Chris Hogan Contract Overview and Current Status
Chris Hogan is a former NFL wide receiver whose most notable contract was a three-year deal with the New England Patriots signed in March 2016, reportedly worth up to $13 million with $6 million guaranteed, according to multiple reports from Forbes. The contract included a $3 million signing bonus and annual salaries of $3 million, $4 million, and $4 million for the 2016, 2017, and 2018 seasons respectively, with a cap hit that varied slightly based on bonus proration. Hogan became a restricted free agent after the 2017 season, and the Patriots did not tender him a qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent in March 2018.
After leaving New England, Hogan signed a one-year contract with the Buffalo Bills in April 2018, reportedly worth up to $4 million with a $1 million signing bonus, as first reported by ESPN. The deal included a base salary of $1.5 million and a $1.5 million roster bonus tied to making the 53-man roster, with additional incentives based on targets and receptions. Hogan appeared in 14 games for Buffalo in 2018, catching 23 passes for 281 yards and 1 touchdown, and became a free agent again in March 2019 without a new contract signed.
Chris Hogan Contract Earnings and Cap Impact
During his time with the New England Patriots, Chris Hogan's contract averaged approximately $4.3 million per year in cap space, with the exact cap hit for 2017 reported at around $4.5 million after prorated signing bonus charges, per Spotrac. The guaranteed money in his deal was structured around the signing bonus and a roster bonus in the second year, making him one of the higher-paid slot receivers on the Patriots roster during that period. Hogan's production in 2016 included 34 receptions for 480 yards and 4 touchdowns, which compared favorably to the contract value at the time.
In the Buffalo Bills contract, the base salary was $1.5 million with a $1 million roster bonus, and the cap hit was expected to be around $2.5 million in 2018, according to OverTheCap. Hogan's total earnings from the Bills deal were estimated at $2.5 million if he met all roster and performance incentives, with the base salary and roster bonus guaranteed. His combined earnings across the Patriots and Bills contracts totaled roughly $15.5 million in base and bonus money over four seasons, with additional performance incentives that were not fully guaranteed.
Chris Hogan Career Context and Contract Legacy
Chris Hogan entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2011 and spent his first five seasons with the New England Patriots, primarily as a depth receiver and special teams contributor. His breakout season came in 2016, when he recorded 34 receptions for 480 yards and 4 touchdowns, leading to the lucrative three-year extension that defined his peak earning years. Hogan also spent time with the Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers, and New York Jets in subsequent years, but did not secure a contract of similar financial scale after the Bills deal.
Chris Hogan's contract history reflects the typical trajectory of a late-round undrafted receiver who earned a significant payday through a single strong season. His Patriots deal remains the most prominent contract of his career, with the three-year structure and $13 million total value placing him among the higher-paid slot receivers of that era. Hogan