:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72227935/usa_today_20553097.0.jpg "NFL draft picks salary: How much money do 3rd rounders in 2023 draft make?")
The 2023 NFL Draft is headed into day two and we've got 71 picks to be made. After 31 picks were made Thursday night in round one, we'll see 32 picks in the second round and 39 picks in the third round. The third round will include seven compensation picks.
The second day of the draft provides a chance for teams to find some strong value at a cheaper price. At the same time, they do not get the fifth-year option they hold on first-round picks. That means picks after the first round have a chance to hit free agency a little sooner than first-round picks, depending on their performance and circumstances.
What will the salary be for second-round picks in the NFL Draft?
The NFL has a rookie wage scale for all draft picks. All players sign a four-year contract with a total value that decreases the further down the draft you go. They will receive a base salary for each of the four seasons and a signing bonus. They might have some additional bonus money, but the base salary and signing bonus are the two certainties in a rookie contract.
The CBA provides for a minimum rookie salary of $750,000 in 2023. Players can make more than that, bust most rookie contracts will include a 2023 salary of $750,000.
Contract reference site Over The Cap provides a rundown of rookie cap numbers for this year's class. The numbers might move a little, but this provides a solid framework to work from for determining how much each pick will make in 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026.
The first pick of the third round will sign a contract worth approximately $5.85 million and receive a signing bonus of approximately $1.26 million. The second pick of the round will receive a $5.83 million contract with a $1.245 million signing bonus. The numbers decrease each pick until the 39th pick where the player will receive a $5.366 million contract with a $903,220 signing bonus.
Salary escalators
Players drafted in the second through seventh rounds can earn something called a proven performance escalator (PPE). First-round picks and undrafted free agents cannot earn the PPE.
There are three levels of PPE and they are earned by playing a certain percentage of offensive or defensive snaps for a team over their first three seasons, and also by earning a Pro Bowl nod. If they earn a PPE, their fourth-year base salary will be increased. Over The Cap offers a complete breakdown of PPEs.