AJ McCarron Contract Overview
AJ McCarron is a professional NFL quarterback whose contract history spans multiple teams and leagues. His most recent public deal was a one-year agreement with the Buffalo Bills signed ahead of the 2023 season, with a base salary of $1.08 million and a total contract value of $1.1 million, including a $100,000 signing bonus. Prior to that, he signed a one-year, $1.08 million contract with the Houston Texans in 2022. His career earnings across the NFL and the USFL are estimated to be over $15 million, with the majority coming from his time with the Cincinnati Bengals and the Las Vegas Raiders. McCarron's current contract status is active with the Bills, and he remains a backup quarterback on the roster. For the latest official team transactions, refer to the Buffalo Bills roster page on https://www.buffalobills.com.
The structure of McCarron's recent contracts follows the standard NFL rookie and veteran minimum salary tiers. His 2023 Bills contract included a base salary of $1.08 million, a signing bonus of $100,000, and a total guarantee of $100,000, with no major performance incentives. The cap hit for the 2023 season was approximately $1.08 million, and the dead cap value in the event of a release was also around $100,000. His previous deals with the Raiders and the Texans followed similar low-risk, low-reward structures typical of veteran backup quarterbacks. McCarron's contract history reflects a career built on short-term, incentive-light deals, which is common for quarterbacks competing for backup roles. The NFL salary cap and veteran minimum rules are detailed on the official NFL salary cap page at https://www.nfl.com.
Career Earnings and Team History
AJ McCarron's career earnings are closely tied to his contract timeline and the teams he has played for. His largest guaranteed payout came from his initial rookie contract with the Cincinnati Bengals, where he was drafted 25th overall in the 2014 NFL Draft. The exact total value of that rookie deal is not publicly broken down in full detail, but his base salary for the 2014 season was $585,000, and it increased incrementally each year under the rookie wage scale. After being traded to the Oakland Raiders, he signed a two-year extension in 2017 that was reportedly worth around $10 million over two years, with a significant portion tied to roster bonuses. His subsequent stints with the Bills, Texans, and the USFL's Birmingham Stallions involved much smaller contracts, typically at or near the league minimum. For a full breakdown of NFL rookie contracts and salary progression, the site https://www.overthecap.com provides detailed data.
McCarron's team history includes the Cincinnati Bengals, Oakland Raiders, Buffalo Bills, Houston Texans, and the Birmingham Stallions of the USFL. He played for the Stallions during the 2022 and 2023 USFL seasons, where his contract details were not publicly disclosed in full, but USFL player salaries are generally reported to be in the range of $50,000 to $100,000 per season for most players. His time with the Bills and Texans was marked by a backup role, and his contracts reflected that status with minimal guaranteed money. The USFL and its successor, the United Football League, have their own salary structures that differ significantly from the NFL. The official USFL team pages and transaction logs can be found at https://www.theusfl.com.
Current Status and Contract Outlook
As of the latest available public information, AJ McCarron is under contract with the Buffalo Bills for