Agent’s Take: Dissecting the exploding wide receiver market and what it means for future deals

Not too long ago, the $20 million-per-year mark was the Holy Grail for wide receivers. That isn’t the case anymore. There were four $20 million-per-year wideouts (Keenan Allen, Amari Cooper, DeAndre Hopkins and Julio Jones) when the offseason began. The number has more than doubled to nine despite the Titans releasing Jones. By the time the 2022 regular season starts, the number will easily be in double figures.

The Chargers got the ball rolling by signing Mike Williams to a three-year, $60 million contract with $40 million fully guaranteed before the March 8 deadline teams had to designate franchise players. Williams’ franchise tag would have been $18.816 million. The Chargers are the only NFL team with two $20 million-per-year wideouts. Allen signed a four-year contract extension averaging $20.025 million per year with $50 million of guarantees during the 2020 preseason.

The Buccaneers struck next with Chris Godwin. Conventional wisdom suggested Godwin would hit the open market when he tore the ACL and MCL in his right knee late in the 2021 regular season but he was franchised for a second straight year at $19.18 million this time around. He signed a nearly identical three-year, $60 million deal to Williams’ shortly after quarterback Tom Brady unretired.

The next big move was the Raiders acquiring wide receiver Davante Adams, who was designated as a franchise player, from the Packers for 2022 first- and second-round picks. Adams signed a five-year, $140 million contract with the Raiders. There are $65.67 million in guarantees, of which $42.75 million was fully guaranteed at signing in the deal. The maximum value of Adams’ contract is $141.25 million because of an annual $250,000 Pro Bowl incentive.

D.J. Moore, who was scheduled to play 2022 under an $11.116 million fifth-year option, signed a three-year, $61.884 million extension averaging $20.628 million per year, of which…