Lions safety Kerby Joseph received nearly a $1 million bonus from the NFL based on his playing time and contract.
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph is currently on an extremely team-friendly rookie contract, but the NFLPA has a rule in place that helped him get paid a little bit closer to what he’s worth last season. Joseph earned just short of $1 million—$996,253—in bonuses thanks to a benefit called the “Performance-Based Pay Distribution.”
In short, this bonus is aimed to pay players who are on small contracts closer to what they’re worth based on how much they played in a season. Here’s a fuller explanation from the NFL:
Under the Performance-Based Pay program, a fund is created and 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.
In general, players on rookie contracts are the typical recipient of these bonuses, as their pay is oftentimes lower than the veteran minimum. If you’re a mid or late-round pick, those salaries are even lower.
Joseph’s bonus was the sixth-highest of all NFL players, trailing just Jets LB Jamien Sherwood ($1.09M), Colts CB Jaylon Jones ($1.06M), Panthers CB Michael Jackson ($1.04M), Ravens OT Daniel Faalele ($1.02M), and Bears OT Matt Pryor ($1.02M).
It makes sense for Joseph to earn such a high bonus, as his rookie contract included just a $1.14 million base salary last year. Joseph also started all 17 games for the Lions and finished the regular season with 1,084 snaps played—tied for sixth most among all NFL safeties.
This could be just the beginning of paydays for Joseph. He is entering the final year of his rookie deal and could be looking to score a huge extension this offseason. Having been the NFL’s interception leader in 2024, Joseph could demand top-market value at his position, which has been set by Antoine Winfield’s $21 million per year contract from last year.
Note: This bonus does not count against the Lions’ salary cap.