Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown is known for keeping track of the wide receivers who were drafted before him, so he and his agent are certainly taking note of DeVonta Smith’s three-year, $75M contract extension ($51M guaranteed) with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Both players were taken in the 2021 NFL Draft. The Eagles selected Smith — who agreed to the extension Monday, per ESPN.com — with the 10th overall pick, while St. Brown lasted until the fourth round, where the Lions took him with the 112th overall pick. St. Brown was the 17th wide receiver taken in that draft.
St. Brown was so insulted that he remained on the board so long that he memorized the names of every wide receiver who was selected ahead of him.
Over their three-year careers, St. Brown has clearly outperformed Smith, posting 315 receptions, two 100-catch seasons, 3,588 yards receiving, two seasons over 1,100 yards and one over 1,500 yards, 21 touchdown catches and two Pro Bowl selections.
Smith, meanwhile, has 240 receptions, a season high of 95 catches, 3,178 yards receiving, one season over 1,100 yards and two over 1,000, 19 touchdown receptions and no Pro Bowls.
St. Brown, whose 2024 base salary is $3,366,000, and the Lions have been in negotiations because his rookie contract runs out after this season. In late March, Lions coach Dan Campbell told the Detroit Free Press that contract extensions for St. Brown and QB Jared Goff are priorities for the team.
Before Smith’s extension, the highest-paid wide receivers in the NFL were Miami’s Tyreek Hill ($30M annually), Las Vegas’ Davante Adams ($28M), the Los Angeles Rams’ Cooper Kupp ($26.7M) and Smith’s teammate, A.J. Brown ($25M).
Reported projections had pointed to St. Brown falling slightly below the $26M to $28M range. Smith’s extension, however, should push St. Brown well into that range.