Jamaree Salyer is one of the best draft finds the LA Chargers have had in recent years. The 2022 sixth-round pick was forced into starting at left tackle in his rookie season even though he was a guard and by some kind of miracle, turned in exceptional play against some of the best pass-rushers in the sport.
This clinched a starting spot for Salyer on the 2023 offensive line and that is exactly what he got. With Matt Feiler becoming a cap casualty, a spot opened on the offensive line for Salyer. Salyer switched sides with Zion Johnson and was the Chargers' starting right guard in 2023.
Salyer was not perfect and he did not play as well as fans expected after his exceptional rookie season. That being said, he still established himself as a serviceable NFL offensive lineman and with the right coaching, the sky is the limit for the young guard.
Salyer's 2023 didn't just establish him as a quality starting guard in the league, but it also earned him some more cash as well. The NFL announced the top 25 annual performance-based pay recipients and Salyer earned the ninth-most bonus money in the process.
Former Ravens and current Jets guard John Simpson led all NFL players last season by receiving an extra $974,613 in performance-based pay. The top earners that were announced today: pic.twitter.com/5AIyTKqR9R
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 1, 2024
Jamaree Salyer doubles his 2023 salary with the Chargers
As a sixth-round pick, Salyer is not breaking the bank when it comes to his salary. The second-year offensive lineman had a salary of just $870,000 in 2023. That has jumped to $985,000 in 2024.
Salyer's bonus money paid out just about matched his entire yearly salary for the Chargers last season. With an extra $840,000 in paid-out bonus money, Salyer's yearly earnings went up to $1,710,000. That is a massive jump for someone who is so young in his NFL career.
This extra payment does not impact the Chargers' salary cap situation in the slightest. The NFL already factors in the performance-based pool into the salary cap calculations, so this does not suddenly give the Chargers $840,000 less in salary-cap space.
That may not seem like much in the grand scheme of the league but for a team that is crunching numbers like the Chargers, it absolutely matters. So this truly was the best of both worlds; Salyer was recognized for his strong play with one of the biggest bonuses in the league while the Chargers don't have to fork over extra salary-cap space.