Ranging from annual payouts of $35.25 million to $14.8 million in 2015, the list of the 20 highest-paid players in the NFL may be a bit eye-opening.
From a two-time Super Bowl champ at the top of the list to a defensive end playing under the franchise tag, here are the highest-paid players in the NFL for the 2015 season.
We will provide 10 brief observations below the table.
Here are 10 observations to point out from this list.
Courtesy of USA Today Sports: Cam Newton got paid.
1. Eight of the 20 players listed are quarterbacks. Note that one of the top quarterbacks in league history, Peyton Manning, sits 18th on this list. Meanwhile, Cam Newton’s new contract pushes him up to No. 2 overall.
2. Two Standout quarterbacks are missing from this list. Aaron Rodgers is the 48th highest-paid player in the NFL at $11.6 million in 2015. Meanwhile, Tom Brady drops completely out of the top 100 with $8 million. He will also be docked $2 million in pay should the NFL not overturn his suspension stemming from Deflategate. That’s kinda crazy.
3. LeSean McCoy, who was abruptly traded to the Buffalo Bills, is the only running back on this list. He will earn a killer paycheck in 2015. While McCoy still remains somewhat disgruntled about the trade, he should just be happy the Bills were willing to take on that contract in today’s NFL.
4. Of the two rookies on this list, one will not be suiting up in 2015. Jacksonville Jaguars pass rusher Dante Fowler Jr. tore his ACL at the start of rookie minicamp. Jacksonville showed its faith in Fowler Jr. by signing him to a pretty sweet deal following the injury.
5. The other rookie on this list, Oakland Raiders wide receiver Amari Cooper, earned a $14.7 million signing bonus with $22.7 million guaranteed. Must be nice.
Courtesy of USA Today Sports: Ndamukong Suh has about 26.5 million reasons to be smiling this year.
6. It is no surprise to find Ndamukong Suh and J.J. Watt as the two highest-paid defensive players in 2015. Combined, they are set to earn over $45 million in cold-hard cash.
7. Chicago Bears tight end Martellus Bennett, who has been a hold out during his team’s OTAs and reportedly wants a new contract, is slated to earn $4.9 million this year. For comparison’s sake, Julius Thomas will make $15.1 million on the first year of his deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars. For what it’s worth, Bennett led all NFL tight ends with 90 receptions on 125 targets in 2014.
8. Speaking of the Bears, Jay Cutler will be the fourth highest-paid quarterback this season. This despite the fact that he’s thrown 44 interceptions over the course of his last 40 starts.
9. Randall Cobb played quite the game of chicken when it came to his contract this offseason by entertaining offers from other teams. Ultimately, he got his way and will be the highest-paid member of the Green Bay Packers in 2015. Persistence paid off in his case.
10. Jason Pierre-Paul will be collecting franchise-tag pay this season. Imagine his salary when he does finally ink a contract extension.
This list obviously presents some surprises. While certain players deserve to be among the highest-paid, others shouldn’t come close to scratching this list.
Lastly, there are certain guys who need to receive raises in the not-so-distant future. Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, who will finally crack the $1 million mark in 2015, is one of these guys. So is Indianapolis Colts signal caller Andrew Luck.
Keep in mind, these contracts are based on cash each player will earn in 2015. That could be due to a combination of roster and signing bonuses. They are not the cap hits each player will count against this year.
All contracts provided by Spotrac.com
Photo: USA Today Sports