Miami's top three receivers this year are averaging $14.77 million when their contracts are added together.
The Dolphins last week rewarded slot receiver Davone Bess with a three-year contract extension that begins next year and pays him an average of $3.01 million in base salaries and likely to be earned bonuses through 2013.
Bess' extension gives the Dolphins two receivers in the NFL's top 37 highest-paid, according to NFL Players Association data.
Brandon Marshall is at the top of the NFL pay scale. The Dolphins gave him the league's richest average salary when they signed him to an offseason extension. Marshall is averaging $11.19 million through 2014.
Second-year pro Brian Hartline is averaging $563,744.
Two years ago, the Dolphins top three targets were within two receptions of each other on the final stat sheet. Ted Ginn was averaging $2.65 million, Greg Camarillo $1.92 million and Bess $470,000 as an undrafted rookie.
Bess certainly has outplayed his status as a league-minimum guy and now ranks 37th in average salary. He's among the highest-paid slot receivers, behind Wes Welker ($4.21 million), Justin Gage ($3.5 million) and Roscoe Parrish ($3.34 million). Of course, the term "slot receiver" is dependent on the formation more than the player.
In addition to his usual $470,000 base salary for this season, Bess received a $3 million signing bonus. His base salaries for coming years will be $1.01 million, $2.23 million and $2.63 million.
Bess grabbed a team-high 76 receptions last year for 758 yards and two touchdowns. Bess has 26 catches for 282 yards and two touchdowns through
five games this season, putting him on pace for 83 catches, 902 yards and six touchdowns.
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