Cam Sutton's contract and salary journey, from draft day to the field
Cam Sutton’s contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers drew attention when he re-signed a one-year, $1.21 million deal in June 2024. Drafted in the third round of 2017, he became a key contributor in the secondary, and his earnings reflect his rise from rookie to veteran. Currently, Sutton is an unrestricted free agent.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Cam signed a four-year rookie deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers in June 2017, which was valued at about $3.2 million.
- In March 2021, he re-signed with the Steelers on a two-year, $9 million contract, including a $3.5 million signing bonus.
- Sutton joined the Detroit Lions in March 2023, signing a three-year, $33 million contract with $22.5 million guaranteed.
- On 21 March 2024, the Lions released Sutton amid off-field issues.
- On 5 June 2024, Sutton returned to the Steelers on a one-year, $1.21 million veteran-minimum contract without bonuses or guarantees.
Profile summary
| Full name | Cameron Amir Sutton |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of birth | 27 February 1995 |
| Age | 30 years old (as of 2025) |
| Zodiac sign | Pisces |
| Place of birth | Jonesboro, Georgia, United States |
| Current residence | Tampa, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | African-American |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Height in feet | 5'11" |
| Height in centimetres | 180 |
| Weight in pounds | 187 |
| Weight in kilograms | 85 |
| Hair colour | Black |
| Eye colour | Dark brown |
| Father | Dalton Sutton |
| Mother | Nedra Sutton |
| Relationship status | Single |
| Children | 2 |
| School | Jonesboro High School |
| Profession | Football player |
| @camsutton20 |
Exploring Cam Sutton's contract and salary journey
As of August 2025, Sutton is still an unsigned unrestricted free agent. Here’s a look at the progression of his contract timeline.
2017–2020: Pittsburgh Steelers (Rookie contract)
Cameron Sutton's financial journey in the NFL began with the Cameron Sutton draft in 2017, when the Pittsburgh Steelers selected him in the third round (94th overall). He signed a four-year rookie contract worth approximately $3.21 million, including a $736,128 signing bonus. His annual base salaries over the course of the contract were:
| Year | Base salary |
| 2017 | $465,000 |
| 2018 | $587,400 |
| 2019 | $677,400 |
| 2020 | $825,000 |
2021–2022: Pittsburgh Steelers contract extension
In March 2021, the NFL player re-signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers on a two-year, $9 million deal. The contract included a $3.5 million signing bonus and a $1 million base salary for the 2021 season.
It also featured a $700,000 signing bonus proration spread over five years, allowing the Steelers to retain Sutton while reducing the immediate salary cap impact.
March 2023: Detroit Lions' contract
Sutton's biggest payday arrived in March 2023, when the footballer secured a three-year, $33 million contract with the Detroit Lions. It featured a $22.5 million full guarantee and a $10.9 million signing bonus prorated over five years to lessen the immediate salary cap impact.
Source: Getty Images
In the first year, Sutton was set to earn $12 million, with $9 million of his $10.5 million 2024 salary becoming fully guaranteed upon signing.
21 March 2024: Suspended by the Lions
That peak didn't last. On 21 March 2024, the Lions suspended eight games due to off-field issues. They structured his release as a post-1 June cut, allowing the remaining $19.22 million in guaranteed money to be spread across the 2024 and 2025 salary caps.
As The Sun highlighted, fans were shocked that his $10.5 million 2024 salary was still fully guaranteed.
June–Dec 2024: Veteran-minimum Pittsburgh Steelers deal
After serving an eight-game suspension, Sutton returned to Pittsburgh on 5 June 2024. He signed a one-year veteran-minimum deal worth $1.21 million with no bonus or guarantees. NFL insider Aaron Wilson described it as a cap-friendly veteran salary benefit contract carrying a $985,000 cap figure.
Source: Getty Images
Cam's one-year, $1.21 million veteran-minimum contract with the NFL team ended with the conclusion of the 2024 NFL season. Following that, Sutton became an unrestricted free agent and has not signed with the Steelers or any other team.
How much does Cameron Sutton make?
According to Over the Cap, Sutton has earned approximately $24.84 million over his career, with $25.2 million guaranteed. His most significant cash earnings came in 2023 with $12 million from Detroit, and his highest cap charge was $5.2 million in 2022. Below is a season-by-season summary of his total earnings.
| Year | Team | Base salary | Prorated bonus | Guaranteed salary | Cap number | Cash paid |
| 2017 | Steelers | $465,000 | $184,032 | $0 | $573,326 | $1,125,422 |
| 2018 | Steelers | $587,400 | $184,032 | $0 | $771,432 | $587,400 |
| 2019 | Steelers | $677,400 | $184,032 | $0 | $861,432 | $677,400 |
| 2020 | Steelers | $825,000 | $184,032 | $0 | $1,009,032 | $825,000 |
| 2021 | Steelers | $1,000,000 | $700,000 | $0 | $1,700,000 | $4,500,000 |
| 2022 | Steelers | $4,500,000 | $700,000 | $0 | $5,200,000 | $4,500,000 |
| 2023 | Lions | $1,100,000 | $2,180,000 | $1,100,000 | $3,280,000 | $12,000,000 |
| 2024 | Steelers | $1,210,000 | $0 | $0 | $547,222 | $625,000 |
| Total | $10,364,800 | $4,316,128 | $1,100,000 | $13,942,444 | $24,840,222 |
FAQs
- Did Cameron Sutton lose $537,777 due to his suspension? According to NBC Sports, the NFL player lost $537,777 in 2024 salary due to his eight-game suspension.
- Is Cameron Sutton a free agent? As of August 2025, American athlete is an unrestricted free agent.
- Is Cameron Sutton back? He was officially reinstated to the Pittsburgh Steelers on 29 October 2024 and stayed with the team for the remainder of the 2024 regular season.
- How long is Cameron Sutton out? He served an eight-game suspension in the 2024 NFL season for violating the league's personal conduct policy.
- What is Cameron Sutton's net worth? According to Sportskeeda, the footballer's net worth is approximately $2 million.
Cam Sutton’s contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers ended in December 2024, making the cornerback an unrestricted free agent. As of August 2025, he remains available to sign with any NFL team.
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Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
