The trenches are where football games are won. While defensive linemen don't always get the most credit, their dirty work directly contributes to winning, and for the best in the league, it leads to big paydays. Defensive linemen are so vital to NFL teams because they do so many roles. They are asked to take on multiple blockers while simultaneously being effective against both the run and the pass. This has made the position one of the most sought-after spots to acquire a star, as teams have learned to build from the inside out.

Chris Jones is one of the best defensive linemen in the game. He is in the last year of his contract and is currently holding out to become one of the richest defensive linemen ever. But where does his current contract matchup against his peers? Here are the 10 highest-paid NFL defensive linemen in 2023.

*All contract information is from spotrac.

T-10. Leonard Williams/Trey Hendrickson, $18,000,000

As the sixth overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, Leonard Williams looked like an underwhelming pick for the New York Jets. The defensive tackle has turned a corner and become a really good player since joining the other team that plays in MetLife Stadium, the New York Giants. He has 38 career sacks, with 21 of those coming while wearing blue. However, Williams had somewhat of a down year in 2022 and will need to return to form this season. He is making $18 million this year.

Trey Hendrickson is also making $18 million in the 2023 season. Like Williams, Hendrickson's best years have come after a change of scenery. While he was solid on the New Orleans Saints, he has come into his own since signing a four-year, $60 million deal with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2021. Hendrickson has been a Pro Bowler in both of his seasons in Cincinnati.

9. DeForest Buckner, $19,750,000

Defensive linemen are known for being big, and DeForest Buckner is a mountain of a man. Standing 6-foot-7, it is nearly impossible for quarterbacks to throw over Buckner. He is one of the game's elite pass deflectors and can swat balls when he isn't able to shed blockers.

However, Buckner is still exceptional at penetrating the pocket. He had eight sacks last season. The Indianapolis Colts have a lot invested in their star defensive tackle. Not only did the team trade a first-round pick in 2020 to acquire Buckner, but they also handed him a contract extension worth $84 million over four years.

 8. Chris Jones, $20,000,000

Although Chris Jones is one of the highest-paid defensive linemen in 2023, the Kansas City Chiefs star is willing to sacrifice 2023 earnings for a new contract. The former second-round pick is in the midst of a contract holdout that has seen him not play in the Chiefs' preseason games or show up to training camp. He has received a $50,000 dollar fine for every day he hasn't shown up, but that is pennies on the dollar for someone who has made as much as Jones.

Still, in the last year of his contract, Jones wants more. Fresh off a Super Bowl victory, Jones has proved time and time again how vital he is to the Chiefs defense. He wants long-term security and a contract that would make him one of the highest-paid defensive linemen in the league. Jones has said he is willing to hold out until the regular season midway point, even though he'd be sacrificing game checks of $1.1 million a piece.

Jones is clearly the best player on the Chiefs' defense, but they have lots of money tied into the offense because of the pricey tags that come with employing Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, the best players at their respective positions.

7. Dre'Mont Jones, $23,510,000

Dre'mont Jones had been one of the most underrated defensive linemen in the league while playing on a struggling Denver Broncos team, but his value was seen this offseason as he signed a big-money contract worth $51.53 million over three years with the Seattle Seahawks.

Jones is one of the best pass-rushing 5-techniques in football. Since entering the league in 2019, he has 22 sacks. The Broncos didn't bring the defensive end back in the offseason, and at only 26-years old, that is a decision they may come to regret.

Jones' deal doesn't have the length or total dollar amount as some of the other players on this list, but his deal is front-loaded, so he will be making a lot of money in 2023.

6. Dexter Lawrence, $24,253,000

2022 was a breakout season for Dexter Lawrence. He set career highs for tackles, sacks, and quarterback hits, so he was rewarded with a new contract by the New York Giants.

At 342 pounds, Lawrence excels against the run, but he moves exceptionally well for someone that size. He has a variety of pass-rushing moves and is really good at getting to the quarterback.

Teamed up with Leonard Williams in the middle of the Giants' defense, New York has one of the best defensive lines in the NFL.

5. Javon Hargrave, $25,015,000

The Philadelphia Eagles defense was one of the most talented and certainly one of the deepest in football in 2022. It is a big reason they made it to the Super Bowl. Javon Hargrave was one of the main weapons on that defense, but when you are as deep as the Eagles were, you are destined to lose players in free agency, especially when they are showcased at the highest level.

Hargrave cashed in on a brilliant 2023 campaign and signed a four-year, $84 million contract with the San Francisco 49ers. He goes from one of the best defensive lines in football in Philadelphia to a just as impressive, if not more so impressive, unit in San Fransisco. Hargrave will join forces with Arik Armstead to form one of the best defensive interiors in football.

The newly signed defensive tackle had 60 combined tackles and 11 sacks last season. He has always been stout against the run, but he improved as a pass-rusher in 2022, making his big-money contract more than worth it for the Niners.

4. Jeffery Simmons, $25,580,000

A lot of good defensive linemen came out of the 2019 draft class. Jeffrey Simmons was one of them, and he and the Tennessee Titans reached an agreement on a contract extension of four-years, $94 million over the offseason.

Simmons has impressed in his first four years in the league, but it still feels like he has another level that he can unlock. If Simmons can reach his fullest potential, then this deal may look like a steal in a few years.

3. Quinnen Williams, $26,094,000

While Quinnen Williams is happy-go-lucky off the field, on the field, he is a monster and one of the most feared defensive linemen in football. His ferocity on the gridiron paid off when he was gifted a four-year, $96 million contract extension this offseason.

Williams was drafted with the third-overall pick in the 2019 draft, and he has quickly lived up to expectations. He has been a big part of a defensive unit that has carried the offense for years, but with the arrival of Aaron Rodgers, the New York Jets just might break out this season.

2. Aaron Donald, $28,500,000

Aaron Donald is arguably the greatest defensive lineman in the history of the sport, so it makes sense he is one of the highest-paid at his position. Donald doesn't have prototypical size for a defensive tackle, but he overcomes his 285-pound frame with exceptional leverage and unheard of strength.

Donald is one of three players to win the Defensive Player of the Year award three times. His heroics on the football field most recently inked him a brand new contract in 2018, when he signed a record-breaking six-year, $135 million deal. He and the Los Angeles Rams renegotiated that deal before the 2022 season, adding $40 million to his contract. The deal made Aaron Donald the first-ever non-quarterback to average more than $30 million per season, and no one would argue against the fact that he is worth it.

Donald is a game wrecker on the interior of defensive lines. He gives offensive coordinators nightmares, and there isn't a good game plan that can stop him. We have routinely seen Donald beat triple teams, and he is still going strong even in his age-32 season. Donald has previously contemplated retirement, so we may not see him terrorizing offenses for much longer, but he is still under contract for the 2024 season.

1. Daron Payne, $31,010,000

Daron Payne is the highest-paid defensive lineman in the league. Often, when a star player hits/approaches free agency, they will receive a massive deal that will reset the market for that position. That is what happened when Payne signed his contract extension worth $90 million over four years.

Payne is a very good defensive lineman, and it was smart for the Washington Commanders to lock him up long-term. Still, it may come as a surprise to see him listed as the highest-paid player at his position. Pro Football Focus only has the Alabama product as the 16th-best interior defensive linemen for 2023. He is even ranked below his defensive tackle teammate, Jonathan Allen.