In the National Football League, it pays to be a quarterback. Of the top ten quarterbacks in league history, all ten were signed by passers
But it also pays to be someone that can either catch passes from those quarterbacks, or chase them down in the pocket.
A season ago Justin Jefferson put pen to paper on a massive contract extension that made him the highest paid non-QB in league history. Then CeeDee Lamb signed a contract extension that put him second on that list. But this off-season a pair of pass rushers have stolen that crown from Jefferson. First came Maxx Crosby, whose contract extension with the Las Vegas Raiders carried an Average Per Year (APY) of $35,500,000.
Crosby was atop that non-QB list for a few days.
Enter Myles Garrett. After requesting a trade from the Cleveland Browns, Garrett agreed to a massive contract extension from the team that averages $40 million per season, and includes $123.5 million in guaranteed money.
That now makes Garrett the highest-paid non-QB in NFL history.
Here is where Garrett’s and Crosby’s deals stack up, along with the other massive non-QB contracts in the NFL today.
Contract data is provided by OverTheCap.com, and listed in terms of APY:
Highest Paid Non Quarterbacks in NFL for 2025
| Player | Position | Team | APY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Position | Team | APY |
| Myles Garrett | EDGE | Browns | $40,000,000 |
| Maxx Crosby | EDGE | Raiders | $35,500,000 |
| Justin Jefferson | WR | Vikings | $35,000,000 |
| CeeDee Lamb | WR | Cowboys | $34,000,000 |
| Nick Bosa | EDGE | 49ers | $34,000,000 |
| A.J. Brown | WR | Eagles | $32,000,000 |
| Chris Jones | DL | Chiefs | $31,750,000 |
| Amon-Ra St. Brown | WR | Lions | $30,002,500 |
| Tyreek Hill | WR | Dolphins | $30,000,000 |
| Brandon Aiyuk | WR | 49ers | $30,000,000 |
| Jaylen Waddle | WR | Dolphins | $28,250,000 |
| Josh Hines-Allen | EDGE | Jaguars | $28,250,000 |
| Brian Burns | EDGE | Giants | $28,200,000 |
| Tristan Wirfs | RT | Buccaneers | $28,125,000 |
| T.J. Watt | EDGE | Steelers | $28,002,750 |
| Penei Sewell | RT | Lions | $28,000,000 |
| Davante Adams | WR | Raiders | $28,000,000 |
| Trent Williams | LT | 49ers | $27,553,333 |
| Christian Wilkins | DL | Raiders | $27,500,000 |
| D.J. Moore | WR | Bears | $27,500,000 |
| Cooper Kupp | WR | Rams | $26,700,000 |
| Tee Higgins | WR | Bengals | $26,179,200 |
| Christian Darrisaw | LT | Vikings | $26,000,000 |
| Laremy Tunsil | LT | Texans | $25,000,000 |
| DeVonta Smith | WR | Eagles | $25,000,000 |
| Montez Sweat | EDGE | Bears | $24,500,000 |
| Danielle Hunter | EDGE | Texans | $24,500,000 |
| Nnamdi Madubuike | DL | Ravens | $24,500,000 |
| Alim McNeill | DL | Lions | $24,250,000 |
| Nico Collins | WR | Texans | $24,250,000 |
