Jaguars defensive end Travon Walker became the latest edge rusher to receive a new contract this offseason as he agreed to a four-year, $110 extension on Friday.
The extension puts Walker outside of the top-10 highest-paid edge rushers. Walker is one of several edge rushers to sign a new contract this offseason, after Trey Hendrickson, Jaelan Phillips and Odafe Oweh signed massive deals with new teams in free agency.
These deals, however, rank well below the top-five highest-paid players at the position, who are all making at least $40 million a year. Below is a look at the highest-paid edge rushers in the league and what they are making in 2026.
Who is the highest-paid edge rusher in the NFL?
The highest-paid edge rusher in the NFL is Micah Parsons, who makes $46.5 million per year. After the Cowboys traded Parsons to the Packers, they then signed him to a record-breaking four-year, $186 million extension.
The Packers made Parsons the highest-paid edge rusher by over $5 million annually when they extended him. Only Aidan Hutchinson, the second-highest paid edge rusher, has come close to approaching his salary.
Top 15 highest-paid edge rushers in the NFL
Here are the 15 highest-paid edge rushers in the NFL, via Over the Cap.
| Player | Team | Annual Salary | Total Contract Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Micah Parsons | Packers | $46.5 million | $186 million |
| Aidan Hutchinson | Lions | $45 million | $180 million |
| T.J. Watt | Steelers | $41 million | $123 million |
| Danielle Hunter | Texans | $40.1 million | $40.1 million |
| Myles Garrett | Browns | $40 million | $160 million |
| Maxx Crosby | Raiders | $35.5 million | $106.5 million |
| Nick Bosa | 49ers | $34 million | $170 million |
| Jaelan Phillips | Panthers | $30 million | $120 million |
| Josh Hines-Allen | Jaguars | $28.25 million | $141.25 million |
| Brian Burns | Giants | $28.2 million | $141 million |
| Trey Hendrickson | Ravens | $28 million | $112 million |
| Travon Walker | Jaguars | $27.5 million | $110 million |
| Nik Bonitto | Broncos | $26.5 million | $106 million |
| Montez Sweat | Bears | $24.5 million | $98 million |
| Odafe Oweh | Commanders | $24 million | $96 million |
How edge rusher salaries have changed over time
In 1984, Mark Gastineau became the highest-paid defensive lineman in NFL history when he signed a five-year deal worth $4 million. Sacks became an official statistic in 1982, and Gastineau was the leader of the “New York Sack Exchange,” notching 41 combined sacks in 1983 and 1984.
Nearly a decade later, Reggie White became the highest-paid pass rusher and third-highest paid player in the league when he signed a four-year, $17 million deal with the Packers, the first major free agency signing in league history. By 2014, J.J. Watt became the highest-paid player at the position on a six-year, $100 million deal.
The edge rusher market was completely reset again last offseason. For nearly two years, Nick Bosa was the highest-paid edge rusher at an annual salary of $34 million. Maxx Crosby topped him by $1.5 million annually early in the 2025 offseason before the Browns transformed the market by re-signing Myles Garrett to a record-breaking deal worth $40 million per year. Several players have already topped that mark, and now, the highest-paid edge rushers are set to make over a $40 million salary.
Who could be the next highest-paid edge rusher?
Texans star defensive end Will Anderson Jr. has a great chance at becoming the next highest-paid edge rusher. Anderson Jr. is in line to receive an extension this offseason, and is coming off a stellar 2025 campaign which saw him earn first-team All-Pro honors and finish second in the Defensive Player of the Year voting. Anderson Jr. is a captain on the best defense in the league, and deserving of a top contract at his position.
Even if Anderson doesn’t become the highest-paid edge rusher, he undoubtedly will top $40 million per year and at least approach Parsons’s salary.
How edge rusher salaries compare to other positions
Edge rushers are the second-highest paid players in the NFL, only trailing quarterbacks, who typically make about $10 million more than the highest-paid edge rushers. The highest-paid edge rushers make a similar amount to the highest-paid receivers in the league, though Parsons and Hutchinson each make more than Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the top-paid wideout.
Outside of receiver, the top edge rushers make around twice as much as the highest-paid linebackers, safeties and running backs and around $10-$15 million more than the highest-paid cornerbacks and defensive tackles.
More NFL from Sports Illustrated
- Updated List of Longest Playoff Droughts in Sports As Sabres Finally Clinch Postseason
- NFL Won’t Discipline Rashee Rice After Domestic Violence Allegations
- Why Travon Walker’s Contract Extension Is a Good Deal for the Jaguars
- Top-Paid Players at Every Position After NFL Free Agency
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Highest-Paid Edge Rushers in the NFL: Full Breakdown.
