Amon-Ra St. Brown Earned Large Performance-Based Bonus

Lions players cash in with performance-based pay.

Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown had an exceptional 2023 season.

In his third professional campaign, the wideout caught 119 passes for 1,515 yards and 10 touchdowns. For his efforts, he was a first-team All-Pro selection and a Pro Bowler.

Additionally, he cashed in nicely as a result. As part of the NFL's performance-based pay program, which is a fund generated and distributed to the 32 teams to split amongst their roster. Each team gets $12.3 million to spread across their respective rosters.

The bonus size is determined based on a mathematical formula that takes into account a players performance and playing time weighted with their current salary.

St. Brown was the highest earner for the Lions following the 2023 campaign. After making $940,000 in base salary last year, he earned $700,473 in performance-based pay for his showing in 2023.

In addition to this, St. Brown and the Lions have been working on a hefty extension that will keep him with the organization for the future.

Elsewhere on the Lions' roster, a total of 74 players received performance-based pay in 2023. None of the players cracked the top-25 of players across the entire league in earnings. The highest earner in the league was New York Jets lineman John Simpson, who brought in $974,613.

St. Brown earned the most, while cornerback Emmanuel Moseley received the smallest check at $464.20 after he was limited to just one game last year with a knee injury.

Other beneficiaries of the program for the Lions included safety Kerby Joseph, who paced the team with four interceptions. The second-year safety has recorded four picks in each of his NFL seasons.

Rookie tight end Sam LaPorta, who set the NFL record for receptions by a rookie tight end, also received a check worth $438,311 after earning Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors.

Other players who ranked among the highest-paid players by the performance-based pay program include linebacker Derrick Barnes, defensive tackle Alim McNeill, safety Ifeatu Melifonwu and defensive back Brian Branch.

Here is a list of the 10 players who received the most performance-based pay in 2023.

1.) St. Brown -- $700,473

2.) Joseph -- $680,845

3.) Jerry Jacobs -- $647,873

4.) Benito Jones -- $558,685

5.) Derrick Barnes -- $543,931

6.) Brock Wright -- $484,491

7.) Sam LaPorta -- $438,311

8.) Brian Branch -- $395,363

9.) Alim McNeill -- $393,610

10.) Ifeatu Melifonwu -- $387,508