The top 25 NFL players who are tremendously overpaid
The top 25 NFL players who are tremendously overpaid
1. Dwayne Bowe, Browns WR
2016 Cap Hit: $8 million
Bowe is the second lowest paid player on this list, but he had only five catches (J.J. Watt had three catches last year, by the way) in 2015 and was paid $9 million for them. That’s $1.8 million per catch — more than Jaguars Pro Bowl WR Allen Robinson has made in his entire career.
2. Joe Flacco, Ravens QB
2016 Cap Hit: Unknown
We don’t know the specifics of Flacco’s newly restructured deal, but this doesn’t sound much better than the monstrosity Baltimore gave him three years ago.
3. Charles Johnson, Panthers DE
2016 Cap Hit: $15 million
The Panthers made Johnson the highest paid defensive player in the league in 2011, which , even at the time, sounded as absurd as it does now. He has hovered around the 10-sack mark since signing the deal, but has never been a dominant player.
4. Victor Cruz, Giants WR
2016 Cap Hit: $9.9 million
Injuries have wiped out Cruz’s last two seasons, but the slot receiver was showing signs of decline right after signing his new contract. He averaged 9.5 touchdowns a season before the extension and has scored five ever since.
5. Dennis Pitta, Ravens TE
2016 Cap Hit: $7.2 million
The Ravens gave Pitta his $32 million extension after he fractured and dislocated his hip. Pitta played seven games before injuring his hip again the following season.
6. Ryan Clady, Broncos LT
2016 Cap Hit: $10.1 million
Clady signed his $52 million deal three season ago and has played only 18 games since. Denver has managed to make the Super Bowl twice during that span, but the left tackle played in just two games in those seasons.
7. Jonathan Stewart, Panthers QB
2016 Cap Hit: $9.5 million
The Panthers signed Stewart to his big deal before NFL teams realized they should stop paying running backs. Stewart is on the books for $9.55 million in 2016 and hasn’t run for 1,000 yards in a season in six years.
8. Drew Brees, Saints QB
2016 Cap Hit: $30 million
Brees is still one of the best quarterbacks in the league, but his $30 million cap hit for the 2016 season is beyond ridiculous. No player is worth that much.
9. Mike Wallace, Vikings WR
2016 Cap Hit: $11.5 million
We should really blame Ben Roethlisberger for Wallace being on this list. He made the former Steelers wide receiver, who’s just a slightly better version of Ted Ginn Jr., look like a legit No. 1 receiver in Pittsburgh. The Dolphins fell for it and made Wallace one of the highest-paid players at the position before trading him to Minnesota.
10. Jordan Cameron, Dolphins TE
2016 Cap Hit: $9.5 million
Oh look, another Dolphins signing makes the list. Cameron wasn’t very good in his contract year in Cleveland, but that didn’t stop Miami from handing him a big deal. In return, the Dolphins got 35 catches and three touchdowns in 2015.
