Atlanta Falcons guard Chris Lindstrom (63) points after a penalty call against the Arizona Cardinals. Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Falcons make Chris Lindstrom highest-paid guard in NFL

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated Mar 13, 2023 12:23 PM ET

No guard in the NFL had ever signed a $100 million contract.

That changed on Monday when the Atlanta Falcons agreed to terms with guard Chris Lindstrom on a five-year, $105 million contract, making the 26-year-old the highest-paid guard in the NFL.

SI.com’s Albert Breer reported the deal includes $63 million in guaranteed money.

Set to earn just $13.202 million in 2023 on his fifth-year option, Lindstrom now has a $21 million per year salary that surpasses the $20 million per year the Indianapolis Colts gave Quenton Nelson last year.

Lindstrom and Nelson are the only two offensive linemen in the NFL who are non-left tackles to make $20 million or more per year.

Falcons are signing Chris Lindstrom to a five-year, $105M extension, per @AdamSchefter

Lindstrom was the highest-graded player from the 2022 season (95.0) pic.twitter.com/v9oIl7zpW3
— PFF (@PFF) March 13, 2023

The 14th overall pick in the 2019 draft, Lindstrom hasn’t missed a game over the last three seasons, and he was the only guard to not allow a single sack in 2021.

Lindstrom had a breakout year in 2022, allowing just nine pressures, two sacks and one QB hit on 1,047 offensive snaps while blocking for the third-best rushing attack in the NFL (159.9 yards per game).

He made his Pro Bowl, was named a Second-Team All-Pro and Pro Football Focus ranked him as the top run-blocking offensive lineman in the NFL regardless of position.

Michael Gallagher

Michael Gallagher is a longtime sports journalist based out of Nashville with a decade of experience covering college football, mixed martial arts and prep sports plus the NFL and NHL — specifically the Tennessee Titans and Nashville Predators. He’s covered several notable sporting events including an AFC Championship game, a Stanley Cup Final, an NHL All-Star Game and an NHL Stadium Series. Some of his past bylines can be found at the Nashville Scene, SB Nation, The Hockey News and Fox Sports Knoxville

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