Derrick Henry, Aaron Donald and 48 More of the Highest-Paid NFL Players Who Aren’t Quarterbacks
Ask even the most casual observer of football who the most important player on the team is and you'll get the same answer: quarterback. However, ask them to rattle off the next one and you'll suddenly find wildly divergent opinions. A workhorse running back? A sure-handed receiver? A defensive end to get at the opponent's quarterback? Or a left tackle to protect your own?
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Aside from the quarterback, there's no consensus on which position is the most essential. The right player at the right position can make or break a game, but depending on the game, that can be just about any position.
There is, however, one way to get a good measure as to just how valuable a player is to his team. Player salaries in today's NFL are determined after hundreds of hours of careful scouting and statistical analysis, and those getting paid the biggest bucks are game-changers at a team's position of need.
To better illustrate this, GOBankingRates compiled the 50 highest-paid non-quarterbacks in the NFL. By perusing which positions pop up the most often, you can also get a better sense of the ones that matter the most to the people making decisions for NFL teams. Check out which non-quarterbacks are making the most.
Frank Clark
Team: Kansas City Chiefs
Position: Defensive end
2022 Cap Hit: $13,700,000
2022 Base Salary: $3,725,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $7,475,000
2022 Roster Bonus: $900,000
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: $1,600,000
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Quenton Nelson
Team: Indianapolis Colts
Position: Guard
2022 Cap Hit: $13,754,000
2022 Base Salary: N/A
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: N/A
2022 Roster Bonus: N/A
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: N/A
William Jackson
Team: Washington Commanders
Position: Cornerback
2022 Cap Hit: $13,812,500
2022 Base Salary: $5,000,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $3,000,000
2022 Roster Bonus: $5,562,500
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: $250,000
Bradley Chubb
Team: Denver Broncos
Position: Outside linebacker
2022 Cap Hit: $13,926,000
2022 Base Salary: $13,926,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: N/A
2022 Roster Bonus: N/A
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: N/A
Trent Williams
Team: San Francisco 49ers
Position: Left tackle
2022 Cap Hit: $13,987,647
2022 Base Salary: $7,250,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $6,020,000
2022 Roster Bonus: $617,647
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: $100,000
Mike Williams
Team: Los Angeles Chargers
Position: Wide receiver
2022 Cap Hit: $14,000,000
2022 Base Salary: $7,000,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $7,000,000
2022 Roster Bonus: N/A
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: N/A
DeMarcus Lawrence
Team: Dallas Cowboys
Position: Defensive end
2022 Cap Hit: $14,000,000
2022 Base Salary: $3,000,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $8,000,000
2022 Roster Bonus: N/A
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: $3,000,000
Trey Hendrickson
Team: Cincinnati Bengals
Position: Defensive end
2022 Cap Hit: $14,488,235
2022 Base Salary: $5,800,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $2,500,000
2022 Roster Bonus: $6,188,235
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: N/A
Romeo Okwara
Team: Detroit Lions
Position: Outside linebacker
2022 Cap Hit: $14,500,000
2022 Base Salary: $11,000,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $3,500,000
2022 Roster Bonus: N/A
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: N/A
Taylor Lewan
Team: Tennessee Titans
Position: Left tackle
2022 Cap Hit: $14,693,791
2022 Base Salary: $12,900,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $1,793,971
2022 Roster Bonus: N/A
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: N/A
Budda Baker
Team: Arizona Cardinals
Position: Safety
2022 Cap Hit: $14,775,000
2022 Base Salary: $11,000,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $2,000,000
2022 Roster Bonus: N/A
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: $1,775,000
Lavonte David
Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Position: Outside linebacker
2022 Cap Hit: $14,785,000
2022 Base Salary: $12,500,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $2,285,000
2022 Roster Bonus: N/A
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: N/A
Nelson Agholor
Team: New England Patriots
Position: Wide receiver
2022 Cap Hit: $14,882,345
2022 Base Salary: $9,000,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $5,000,000
2022 Roster Bonus: $882,345
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: N/A
Hunter Henry
Team: New England Patriots
Position: Tight end
2022 Cap Hit: $15,000,000
2022 Base Salary: $9,000,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $5,000,000
2022 Roster Bonus: $1,000,000
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: N/A
Derrick Henry
Team: Tennessee Titans
Position: Running back
2022 Cap Hit: $15,000,000
2022 Base Salary: $12,000,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $3,000,000
2022 Roster Bonus: N/A
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: N/A
Eddie Jackson
Team: Chicago Bears
Position: Safety
2022 Cap Hit: $15,090,000
2022 Base Salary: $11,000,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $2,400,000
2022 Roster Bonus: N/A
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: $1,690,000
Jake Matthews
Team: Atlanta Falcons
Position: Left tackle
2022 Cap Hit: $15,189,200
2022 Base Salary: $1,500,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $5,289,200
2022 Roster Bonus: N/A
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: $8,400,000
Carl Lawson
Team: New York Jets
Position: Defensive end
2022 Cap Hit: $15,333,333
2022 Base Salary: $15,000,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $333,333
2022 Roster Bonus: N/A
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: N/A
Marcus Peters
Team: Baltimore Ravens
Position: Cornerback
2022 Cap Hit: $15,500,000
2022 Base Salary: $10,000,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $2,000,000
2022 Roster Bonus: N/A
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: $3,500,000
Lane Johnson
Team: Philadelphia Eagles
Position: Right tackle
2022 Cap Hit: $15,763,000
2022 Base Salary: $7,000,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $600,000
2022 Roster Bonus: N/A
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: $8,163,000
J.J. Watt
Team: Arizona Cardinals
Position: Defensive end
2022 Cap Hit: $15,900,000
2022 Base Salary: $11,250,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $2,400,000
2022 Roster Bonus: $2,250,000
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: N/A
DeForest Buckner
Team: Indianapolis Colts
Position: Defensive tackle
2022 Cap Hit: $16,000,000
2022 Base Salary: $11,000,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: N/A
2022 Roster Bonus: $5,000,000
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: N/A
Tre'Davious White
Team: Buffalo Bills
Position: Cornerback
2022 Cap Hit: $16,403,755
2022 Base Salary: $9,950,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $2,100,000
2022 Roster Bonus: $661,755
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: $3,692,000
Shaquill Griffin
Team: Jacksonville Jaguars
Position: Cornerback
2022 Cap Hit: $16,441,176
2022 Base Salary: $11,500,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $4,000,000
2022 Roster Bonus: $441,176
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: $500,000
Matt Judon
Team: New England Patriots
Position: Outside linebacker
2022 Cap Hit: $16,500,000
2022 Base Salary: $11,000,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $4,500,000
2022 Roster Bonus: $1,000,000
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: N/A
Orlando Brown, Jr.
Team: Kansas City Chiefs
Position: Left tackle
2022 Cap Hit: $16,662,000
2022 Base Salary: $16,662,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: N/A
2022 Roster Bonus: N/A
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: N/A
Robert Quinn
Team: Chicago Bears
Position: Outside linebacker
2022 Cap Hit: $17,137,500
2022 Base Salary: $12,800,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $3,100,000
2022 Roster Bonus: $1,237,500
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: N/A
Cameron Heyward
Team: Pittsburgh Steelers
Position: Defensive tackle
2022 Cap Hit: $17,406,250
2022 Base Salary: $6,500,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $4,050,000
2022 Roster Bonus: $4,500,000
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: $2,356,250
C.J. Moseley
Team: New York Jets
Position: Inside linebacker
2022 Cap Hit: $17,500,000
2022 Base Salary: $16,000,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $1,500,000
2022 Roster Bonus: N/A
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: N/A
Tyron Smith
Team: Dallas Cowboys
Position: Left tackle
2022 Cap Hit: $17,505,000
2022 Base Salary: $13,500,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: N/A
2022 Roster Bonus: N/A
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: $4,005,000
Laremy Tunsil
Team: Houston Texans
Position: Left tackle
2022 Cap Hit: $17,707,988
2022 Base Salary: $1,035,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $3,250,000
2022 Roster Bonus: N/A
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: $13,422,988
Cooper Kupp
Team: Los Angeles Rams
Position: Wide receiver
2022 Cap Hit: $17,800,000
2022 Base Salary: $10,000,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $5,500,000
2022 Roster Bonus: N/A
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: $2,300,000
Javon Hargrave
Team: Philadelphia Eagles
Position: Defensive tackle
2022 Cap Hit: $17,802,000
2022 Base Salary: $12,750,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $2,450,000
2022 Roster Bonus: N/A
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: $2,602,000
DeAndre Hopkins
Team: Arizona Cardinals
Position: Wide receiver
2022 Cap Hit: $17,950,000
2022 Base Salary: $6,650,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $5,500,000
2022 Roster Bonus: N/A
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: $5,800,000
Ezekiel Elliott
Team: Dallas Cowboys
Position: Running back
2022 Cap Hit: $18,220,000
2022 Base Salary: $12,400,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $1,500,000
2022 Roster Bonus: N/A
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: $4,320,000
Donovan Smith
Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Position: Left tackle
2022 Cap Hit: $18,400,000
2022 Base Salary: $15,750,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $2,650,000
2022 Roster Bonus: N/A
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: N/A
Ronnie Stanley
Team: Baltimore Ravens
Position: Left tackle
2022 Cap Hit: $18,552,000
2022 Base Salary: $9,500,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $4,500,000
2022 Roster Bonus: N/A
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: $4,552,000
Justin Simmons
Team: Denver Broncos
Position: Free safety
2022 Cap Hit: $18,850,000
2022 Base Salary: $15,100,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $3,750,000
2022 Roster Bonus: N/A
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: N/A
Taylor Decker
Team: Detroit Lions
Position: Left tackle
2022 Cap Hit: $18,900,000
2022 Base Salary: $14,750,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $1,500,000
2022 Roster Bonus: N/A
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: $2,650,000
Keenan Allen
Team: Los Angeles Chargers
Position: Wide receiver
2022 Cap Hit: $19,200,000
2022 Base Salary: $16,500,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $2,700,000
2022 Roster Bonus: N/A
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: N/A
Bud Dupree
Team: Tennessee Titans
Position: Defensive end
2022 Cap Hit: $19,200,000
2022 Base Salary: $16,000,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $3,200,000
2022 Roster Bonus: N/A
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: N/A
Deion Jones
Team: Atlanta Falcons
Position: Inside linebacker
2022 Cap Hit: $20,018,431
2022 Base Salary: $9,640,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $2,200,000
2022 Roster Bonus: $5,037,647
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: $1,750,000
Garett Bolles
Team: Denver Broncos
Position: Left tackle
2022 Cap Hit: $21,000,000
2022 Base Salary: $17,000,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $4,000,000
2022 Roster Bonus: N/A
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: N/A
Kenny Golladay
Team: New York Giants
Position: Wide receiver
2022 Cap Hit: $21,150,000
2022 Base Salary: $13,000,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $3,400,000
2022 Roster Bonus: $4,500,000
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: $250,000
Jalen Ramsey
Team: Los Angeles Rams
Position: Cornerback
2022 Cap Hit: $23,200,000
2022 Base Salary: $15,000,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $5,000,000
2022 Roster Bonus: N/A
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: $3,200,000
Aaron Donald
Team: Los Angeles Rams
Position: Defensive tackle
2022 Cap Hit: $24,000,000
2022 Base Salary: $1,500,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $13,000,000
2022 Roster Bonus: $5,000,000
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: $4,500,000
Leonard Williams
Team: New York Giants
Position: Defensive end
2022 Cap Hit: $27,300,000
2022 Base Salary: $19,000,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $7,500,000
2022 Roster Bonus: N/A
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: N/A
Joey Bosa
Team: Los Angeles Chargers
Position: Defensive end
2022 Cap Hit: $28,250,000
2022 Base Salary: $21,250,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $7,000,000
2022 Roster Bonus: N/A
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: N/A
Chris Jones
Team: Kansas City Chiefs
Position: Defensive tackle
2022 Cap Hit: $29,415,667
2022 Base Salary: $3,750,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: N/A
2022 Roster Bonus: $18,124,000
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: $7,541,667
T.J. Watt
Team: Pittsburgh Steelers
Position: Outside linebacker
2022 Cap Hit: $31,118,694
2022 Base Salary: $24,000,000
2022 Signing Bonus Pay: $7,118,694
2022 Roster Bonus: N/A
2022 Miscellaneous Pay: N/A
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Joel Anderson contributed to the reporting for this article.
Methodology: GOBankingRates, in order to determine the 50 highest-paid NFL players who aren't quarterbacks, used Spotrac's NFL salary rankings took the 50 players with the highest cap hit for the 2022 season and ranked them from highest to lowest total cap hit. For the top 50 highest paid non-quarterbacks GOBankingRates also found (where applicable) each players 2022 base salary, 2022 signing bonuses, 2022 roster bonuses, and 2022 miscellaneous pay including restructuring, contract incentives, and workout bonuses. All data was collected and is up to date as of August 23, 2022.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Derrick Henry, Aaron Donald and 48 More of the Highest-Paid NFL Players Who Aren’t Quarterbacks
