PBP system.
Rounding out the top three are Browns safety Ronnie Hickman ($1.29 million) and Falcons tackle Elijah Wilkinson ($1.27 million), both undrafted free agents. Performance-based bonuses, calculated from base salary and snap counts, reward lower-paid players who see heavy field time. These payouts do not count against the salary cap.
Wright, originally drafted in the third round by the Cowboys out of Oregon State in 2021, started 16 regular-season games and two postseason contests for Chicago. He played 97% of defensive snaps, contributed five interceptions, two forced fumbles, and three recoveries, earning his first Pro Bowl nod. The bonus effectively doubled his salary.
The PBP program, established in 2002 under the NFLPA’s collective bargaining agreement, has paid out roughly $3.3 billion since inception. The bonus pool has grown steadily—from $15 million at launch to $542 million in 2025, up from $452 million the previous year.
Lower-paid, high-usage players like Wright exemplify why the system has become one of the league’s most significant tools for rewarding performance—and bridging the gap between salary and contribution on the field.