Rams’ Johnny Hekker now has the most guaranteed money ever for a punter

Johnny Hekker has been the NFL’s best punter for a while, and now he’s paid like it.

Johnny Hekker started his 2017 season the same way he finished his 2016 season, with some ridiculously good punting. The Los Angeles Rams were quick to award the punter for his efforts, announcing a two-year extension to his contract Monday that includes the most guaranteed money ever for the position.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the contract for Hekker is now a six-year deal worth $21 million and includes $10 million in guarantees.

Hekker, 27, has been the best punter in the NFL for a while now and earned First Team All-Pro honors in three of the last four seasons. Last year, he broke the record for punts downed inside the 20 with 51 of them and had just one go into the end zone for a touchback.

He’s so automatic at this point in his career that Hekker is even busting out trick shots to give opponents no shot at a return.

Kansas City Chiefs punter Dustin Colquitt signed a five-year, $18.75 million contract in 2013 with $8.9 million guaranteed, which was the record for the position for a while, but Hekker’s deal tops that mark.

The timing is a little curious for the Rams because it comes just two days after Aaron Donald ended a holdout and rejoined the team without getting the new contract extension he was looking for.

Hekker punted five times against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1 for an average of 43.6 yards and dropped all five inside the 20.