NFL agent cap 3%NBA agent cap 4%MLB agent cap 5%Top federal rate 2026 37%Bonus withholding over $1M 37%Texas state tax on wages 0%Florida state tax on wages 0%California top rate 13.3%NBA escrow 10% of each check held backNIL money 1099 income, add 15.3% self-employment taxAgent fees for team salary not deductible on your federal returnNFL players file taxes in about 10 to 14 states a year
2026 NFL draft

126

Kaleb Elarms-OrrLB

Buffalo Bills. 4-year deal worth $5,462,980.

Signing bonus

$1,082,960

Guaranteed

$1,082,960

Year one, paid

$1,967,960

Year one, kept

$985,043

KeepMyCheckPrivate

$5.46M deal. What he keeps.

$2,881,757

Kaleb Elarms-Orr2026

Whole contract, after taxes and the agent: 53% of the headline.

Where the money goes

Every 2026 NFL rookie earns the same $885,000 base salary in year one, paid in 18 weekly game checks. After taxes that is about $27,358 a week, during the season only. The real money for a pick like this is the $1,082,960 signing bonus, which lands as one lump sum.

Bonus checks are withheld at a flat 22% federal on the first $1 million and 37% above that, plus Medicare and state tax. Many states tax a signing bonus only where the player lives, which is why where a rookie lives the day it is paid can matter.

These figures assume he lives in New York, files single, and pays a standard agent fee. Change any of that in the calculator to see your own version.

Quick answers

How much is Kaleb Elarms-Orr's rookie contract?+

Kaleb Elarms-Orr, pick 126 in the 2026 NFL draft, signed a 4-year contract worth $5,462,980 with the Buffalo Bills, including a $1,082,960 signing bonus.

How much does Kaleb Elarms-Orr take home after taxes?+

About $985,043 of the $1,967,960 paid in the first year, and about $2,881,757 of the full $5,462,980 contract, living in New York and paying a standard agent fee. Estimates for education.

Contract figures from Spotrac, Over The Cap, and Hoops Rumors (2026). Take-home is a KeepMyCheck estimate using 2026 tax rules. Not affiliated with the player, team, or league. Education only.