Cardinals Star Paris Johnson Jr. Sets the Record Straight on $40 Million Quote

ARIZONA — Contracts are all the talk in the desert as the Arizona Cardinals gear up for their 2026 iteration of training camp.

Jacoby Brissett's unresolved contract demands continue to dominate headlines while faces such as Paris Johnson Jr. and Michael Wilson are set for potential extensions this season.

Johnson, the team's No. 6 overall pick back in 2023, has transformed into an anchor for Arizona's offensive line with plenty of potential left to fulfill, too. Arguments could be made for a Pro Bowl selection in either of his last two seasons before injuries derailed both campaigns.

Johnson was adamant contract talks were the last thing on his mind approaching camp, telling reporters things would play out as they should with no stress or worries on reaching a new deal. The Cardinals did pick his fifth-year option up, so he's under contract in Arizona through the 2027 season.

Yet there's been a quote floating around on Johnson requesting $40 million per season for a new deal. That original quote dates back to the 2025 regular season and isn't new, though with so much conversation brought back to light, Johnson hopped on PHNX Cardinals and cleared the air:

"Yeah, so I saw those comments like everybody else. They hit my Instagram, popped up on my Twitter, and I was like, 'OK.'" said Johnson.

"But it’s a great opportunity to speak on it because it got a lot of traction. Of course, I believe in myself. I believe I’m one of the best, and I believe I have to prove that each and every year. I also believe my best football is ahead of me. I’m still growing, still training and still learning things, which is exciting. But when I started speaking on that, the question was more about how you would grade an elite tackle and how you start to measure yourself as an elite tackle.

"My answer was exactly this: When I watch tape, when I go to practice and when I play in a game, my mindset is to be the $40 million man. When I watch my tape, I ask myself, 'Would you pay this guy $40 million?' That’s how I watch my tape. That’s how I go out to practice. That’s how I play.

"Because the guy I’m lining up against, if he’s worth something, he’s worth at least $35 million to $50 million. Now, the tackle market isn’t there. The tackle market usually goes up by about $1 million over the next guy, and that’s just what it is. The d-linemen are not going for that. That’s another conversation. But my mindset is that elite guys who are rushing the quarterback — that’s what the market is for them. And I believe it takes an equivalent-level player to shut that guy down."

Currently, Leramy Tunsil's $30.1 million annual average salary leads all NFL tackles. Spotrac has Johnson's projected value closer to $23.5 million per season.

The NFL consistently is a league where players top other market-setting contracts. Johnson is very unlikely to completely reset the tackle market, though there is some urgency from Arizona general manager Monti Ossenfort to strike a deal with Johnson sooner as opposed to later.

The longer teams wait, the more expensive contracts become thanks to the salary cap shooting up every season with top players gaining newer — and more expensive — deals. What looks like an expensive contract now may actually lean more towards a team-friendly deal in the future.

The good news? Ossenfort has shown the ability to handle these situations well. The Cardinals have worked out deals with big names in Budda Baker, James Conner and Trey McBride previously. Johnson should be next in line.

"I’m not going out there thinking, 'pay me $28 million or $28.5 million.' No, that’s not it. When the guy I’m going against is making $48 million a year, I need to have a $48 million mindset for myself. I know that’s not what the market is, but that’s my mindset," Johnson continued.

"If the defensive end makes $100 million tomorrow, then I have to be the $100 million man to shut that guy down. That’s the mindset. We’re in the same league.

"That’s how I grade my tape. That’s how I watch my practice. It’s not, 'This rep is going to net me this much money.' It’s more, 'This is what it has to be when I show up.' And it’s going to keep updating, no matter what the market is. Mentally, it’s just going to keep updating in terms of how I grade my own film and what I pray about when I take that knee in the end zone before every game.

"That’s the mindset. It’s not me thinking about getting the money, per se. It’s about matching the top of the market for defensive ends. That’s the explosiveness, the fight and the mindset."

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