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There are only so many elite, game-changing wide receivers in today's NFL, so it's no wonder that their annual salaries are jumping up more and more every year.
Though quarterbacks continue to take home more money than any other position in the NFL, some of the league's premier wideouts aren't far behind in annual pay. Thanks to veterans like Julio Jones, and Odell Beckham Jr., teams are willing to pony up the big bucks to build around a superstar wide receiver.
With that all said, let's take a look at the 10 highest-paid NFL wide receivers for the 2019 season.
Note: Contract details are courtesy of Spotrac.com.
10. Allen Robinson - 3 Years/$42 Million
Robinson broke out in 2015 with 80 receptions for 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns. He unfortunately tore his ACL in Week 1 of the 2017 season for the Jacksonville Jaguars, but it didn't cost him much in free agency.
The Chicago Bears signed Robinson to a three-year deal worth $42 million shortly after the 2018 free agent market opened up. Though he's not quite in the class of "elite" wideouts, Robinson's 2019 pay is bigger than the likes of DeAndre Hopkins, Keenan Allen and A.J. Green - a trio of perennial Pro Bowlers.
9. T.Y. Hilton - 5 Years/$65 Million
31 other teams certainly regret passing up on T.Y. Hilton, who wasn't selected until the third round (92nd overall) by the Indianapolis Colts in 2012. Hilton recorded 1,000-yard seasons five times between the 2013 and '18 seasons.
The speedy and crafty deep threat inked a five-year, $65 million extension with the Colts before the start of the 2015 season. The market continues to go up for receivers, and when Hilton's current deal expires after the 2020 season, it's not crazy to think that he could earn around $20 million annually on his next contract.
8. Amari Cooper - 4 Years/$22 Million
The three-time Pro Bowl wideout was a star for the Oakland Raiders for three years, but he's taken his game to another level since joining the Dallas Cowboys in a mid-season trade last year.
Cooper is in the final year of his rookie deal that pays him $13.924 million for 2019. Of course, Cooper is going to surpass that by a wide margin on his new deal. Something close to $20-25 million a season is not out of the question, unless the Cowboys can convince him to take a major hometown discount.
7. Adam Thielen - 4 Years/$64 Million
The Minnesota Vikings' star is a remarkable feel-good story to root for. The undrafted product out of Minnesota State has grown into a star for his hometown team, having earned two Pro Bowl selections while guiding the Vikings to the 2017 NFC Championship Game.
In the 2019 offseason, Thielen was rewarded with a four-year deal worth $64 million. His current deal pays him $14.305 million, which places Thielen seventh among receivers. The new contract doesn't kick in until 2021.
6. Golden Tate - 4 Years/$37.5 Million
The New York Giants were desperate for help at wide receiver after trading Odell Beckham Jr. to the Cleveland Browns, so they paid big dollars for veteran wideout Golden Tate. This past offseason, the speedy pass-catcher landed a four-year deal worth $37.5 milion.
It was quite the overpay for an ageing 31-year-old wideout that is no longer in his prime. But the big market Giants refused to accept their need to rebuild, and they had hopes that Tate would help the offense reach another level.
Even though the Giants have been terrible in 2019, Tate cannot complain about earning just over $14.358 million in 2019, which places him sixth-highest among NFL wide receivers.
5. Odell Beckham Jr. - 5 Years/$90 Million
Just one year after the Giants handed him a whopping five-year deal worth $95 million, the front office wound up trading him to the Cleveland Browns in a blockbuster deal for the ages.
Expectations were high for the Browns after they paired Beckham with fellow Pro Bowl wideout and former LSU teammate, Jarvis Landry. But Cleveland struggled mightily in 2019, as Beckham struggled to fit in Freddie Kitchens' offense.
Despite the disappointing season in Cleveland, Beckham is still taking home a fancy $17 million paycheck for 2019. The hope now is that he can live up to that contract once 2020 comes around.
4. Mike Evans - 5Years/$82.5 Million
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been one of the NFL's worst teams for over a decade now, but superstar wideout Mike Evans has at least provided some glimmer of hope for Bruce Arians and company.
The Texas A&M product received a five-year contract extension worth $82.5 million in the 2018 offseason. The deal pays Evans a whopping $20 million for 2019, but the Buccaneers are getting tremendous value of it.
Evans has now recorded 60-plus receptions and over 1,000 yards in each of his first six NFL seasons. Now, if the Buccaneers could just start winning while Evans is in his prime...
3. Michael Thomas - 5 Years/$96 Million
The New Orleans Saints' star wideout has been getting better and better with each passing season. He and Drew Brees have become the most dynamic WR-QB duo in the NFL, and it's not really up for debate right now.
Thomas absolutely dominated in his first three NFL seasons, and the Saints wasted no time in rewarding him with a giant payday. Ahead of the 2019 season, Thomas signed a five-year extension worth $100 million, with $61 million of it guaranteed.
He's taking just over $21.648 million in cash for the 2019 season, but it moves up to approx. $32.648 million and $45.448 million in 2020 and 2021, respectively.
2. Julio Jones - 3 Years/$66 Million
Jones has been the NFL's best wide receiver of the 2010s by far, and it's hard to argue against that notion. The six-time Pro Bowler has the perfect combination of size, speed, athleticism, physicality and hands.
The 30-year-old is on his way to a seventh 1,000-yard season. So it's no wonder that he's the NFL's second-highest paid wide receiver, as Jones is set to take home $26.5 million for 2019.
Ahead of the 2019 season, Jones inked a three-year extension worth $66 million, but you can argue that he's still being underpaid. Even if he retired today, Jones would be a lock for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
1. Brandin Cooks - 5 Years/$81 Million
Cooks was quietly one of the NFL's most productive receivers from 2015 to '18, recording 65-plus receptions and over 1,000 yards in each. Cooks even reached consecutive Super Bowls - with the New England Patriots in 2017 and with the Los Angeles Rams last year.
The Patriots traded Cooks to the Rams in the 2018 offseason, and he inked a five-year extension worth $81 million soon after. Cooks will take home $27.459 million for 2019, which is tops among all wide receivers -- and eighth-most among all NFL players.
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