There’s never been a better time to be an elite pass rusher. The top end of the edge rusher market has rapidly increased in the little over a month since Super Bowl LIX was played.
Nick Bosa was the only edge rusher with a contract averaging at least $30 million per year when the offseason began. The five-year, $170 million contract extension, averaging $34 million per year, Bosa received from the San Francisco 49ers right before the start of the 2023 regular season made him the NFL’s highest-paid non-quarterback. The deal had $122.5 million in overall guarantees and $88 million was fully guaranteed at signing, which were both records for a non-quarterback.
Bosa had slipped into a tie as the league’s second-highest-paid non-quarterback at $34 million per year last September when Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb received a four-year, $136 million-per-year extension. The 2022 NFL Defensive Player of the Year had previously been replaced as the salary standard bearer for non-quarterbacks by Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson last June. Jefferson signed a four-year, $140 million extension, averaging $35 million per year with $110 million in guarantees, of which $88.743 million was fully guaranteed at signing. The $88.743 million was the most ever fully guaranteed at signing for a non-quarterback.
The movement at the top of the edge rusher market is just getting started. By the time the 2025 regular season starts, Bosa might not be among the league’s five highest-paid edge rushers.
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The Las Vegas Raiders got the edge rusher ball rolling by signing Maxx Crosby to a three-year, $106.5 million extension, averaging $35.5 million per year, in early March. The four-time Pro Bowler has $91 million in guarantees where $62.5 million was fully guaranteed at signing.
The ink was barely dry on Crosby’s deal when Myles Garrett, a perennial first-team All-Pro, became the NFL’s first $40 million-per-year non-quarterback less than a week later. Garrett, who had previously requested a trade in February during Super Bowl week because he wanted to play for a championship contender, was given an offer he couldn’t refuse to stay with the Cleveland Browns. The 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year signed a four-year, $160 million extension running through the 2030 season. Garrett’s deal has non-quarterback records of $123,596,125 in overall guarantees and $88.8 million fully guaranteed at signing.
Garrett’s reign at the top of the NFL’s non-quarterback salary hierarchy was about as short-lived as Crosby’s. The Cincinnati Bengals made good on Director of Player Personnel Duke Tobin’s public pledge that wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, who won the receiving triple crown in 2024 by leading the NFL in receptions, receiving yards and touchdown catches, would become the league’s highest-paid non-quarterback. Chase agreed to a four-year, $161 million extension, averaging $40.25 million per year with $112 million of guarantees, one week after Garrett got his deal.
Pro Bowl quarterback Joe Burrow campaigned through the media for the Bengals to do whatever was necessary for Chase, tight end Mike Gesicki, edge rusher Trey Hendrickson and wide receiver Tee Higgins to remain in Cincinnati long term. Hendrickson’s situation is the only one that needs to be resolved as Burrow has gotten his wish with everyone else.
Hendrickson is underpaid. He signed a four-year, $60 million contract, averaging $15 million per year in 2021 free agency, to join the Bengals. Hendrickson was given a one-year extension worth $21 million in July 2023 at the start of training camp, although he had two years remaining on his deal since he had outperformed his contract.
The four-time Pro Bowler made a trade request last offseason since the Bengals weren’t going to address his contract for a second straight year. He is scheduled to make $16 million in 2025, which is his contract year, on an $18,666,668 cap number.
Hendrickson led the NFL with 17.5 sacks and tied for the league lead with 83 quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus in 2024. He is the fourth player in NFL history to ever have consecutive seasons with 17.5 or more sacks. The others are Mark Gastineau, Reggie White and J.J. Watt.
Hendrickson gave the Bengals a pay-me-or-trade-me ultimatum earlier this offseason. He was granted permission to seek a trade one day after Crosby signed suggesting that the Bengals weren’t comfortable with a comparable deal. The Bengals have been rumored to be looking for more than a first-round pick in return for Hendrickson.
After just simultaneously signing Chase and Higgins, the Bengals and Hendrickson have reportedly resumed negotiations. It seems a bit contradictory to have such a high price to part ways with Hendrickson yet balk at paying the going rate for a pass rusher of his caliber.
The NFL’s five highest-paid edge rushers signed contracts totaling $718.75 million for 22 years to average $32,670,454 per year. This number could be a relevant salary benchmark in contract discussions. It wouldn’t be surprising if Hendrickson increased his financial demands after the Garrett deal to where he views Bosa’s $34 million per year as his salary floor.
The Bengals may not be comfortable extending Hendrickson’s contract more than two years because he turned 30 in December. Hendrickson isn’t showing any signs of slowing down though. His 35 sacks over the last two seasons are easily the NFL’s most during this span.
Micah Parsons, who is scheduled to make a fully guaranteed $24.007 million in 2025 on his fifth-year option, has been talking about a new deal with the Dallas Cowboys since late in the 2024 season. The 2021 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year has made some comments that could undercut his leverage. Parsons opened the door to giving a hometown discount and seemed to take a potential holdout off the table if there isn’t a deal done in a timely manner. He also recognizes that his views probably don’t sit too well with his agent, Athletes First’s David Mulugheta.
As long as Mulugheta is allowed do to his job the way he sees fit, Parsons should become the NFL’s highest-paid non-quarterback. Parsons has 52.5 sacks in four NFL seasons. He is one of just two players to ever record at least 12 sacks in each of his first four campaigns. The other person in this exclusive club is White, who is arguably the greatest defensive player in NFL history.
An important data point for Mulugheta could be adjusting Bosa’s contract for salary cap inflation. The salary cap has increased by 24.2% since Bosa signed. His deal is a little more than $42.225 million per year when factoring in salary cap growth.
Parsons’ inclination against holding out will be put to the test if last year is any indication. The Cowboys dragged their feet on signing Lamb and quarterback Dak Prescott to new contracts. Lamb didn’t get his new deal until August during the latter part of the preseason. Prescott’s four-year, $240 million extension to become the NFL’s first and only $60 million-per-year player didn’t come until September hours before Dallas’ regular-season opener.
T.J. Watt is in the final year of the four-year, $112.011 million extension, averaging $28,002,750 per year, he signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2021 two days before the team’s first regular-season game. The deal put Watt at the top of the NFL’s non-quarterback salary hierarchy. The $80 million fully guaranteed at signing was also a non-quarterback record at the time.
Watt is making $21.05 million on a $31,418,695 cap number in 2025. The Steelers designating Watt as a franchise player in 2026 isn’t feasible. By NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement rules, the cost will be the greater of 120% of Watt’s 2025 salary, which is based on his cap number for these purposes, or the linebacker number derived from the formula in the franchise tag calculations. A 2026 franchise tag for Watt will be $36,502,434 under the 120% salary increase provisions.
Watt, who turns 31 in October, would be justified wanting to be the league’s highest-paid non-quarterback again. His 73.5 sacks are the NFL’s most over the last five seasons (2020 through 2024). Watt has a 1.5-sack lead over Garrett despite playing six fewer games. He was also a finalist for 2024’s NFL Defensive Player of the Year award, finishing fourth in the balloting.
Watt’s current deal made him the league’s highest-paid non-quarterback by 1.83%. The Steelers doing practically the same thing this time around would mean a $41 million-per-year extension.
Aidan Hutchinson, the second overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, became eligible for a contract extension once the 2024 regular season ended on Jan. 5. The Detroit Lions will surely pick up the fifth-year option for 2026 with Hutchinson costing $19.872 million. After the option is exercised, Hutchinson will be under contract for two years worth $25,447,008 since his 2025 salary is $5,575,008.
Hutchinson was the leading candidate to be the 2024 NFL Defensive Player of the Year when he suffered a season-ending broken fibula and tibia in his left leg during a Week 6 contest against the Cowboys. At the time, Hutchinson had a league-leading 7.5 sacks and 45 quarterback pressures in only five games. More impressive was Hutchinson 38.3% in PFF’s pass-rush win rate metric. By comparison, Garrett’s 23.1% pass-rush win rate was PFF’s best for the entire 2024 season.
The Lions have a history of being proactive with All-Pro-caliber first-round picks, which bodes well for Hutchinson. Frank Ragnow signed a four-year extension in 2021 after his third NFL season that made him the league’s highest-paid center. Offensive tackle Penei Sewell didn’t play under his rookie contract for a fourth year. He received a four-year extension last year that put him at the top of the offensive lineman salary totem pole.
Delaying Hutchinson’s extension until 2026 will be more costly for the Lions. History shows that the price doesn’t get any cheaper by waiting with high-impact players. It’s conceivable that Hutchison could become the NFL’s first $45 million-per-year non-quarterback in 2026 if he demonstrates during the 2025 season that there aren’t any ill-effects from his leg injury.
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