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Tyler Lauletta
2021-06-02T15:24:06Z
- NFL salaries will only continue to grow.
- We usedSpotracto determine the highest-paid player on every team.
- While you might think quarterbacks would dominate the list, plenty of defensive players also count themselves among the highest-paid in the league.
- Take a look below as we go division-by-division and examine each NFL team's highest-paid player, based on average annual salary.
Buffalo Bills: Tre’Davious White —$17.25 million
Position: CB
Age: 26
Contract: Four years, $69 million
Pro Bowls: 2
One thing to know: Selected in the first round of the 2017 draft out of LSU, Tre'Davious White has quickly developed into one of the top defensive players in football, earning first-team All-Pro honors in 2019 and second-team in 2020. His current deal keeps him in Buffalo through 2026 as the Bills chase their Super Bowl window.
Miami Dolphins: Byron Jones —$16.5 million
Position: CB
Age: 28
Contract: Five years, $82.5 million
Pro Bowls: 1
One thing to know: When he signed his new contract with the Miami Dolphins in the 2020 offseason, Jones became the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL. He should be a leader of the Miami defense for years to come.
New England Patriots: Matt Judon — $13.625 million
Position: Edge
Age: 28
Contract: Four years, $54.5 million
Pro Bowls: 2
One thing to know: Judon signed with the Patriots in the 2021 offseason after five years with the Baltimore Ravens. With New England still rebuilding after the departure of quarterback Tom Brady last year, they are one of the few teams on this list not paying at least one player $15 million in average annual salary for the coming season.
New York Jets: C.J. Mosley —$17 million
Position: LB
Age: 28
Contract: Five years, $85 million
Pro Bowls: 4
One thing to know: Mosley is now in his third year with the Jets but has only started two games for the team after suffering an injury early in 2019 and then deciding to opt out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Cameron Heyward —$16.4 million
Position: DE
Age: 32
Contract: Four years, $65.6 million
Pro Bowls: 4
One thing to know: A Pittsburgh native, Heyward is now heading into his 11th NFL season with his hometown team. He's been named as a first-team All-Pro in two of the past four seasons.
Baltimore Ravens: Ronnie Stanley —$19.75 million
Position: OT
Age: 27
Contract: Five years, $98.75 million
Pro Bowls: 1
One thing to know: Stanley signed his massive contract extension in October of 2020 to become the highest-paid offensive lineman in the league. Just days later, he had to be carted off the field with a season-ending injury.
Cleveland Browns: Myles Garrett —$25 million
Position: DE
Age: 25
Contract: Five years, $125 million
Pro Bowls: 2
One thing to know: The first pick of the 2017 draft has lived up to the hype, averaging nearly 12 sacks a season over the past three years. He's the anchor of a Browns defense that's looking to make some noise this coming season.
Cincinnati Bengals: Trey Hendrickson — $15 million
Position: DE
Age: 26
Contract: Four years, $60 million
Pro Bowls: 0
One thing to know: Hendrickson signed with the Bengals in the 2021 offseason, coming off of an impressive year with the Saints. With New Orleans in 2020, Hendrickson recorded five sacks on the quarterbacks that would meet in the Super Bowl, three against Tom Brady and two against Patrick Mahomes.
Tennessee Titans: Ryan Tannehill — $29.5 million
Position: QB
Age: 32
Contract: Four years, $118 million
Pro Bowls: 1
One thing to know: Ryan Tannehill took over the Titans' starting job in the middle of the 2019 season and has since helped Tennessee become contenders in an AFC already crowded with talent. He's thrown 61 touchdowns to just 15 interceptions in his two years with the Titans.
Indianapolis Colts: Carson Wentz — $32 million
Position: QB
Age: 28
Contract: Four years, $128 million
Pro Bowls: 1
One thing to know: Wentz signed his massive contract extension while still a member of the Philadelphia Eagles, but after a disappointing 2020 season, the team decided to move on, trading him away to Indianapolis. With the Colts, Wentz is reunited with Frank Reich, the offensive coordinator during Wentz's best seasons in Philadelphia, before taking the head coaching job in Indianapolis.
Houston Texans: Deshaun Watson —$39 million
Position: QB
Age: 25
Contract: Four years, $156 million
Pro Bowls: 3
One thing to know: Deshaun Watson is currently facing 22 civil lawsuits alleging sexual assault and harassment. It is unclear if he will play in the coming season.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Myles Jack —$14.25 million
Position: OLB
Age: 25
Contract: Four years, $57 million
Pro Bowls: 0
One thing to know: Myles Jack was a key piece of the "Sacksonville" defense the Jaguars had in 2017 that nearly made the Super Bowl. While the team has fallen off quite a way since then, Jack remains at the core of the team's defense.
Kansas City Chiefs: Patrick Mahomes —$45 million
Position: QB
Age: 25
Contract: 10 years, $450 million
Pro Bowls: 3
One thing to know: Patrick Mahomes' contract extension was the richest in American sports history, and he's proven to be worth every penny. Paying half a billion dollars to a single player sounds bold, but there isn't a team in the NFL that wouldn't have done the same if it meant securing Mahomes.
Las Vegas Raiders: Derek Carr —$25 million
Position: QB
Age: 30
Contract: Five years, $125 million
Pro Bowls: 3
One thing to know: Derek Carr is coming off of what was possibly his best season with the Raiders, throwing for a career-high 4,103 yards and 27 touchdowns to nine interceptions.
Los Angeles Chargers: Joey Bosa —$27 million
Position: DE
Age: 25
Contract: Five years, $135 million
Pro Bowls: 3
One thing to know: Joey Bosa is one of the most impactful defensive players in all of football. The one-person wrecking crew has recorded 47.5 sacks in 63 games played for the Chargers.
Denver Broncos: Von Miller —$19 million
Position: Edge
Age: 32
Contract: Six years, $114.1 million
Pro Bowls: 8
One thing to know: Miller is now heading into the final year of a six-year, $114.1 million contract extension he signed with the Broncos back in 2016. Miller will be 33 heading into the 2022 season and could either stay with the Broncos or look to finish his career with a new team.
Washington Football Team: Brandon Scherff —$18 million
Position: G
Age: 29
Contract: One year, $18 million
Pro Bowls: 4
One thing to know: Brandon Scherff looks set to play on the franchise tag with Washington for the second straight season. Chances are he'll hit the market in 2022, and with another good season, he could be in for a great payday.
New York Giants: Leonard Williams —$21 million
Position: DE
Age: 26
Contract: Three years, $63 million
Pro Bowls: 1
One thing to know: Leonard Williams was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week twice in the 2020 season and finished the year with 11.5 sacks, good for seventh in the NFL.
Dallas Cowboys: Dak Prescott — $40 million
Position: QB
Age: 27
Contract: Four years, $160 million
Pro Bowls: 2
One thing to know: Dak Prescott's contract was one of the biggest questions heading into the 2021 season. Prescott was due to be paid, but coming off of a devastating knee injury, it was unclear if the Cowboys would back up the Brinks truck to reach an agreement. In the end, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones made good on the deal, signing Prescott to a massive $160 contract. Prescott is set to play his first game back from injury in the 2021 season opener against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Philadelphia Eagles: Lane Johnson —$18 million
Position: OT
Age: 31
Contract: Four years, $72 million
Pro Bowls: 3
One thing to know: Lane Johnson has been one of the anchors of the Philadelphia Eagles offensive line for the better part of a decade, including leading the unit alongside center Jason Kelce during the team's run to the Super Bowl in 2018.
Green Bay Packers: Aaron Rodgers —$33.5 million
Position: QB
Age: 37
Contract: Four years, $134 million
Pro Bowls: 9
One thing to know: Aaron Rodgers and his status with the Green Bay Packers remains one of the biggest question marks of the NFL offseason. Rodgers has reportedly said he wants out of Green Bay, but the team is hesitant to trade away the reigning league MVP.
Chicago Bears: Khalil Mack —$23.5 million
Position: Edge
Age: 30
Contract: Six years, $141 million
Pro Bowls: 6
One thing to know: Khalil Mack has been one of the most consistent defensive forces in the NFL for some time now, averaging more than 11 sacks per year over the past six seasons. Since trading a king's ransom to the Raiders in exchange for Mack, the Bears have gotten their money's worth.
Minnesota Vikings: Kirk Cousins — $33 million
Position: QB
Age: 32
Contract: Two years, $66 million
Pro Bowls: 2
One thing to know: Kirk Cousins has thrown for more than 4,000 yards in five of his past six seasons, including 4,265 yards with a career-high 35 touchdowns in 2020.
Detroit Lions: Jared Goff —$33.5 million
Position: QB
Age: 26
Contract: Four years, $134 million
Pro Bowls: 2
One thing to know: Jared Goff signed his monster extension with the Rams after leading Los Angeles to the Super Bowl in 2018, but after two disappointing seasons, the team shipped Goff off to Detroit in exchange for Matthew Stafford.
New Orleans Saints: Cameron Jordan — $17.5 million
Position: DE
Age: 31
Contract: Three years, $52.5 million
Pro Bowls: 6
One thing to know: Jordan is now entering his 11th season with the Saints and is one of the veteran leaders of the team's defense. He's averaged 12 sacks a season over the past four years for New Orleans.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Tom Brady —$25 million
Position: QB
Age: 43
Contract: Two years, $50 million
Pro Bowls: 14
One thing to know: Tom Brady only needed one season to bring a Super Bowl to Tampa Bay, proving it's impossible to overpay the greatest of all time. While Brady will be 44 by the time the 2021 season begins, there's a chance he still has one more contract extension left in him before he hangs up his cleats for good.
Carolina Panthers: Christian McCaffrey —$16 million
Position: RB
Age: 24
Contract: Four years, $64 million
Pro Bowls: 1
One thing to know: While teams across the league have become more hesitant to pay running backs in recent years, there are a few players at the top of their class that are worth the investment and Christian McCaffrey certainly fits the bill. McCaffrey is a threat as both a rusher and pass-catcher. In 2019, he finished the year with more than 1,000 yards, both rushing and receiving, and 19 total touchdowns.
Atlanta Falcons: Matt Ryan —$30 million
Position: QB
Age: 36
Contract: Five years, $150 million
Pro Bowls: 4
One thing to know: Matt Ryan has now spent more than a decade with the Atlanta Falcons, throwing for roughly 4,500 yards and 28 touchdowns a season. While it's now been three years since the Falcons had a winning record, Ryan's arm hasn't fallen off just yet.
Seattle Seahawks: Russell Wilson —$35 million
Position: QB
Age: 32
Contract: Four years, $140 million
Pro Bowls: 8
One thing to know: Since winning the starting job as a rookie in Seattle in 2012, Russell Wilson and the Seahawks have never suffered a losing season. Wilson has always been one of the best passers in the league, but in 2020 he unlocked a new level of his game, throwing for a career-high 40 touchdowns.
Los Angeles Rams: Matthew Stafford —$27 million
Position: QB
Age: 33
Contract: Five years, $135 million
Pro Bowls: 1
One thing to know: In 12 seasons with the Detroit Lions, Matthew Stafford led the team to double-digit wins just twice, despite being one of the most prolific passers in the league for much of his career. Stafford will get a new start this year in Los Angeles with the Rams and their plethora of offensive weapons.
Arizona Cardinals: DeAndre Hopkins —$27.25 million
Position: WR
Age: 28
Contract: Two years, $54.5 million
Pro Bowls: 5
One thing to know: DeAndre Hopkins joined the Cardinals last year in one of the most baffling moves of recent NFL history, with the Houston Texans all but giving Hopkins away rather than pay the perennial All-Pro. Hopkins paid off immediately for Arizona, bringing in 115 receptions for 1,407 yards and six touchdowns in his first season with the Cardinals.
San Francisco 49ers: Jimmy Garoppolo — $27.5 million
Position: QB
Age: 29
Contract: Five years, $137.5 million
Pro Bowls: 0
One thing to know: Jimmy Garoppolo has struggled to stay on the field since signing his big extension with the 49ers. Now that San Francisco has drafted his eventual successor in Trey Lance, it's unclear how tight Garoppolo's grasp on the starting job is heading into 2021.
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