Who Is The Highest Paid Defensive Player In The NFL?

Who is the highest paid defensive player in the NFL? Check out our list of the top 10 highest-paid defensive players in the NFL.

Calais Campbell, Jacksonville Jaguars

Calais Campbell is currently the highest paid defensive player in the NFL, with an annual salary of $17 million. The Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end signed a four-year, $60 million contract extension in 2017, which included a $30 million signing bonus. Campbell has been an excellent addition to the Jaguars defense, registering a career-high 14.5 sacks in 2017.

DeForest Buckner, San Francisco 49ers

It’s official. DeForest Buckner is the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history. The San Francisco 49ers on Tuesday finalized a five-year contract extension with their star defensive tackle that included a record $21 million signing bonus and $70 million in guaranteed money, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The deal makes Buckner the first non-QB to average $20 million per year and resets the market for defensive players, which had been stagnant since Von Miller signed a six-year, $114.5 million contract with the Denver Broncos in 2016.

Buckner’s extension comes on the heels of a breakout season in which he recorded career highs in sacks (12) and tackles for loss (17) while anchoring one of the best defenses in the NFL. The 49ers finished second in the league in points allowed (17.7 per game) and DVOA (defense-adjusted value over average), and they advanced to the Super Bowl before losing to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Buckner’s pay raise comes at a time when many NFL teams are tightening their belts due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has caused widespread financial uncertainty. But with Buckner set to enter the final year of his rookie contract, the 49ers saw him as a key piece of their long-term future and were determined to keep him off the free-agent market next offseason.

Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams

The Los Angeles Rams’ Aaron Donald is the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL, with an annual salary of $20.0 million. Donald, a defensive tackle, was the 2017 NFL Defensive Player of the Year and has been selected to five Pro Bowls. He is a four-time first-team All-Pro.

Fletcher Cox, Philadelphia Eagles

Fletcher Cox is currently the highest paid defensive player in the NFL, with an annual salary of $17 million. Cox has been with the Eagles since 2012, and has been a Pro Bowl selection in each of the last four seasons.

Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns

Myles Garrett, defensive end for the Cleveland Browns, is the highest paid defensive player in the NFL. Garrett signed a five-year, $125 million contract extension with the Browns in 2019, which made him the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history at the time. Garrett’s annual average salary of $25 million per year is nearly double that of the second highest-paid defensive player, Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald.