Packer Central

Zach Tom, Rasheed Walker Get Big Checks from Performance-Based Pay

From Jonathan Owens to Caleb Jones, every member of the Green Bay Packers who played at least one snap in 2023 will benefit from the NFL’s Performance-Based Pay program.

Bill Huber

Former Packers safety Jonathan Owens (34)
Former Packers safety Jonathan Owens (34) / Mike De Sisti / Milwaukee Journal
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GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers’ offensive linemen were among the greatest beneficiaries of the NFL’s Performance-Based Pay program, which the NFL announced on Monday would distribute $393.8 million to every player who participated in at least one snap in 2023.

For the Packers, a total of 67 players split the team allotment of about $12.3 million. Safety Jonathan Owens, who signed with the Bears in free agency, earned a team-high $671,433. Starting offensive linemen Zach Tom, Rasheed Walker and Josh Myers earned more than a half-million dollars apiece.

As explained by the NFLPA, the Performance-Based Pay program is “used as a supplemental form of player compensation based upon a comparison of playing time to salary. Players become eligible to receive a bonus distribution in any regular season in which they play at least one official down. In general, players with higher playtime percentages and lower salaries benefit most from the pool.” 

Here are the 20 largest beneficiaries for the Packers, according to a source with access to the details:

S Jonathan Ownes: $671,433

RT Zach Tom: $658,678

LT Rasheed Walker: $603,830

C Josh Myers: $588,856

CB Carrington Valentine: $518,888

WR Romeo Doubs: $491,770

DT TJ Slaton: $489,121

LB Isaiah McDuffie: $471,780

TE Tucker Kraft: $446,553

OLB Kingsley Enagbare: $408,342

CB Corey Ballentine: $380,094

DT Karl Brooks: $310,755

S Rudy Ford: $300,799

WR Dontayvion Wicks: $288,151

WR Jayden Reed: $280,836

G Jon Runyan: $278,167

LB Eric Wilson: $252,402

RB AJ Dillon: $239,276

S Anthony Johnson: $235,741

TE Josiah Deguara: $227,953

On the other end of the spectrum, offensive tackle Caleb Jones, who played one snap on special teams in 2023, earned $664.75. The next-smallest amounts went to left tackle David Bakhtiari ($1947.71), running back James Robinson ($2,103.70) and cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly ($2,640.83). None of those players remain on the roster.

Baltimore Ravens guard John Simpson earned a league-high $974,613 – nearly doubling the minimum salary he received in 2023. He was among 21 players who will pocket more than $750,000.

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Bill Huber
BILL HUBER

Bill Huber, who has covered the Green Bay Packers since 2008, is the publisher of Packers On SI, a Sports Illustrated channel. E-mail: packwriter2002@yahoo.com History: Huber took over Packer Central in August 2019. Twitter: https://twitter.com/BillHuberNFL Background: Huber graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he played on the football team, in 1995. He worked in newspapers in Reedsburg, Wisconsin Dells and Shawano before working at The Green Bay News-Chronicle and Green Bay Press-Gazette from 1998 through 2008. With The News-Chronicle, he won several awards for his commentaries and page design. In 2008, he took over as editor of Packer Report Magazine, which was founded by Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Nitschke, and PackerReport.com. In 2019, he took over the new Sports Illustrated site Packer Central, which he has grown into one of the largest sites in the Sports Illustrated Media Group.

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