Offense is of the utmost importance in the NFL, but someone has to stop all of the talent from scoring these days. A number of superstar players have emerged on the defensive end of the football in recent years, and these players are being paid handsomely, too. Whether the highest-paid players are game-wrecking edge rushers who can put pressure on the quarterback, massive defensive linemen who can shut down the run, or lockdown defensive backs who can prevent opposing teams' passing games from getting going, elite defensive talent is vital in the NFL.
In this article, we are going to look at the highest-paid defensive players in the NFL in 2024 according to average annual value. These players are among the best players in the entire NFL, regardless of position, and their contracts show that.
1. Nick Bosa, San Francisco 49ers – $34 million
The highest-paid defensive player in the NFL is none other than Nick Bosa. The 49ers didn't win the Super Bowl last year, but they still have one of the most talented rosters in recent memory. It is evident when you look at their payroll, too. In addition to Bosa, Christian McCaffrey is the highest-paid running back, and Kyle Juszczyk is the highest-paid fullback in the NFL.
Additionally, Trent Williams, George Kittle, and the recently extended Brandon Aiyuk all rank within the top five in average annual value at their respective positions. Clearly, the 49ers window to win a championship is now. If they do reach championship glory, Nick Bosa will have been a big reason why.
2. Chris Jones, Kansas City Chiefs – $31,750,000
Like the 49ers, the Chiefs have a lot of money tied into superstars, but it has paid off more so for the defending champions. Kansas City has three Super Bowl victories with their current core, and no one would be surprised if they become the first team to ever three-peat in the Super Bowl this year.
Everyone knows about Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, but it is Chris Jones who has held things down on the defensive end. The defensive tackle was the best player on a bad defense for years, but the team has caught up to the offense on that side of the ball. Jones is just as talented as ever, but now he has some help, and that makes the Chiefs a very scary team.
3. Josh Hines-Allen, Jacksonville Jaguars – $28,250,000
While the Buffalo Bills Josh Allen has one of the biggest contracts in NFL history, the Jaguars edge rusher of the same name is actually making more in 2024 in comparison to his peers on D. With an average annual value of $28,250,000 on his contract, Josh Hines-Allen is the third highest-paid defensive player.
Hines-Allen's new contract is a five-year deal. He signed it this offseason, so he will remain a member of the Jaguars through the 2028 season.
4. Brian Burns, New York Giants – $28.2 million
Brian Burns was a trade acquisition in the offseason for the Giants. New York clearly believes in him, because they locked him to a deal totaling $141 million over five years before he even stepped foot on the football field for the G-Men. Burns will surely live up to the big day. He was a force to be reckoned with during his time with the Carolina Panthers.
While the Giants did have to give Burns a huge contract, you can still argue that they got him at a discount. It only took second and fifth-round picks to bring in Burns and an additional fifth-rounder. It wasn't long ago that the Panthers reportedly rejected a trade that included two first-round picks and a second-round pick from the Los Angeles Rams.
5. T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers – $28,002,750
T.J. Watt is on the trajectory of becoming one of the best defensive players in NFL history, so it should come as no surprise that he is one of the highest paid. The Steelers star is only 29 years old, yet he already has multiple all-time records to his name, and he has shown no signs of slowing down.
Watt is the NFL record holder for single-season sacks (22.5) and seasons leading the league in sacks (3). His 19 sacks were even the most in the league in 2023. He is a game wrecker, and he is one of the few players capable of single-handedly ruining opposing teams gameplans. Watt, the younger brother of future Hall of Famer J.J. Watt, is one of two younger brothers to superstars on this list, as Nick Bosa has an older brother on the Los Angeles Chargers named Joey Bosa.
6. Christian Wilkins, Las Vegas Raiders – $27.5 million
Christian Wilkins was one of the biggest-name free agents to sign with a new team this offseason. The Raiders incentivized him to leave the Miami Dolphins when they offered him the chance to be one of the highest-paid defensive players in football. Wilkins now joins a front-seven which already includes Maxx Crosby. Las Vegas still needs to make some investments in their offense, but they've brought in the pieces to have a fear-inducing defensive unit.
7. Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns – $25 million
When we ranked our top 50 players in the NFL, Myles Garrett came in as the top-rated defensive player. It took too long for the reigning Defensive Player of the Year to finally win that award, but more DPOYs could be in his near future. Garrett is an athletic freak of nature equally capable of pressuring the quarterback as he is stopping the run.
The edge rusher is the leader on a Browns defensive unit that is arguably the best in the league. When Garrett gets to the quarterback with such ease, the talented defensive backs behind him take advantage, and that is if Garrett doesn't sack the quarterback himself, which he does do with regularity.
T8. Danielle Hunter, Houston Texans – $24.5 million
Danielle Hunter was another big external free agent to sign with a new team in 2024. The one-time Minnesota Vikings star was a part of a spending spree in Houston. The Texans might have gained more publicity for the moves they made on the offensive end, which included a big contract to running back Joe Mixon and an overhaul of the receiver position, but Danielle Hunter has the talent to make the biggest impact of the new additions. Hunter will line up opposite of Will Anderson, the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year. Together, they will make opposing quarterbacks' lives miserable.
T8. Montez Sweat, Chicago Bears – $24.5 million
The Bears traded for Montez Sweat at the NFL trade deadline last year. It only took them four days to entrust him with a new contract. Sweat has continued to play at an elite level since switching teams, and he will play a big part in taking the Bears to the next level this season. Although the team made a bunch of additions to their offense this offseason, it was the defense that carried them to a Week 1 victory.
T8. Nnamdi Madubuike, Baltimore Ravens – $24.5 million
Three defensive players are making an average of $24.5 million on their contracts in 2024. You may not know the name Nnamdi Madubuike, but that is because the Ravens defensive tackle went by a different name in the past. Nnamdi previously went by the name Justin, but he is now using his Nigerian name.
Madubuike was a breakout player in 2023, and it is expected that he will take another step forward in 2024, especially considering he was recently rewarded with a huge deal.
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