The 25 Highest-Paid NFL Players in 2018

Timing is just as important as talent when it comes to getting a huge contract.

The 25 Highest-Paid NFL Players in 2018

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers makes the big bucks — for good reason.

As is the case every year, the NFL’s salary cap rose again in 2018 and is set at $177.2 million. Unlike the NBA, which has a soft cap, and MLB, which has no salary cap, the NFL has a hard cap, which means teams are not permitted to exceed the cap under any circumstances. Yet even with those limitations, players are reaping the rewards like never before, and that is evident by new salary records being set left and right.

The NFL’s salary cap had a $10 million increase from the 2017 season. This gain is in line with previous increases. In fact, the cap has jumped at least $10 million per year every year since the 2014 season — a big change from when the cap was first introduced in the 1994 season. That year, the cap was at $34.6 million, less than what five NFL players will be making this year.

This list, as expected, is quarterback-heavy with 11 signal-callers in the top 25. Seven defensive players make the list as do four rookies (the first four draft picks). The Cleveland Browns and New York Giants are the only teams with three players in the top 25 while 10 players on the list are in their fifth NFL season (as most rookie contracts end after a player’s fourth season).

The numbers are courtesy of Spotrac.com, which has details on every player’s salary and contract. The list is sorted by total cash for the 2018 season: how much each player will make in salary, signing bonus, roster/workout bonus and any other incentive bonuses combined.

Think you know who the NFL’s highest-paid players are? The names that appear on this list may be just as surprising as the names that don’t appear.

Note: All statistics are through Week 8 of the 2018 NFL season.

#25: Denzel Ward

Team: Cleveland Browns

Position: Cornerback

Age: 21

Experience: Rookie

Rookie season: 2018

Financials

2018 pay: $19,771,168

Base salary: $480,000

Signing bonus: $19,291,168

Contract: 4 years, $29,165,356

Free Agent: 2022

Career Statistics

COMB: 39

SOLO: 28

AST: 11

INT: 3

TD: 0

2017 Statistics (college)

COMB: 37

SOLO: 30

AST: 7

INT: 2

TD: 0

Bottom line: Denzel Ward was the fourth overall draft pick in 2018 and the first defensive player selected. That followed a standout career at Ohio State, and the Akron-born Ward stays in the state as he suits up for the Browns.

Ward was a consensus All-American for the Buckeyes, and the Browns can use some blue-chip talent on defense as they allowed the second-most points in the league in 2017.

At the very least, if Ward is still with the team five years from now, that could be considered a success as all eight first-rounders by the Browns from 2012 to 2016 are no longer with the organization.

#24: Carlos Dunlap

Team: Cincinnati Bengals

Position: Defensive End

Age: 29

Experience: 9 years

Rookie season: 2010

Financials

2018 pay: $19,800,000

Base salary: $1,000,000

Signing bonus: $9,000,000

Contract: 3 years, $40,650,000

Free Agent: 2022

Career Statistics

COMB: 394

SOLO: 268

AST: 126

SACK: 71.5

TD: 3

2018 Statistics

COMB: 26

SOLO: 19

AST: 7

SACK: 7.0

TD: 0

2017 Statistics

COMB: 46

SOLO: 35

AST: 11

SACK: 7.5

TD: 1

Bottom line: Owner Mike Brown of the Bengals is notorious for being frugal, so Bengals fans have to be quite surprised to see two of their players on this list.

But unlike Geno Atkins, Carlos Dunlap isn’t held in as high regard around the league, and many think Cincinnati overpaid when they awarded Dunlap a contract extension in 2018.

Yes, $40 million is a large commitment to a defensive end with one double-digit sack season in his career, but when you struggle to attract top free agents like Cincy does, you have to overpay to keep your own.

#21 (tie): Blake Bortles

Team: Jacksonville Jaguars

Position: Quarterback

Age: 26

Experience: 5 years

Rookie season: 2014

Financials

2018 pay: $20,000,000

Base salary: $5,000,000

Signing bonus: $15,000,000

Contract: 3 years, $54,000,000

Free Agent: 2021

Career Statistics

CMP: 1,493

ATT: 2,519

YDS: 16,949

TD: 100

INT: 72

RAT: 80.8

2018 Statistics

CMP: 175

ATT: 290

YDS: 2,021

TD: 10

INT: 8

RAT: 81.4

2017 Statistics

CMP: 315

ATT: 523

YDS: 3,687

TD: 21

INT: 13

RAT: 84.7

Bottom line: Much-maligned through his first four NFL seasons, the Jaguars fully have committed to Blake Bortles, locking him up through the 2020 season.

Bortles has thrown more interceptions than anyone since 2014 yet ranks just 15th in touchdowns over that span. The Jags are banking on further improvement from Bortles as they have a Super Bowl-caliber defense and a strong running game.

Bortles is no longer an NFL laughingstock as he was earlier in his career, but he will need to take his game to another level to justify this contract.

#21 (tie): Kyle Fuller

Team: Chicago Bears

Position: Cornerback

Age: 26

Experience: 5 years

Rookie season: 2014

Financials

2018 pay: $20,000,000

Base salary: $1,000,000

Signing bonus: $18,000,000

Contract: 4 years, $56,000,000

Free Agent: 2022

Career Statistics

COMB: 209

SOLO: 177

AST: 32

INT: 11

TD: 0

2018 Statistics

COMB: 23

SOLO: 21

AST: 2

INT: 3

TD: 0

2017 Statistics

COMB: 68

SOLO: 60

AST: 8

INT: 2

TD: 0

Bottom line: The Packers tried to poach Kyle Fuller from the Bears, but Chicago wouldn’t let him go to a divisional rival and matched Green Bay’s offer sheet.

Fuller plays the deep ball about as well as any cornerback in the game, and he allowed the second-lowest quarterback rating in 2016 on throws of at least 20 yards.

Fuller is the third of four Fuller brothers to make it to the NFL and is, by far, the best compensated. The career earnings of Corey, Kendall and Vincent Fuller will be less than what Kyle Fuller will make in the 2018 season.

#21 (tie): Tom Brady

Team: New England Patriots

Position: Quarterback

Age: 41

Experience: 19 years

Rookie season: 2000

Financials

2018 pay: $20,000,000

Base salary: $4,000,000

Signing bonus: $7,000,000

Contract: 2 years, $30,000,000

Free Agent: 2020

Career Statistics:

CMP: 5,828

ATT: 9,100

YDS: 68,359

TD: 504

INT: 167

RAT: 97.6

2018 Statistics

CMP: 199

ATT: 295

YDS: 2,200

TD: 16

INT: 7

RAT: 97.6

2017 Statistics

CMP: 385

ATT: 581

YDS: 4,577

TD: 32

INT: 8

RAT: 102.8

Bottom line: Just before the 2018 season, Tom Brady agreed to restructure his contract, which includes the $20 million guaranteed money while also adding an incentive package based on certain milestones.

Brady will earn an extra $1 million for each of these five incentives: top 5 in quarterback rating, top 5 in completion percentage, top 5 in yards per attempt, top 5 in touchdown passes, top 5 in passing yards.

Even with the chance to make $25 million for the 2018 season, many would argue that the GOAT still is underpaid.

However, the Brady household is doing well for themselves as Brady and Gisele Bundchen, his wife, rake in about $50 million per year.

#20: Sam Darnold

Team: New York Jets

Position: Quarterbacks

Age: 21

Experience: Rookie

Rookie season: 2018

Financials

2018 pay: $20,558,338

Base salary: $480,000

Signing bonus: $20,078,338

Contract: 4 years, $30,247,715

Free Agent: 2022

Career Statistics

CMP: 138

ATT: 250

YDS: 1,705

TD: 11

INT: 10

RAT: 74.5

2017 Statistics (college)

CMP: 303

ATT: 480

YDS: 4,143

TD: 26

INT: 13

RAT: 148.1

Bottom line: Baker Mayfield may have been drafted first overall, but Sam Darnold is the rookie quarterback with the most pressure since he’s being called "The Savior" by New York media. All this for a player who was the youngest Week 1 starter at quarterback in NFL history and threw a pick-six on his first career pass attempt.

Darnold was a standout at USC, where they’re used to seeing some pretty good players, and he became the first freshman to ever win the Archie Griffin Award as the most valuable in the nation.

If the 21-year-old can win over a Jets locker room full of guys older than him, but not as well paid as him, he could be the franchise savior.

#19: Saquon Barkley

Team: New York Giants

Position: Running Back

Age: 21

Experience: Rookie

Rookie season: 2018

Financials

2018 pay: $21,247,092

Base salary: $480,000

Signing bonus: $20,767,092

Contract: 4 years, $31,194,751

Free Agent: 2022

Career Statistics

ATT: 111

YDS: 519

AVG: 4.7

TD: 5

REC: 58

RYDS: 497

RTD: 2

2017 Statistics (college)

ATT: 217

YDS: 1,271

AVG: 5.9

TD: 18

REC: 54

RYDS: 632

RTD: 3

Bottom line: The Penn State rookie is seen as a transcendental player, and that is evident by his draft position. Barkley was drafted second overall, and only one other running back over the last 30 years has been selected higher (Ki-Jana Carter went first in 1995).

Barkley, nicknamed SaQuads for obvious reasons, was a two-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and left Penn State as the all-time leader in rushing touchdowns.

So far in the NFL, he's been great. Barkley is the clear favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year honors and is on pace to become the first Giants rookie to ever rush for 1,000 yards.

#18: Odell Beckham Jr.

Team: New York Giants

Position: Wide Receiver

Age: 26

Experience: 5 years

Rookie season: 2014

Financials

2018 pay: $21,459,000

Base salary: $1,459,000

Signing bonus: $20,000,000

Contract: 5 years, $90,000,000

Free Agent: 2024

Career Statistics

REC: 374

YDS: 5,209

AVG: 13.9

TD: 40

2018 Statistics

REC: 61

YDS: 785

AVG: 12.9

TD: 2

2017 Statistics

REC: 25

YDS: 302

AVG: 12.1

TD: 3

Bottom line: Seeing how close Odell Beckham Jr. and his former LSU teammate, Jarvis Landry, are in real life, it’s fitting that only a couple of thousand dollars separates them in 2018 money.

Beckham may be third among wide receivers in cash for the 2018 season, but his guaranteed amount of $40,959,000 and average salary of $18 million are both records for the position.

He’s a generational-type talent and worth every penny, but Giants fans (and the Giants, themselves) might be wondering if they should have spent the money elsewhere such as on a quarterback or the offensive line.

#17: Jarvis Landry

Team: Cleveland Browns

Position: Wide Receiver

Age: 25

Experience: 5 years

Rookie season: 2014

Financials

2018 pay: $21,500,000

Base salary: $3,500,000

Signing bonus: $7,500,000

Contract: 5 years, $75,500,000

Free Agent: 2023

Career Statistics

REC: 449

YDS: 4,566

AVG: 10.2

TD: 24

2018 Statistics

REC: 49

YDS: 528

AVG: 10.8

TD: 2

2017 Statistics

REC: 112

YDS: 987

AVG: 88

TD: 9

Bottom line: Through four NFL seasons, Jarvis Landry has 136 more catches than Jerry Rice had at this point, but Rice has 843 more yards. It’s a different era we’re in, and Landry has mastered the short-to-intermediate receiver routes.

Much like LeBron James, Landry left South Beach for Cleveland, but he isn’t expected to be the team’s savior or have a 25,000 square foot banner in his likeness. Landry is just one piece of the puzzle tasked with getting the Browns back to respectability. He is a safety blanket out of the slot for Baker Mayfield, and his run-after-catch ability is elite with only Golden Tate forcing more missed tackles among wide receivers in 2017.

#16: Sammy Watkins

Team: Kansas City Chiefs

Position: Wide Receiver

Age: 25

Experience: 5 years

Rookie season: 2014

Financials

2018 pay: $21,800,000

Base salary: $790,000

Signing bonus: $21,000,000

Contract: 3 years, $48,000,000

Free Agent: 2021

Career Statistics

REC: 226

YDS: 3,505

AVG: 15.5

TD: 28

2018 Statistics

REC: 34

YDS: 453

AVG: 13.3

TD: 3

2017 Statistics

REC: 39

YDS: 593

AVG: 15.2

TD: 8

Bottom line: Even the most diehard NFL fans likely are shocked to hear that Sammy Watkins is the league’s highest-paid receiver. He’s posted just one 1,000-yard season in his career and is now on his third team in three years.

The Bills drafted Watkins fourth overall in 2014, which is the highest for any receiver over the last dozen years outside of Calvin Johnson. But he was the best available option for Buffalo (a team in dire need of receiving help), and he’s played a role in accelerating Patrick Mahomes’ learning curve in Kansas City.

Mahomes’ big arm is just what the speedster Watkins needs. The receiver has big-play potential, and 13 of his 28 career touchdowns have been on plays of at least 20 yards.

#15: Todd Gurley

Team: Los Angeles Rams

Position: Running Back

Age: 24

Experience: 4 years

Rookie season: 2015

Financials

2018 pay: $21,950,000

Base salary: $950,000

Signing bonus: $21,000,000

Contract: 4 years, $57,500,000

Free Agent: 2024

Career Statistics

ATT: 955

YDS: 4,096

AVG: 4.3

TD: 40

REC: 159

RYDS: 1,654

RTD: 10

2018 Statistics

ATT: 169

YDS: 800

AVG: 4.7

TD: 11

REC: 31

RYDS: 351

RTD: 4

2017 Statistics

ATT: 279

YDS: 1305

AVG: 4.7

TD: 13

REC: 64

RYDS: 788

RTD: 6

Botttom line: He may be number one in your fantasy draft, but Todd Gurley is No. 15 on the highest-paid list.

The 2017 Offensive Player of the Year became the fifth player in league history with 2,000 yards from scrimmage, 10 rushing touchdowns and 5 receiving touchdowns in a single season. Gurley bounced back from a poor sophomore campaign to have the best season of his career right when it mattered the most: before he came up for a new contract.

His new deal does not kick in until the 2020 season since he still has two more years on his rookie contract. But he’s easily outperformed that contract so far, and he has a good chance at becoming the first player since Marshall Faulk to win back-to-back Offensive Player of the Year awards.

#13 (tie): Zack Martin

Dallas Cowboys guard Zack Martin sets to block during the 2017 Pro Bowl football game in Orlando, Fla.

Team: Dallas Cowboys

Position: Right Guard

Age: 27

Experience: 5 years

Rookie season: 2014

Financials

2018 pay: $22,000,000

Base salary: $2,000,000

Signing bonus: $20,000,000

Contract: 6 years, $84,000,000

Free Agent: 2025

Bottom line: Four years in the NFL and four Pro Bowl selections for the guard out of Notre Dame. Zack Martin made history with his most recent Pro Bowl selection, becoming the first guard in NFL history to be selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his first four seasons.

The analytics like Martin just as much as the Pro Bowl voters do — he finished 2017 as the league’s top-rated guard. If Martin stays at this elite level for the next couple of seasons, he could join Larry Allen one day as the only Cowboys offensive guards in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

#13 (tie): Nate Solder

Team: New York Giants

Position: Left Tackle

Age: 30

Experience: 8 years

Rookie season: 2011

Financials

2018 pay: $22,000,000

Base salary: $5,900,000

Signing bonus: $16,000,000

Contract: 4 years, $62,000,000

Free Agent: 2022

Bottom line: Nate Solder is the league’s highest-paid lineman even though he’s never gone to a Pro Bowl or received All-Pro recognition. But what he did do was protect Tom Brady’s blindside on the way to two Super Bowl victories.

Now Solder is trying to do the same for Eli Manning while also paving rushing lanes for rookie Saquon Barkley. Offensive tackles typically are paid more for their pass blocking, but it’s in the running game where Solder excels. According to Pro Football Focus, he led all tackles in run block success rate in 2017, and he never played with a running back in New England as talented as Barkley is.

#12: Baker Mayfield

Team: Cleveland Browns

Position: Quarterback

Age: 23

Experience: Rookie

Rookie season: 2018

Financials

2018 pay: $22,329,440

Base salary: $480,000

Signing bonus: $21,849,440

Contract: 4 years, $32,682,980

Free Agent: 2023

Career Statistics

CMP: 130

ATT: 223

YDS: 1,471

TD: 8

INT: 6

RAT: 78.9

2017 Statistics (college)

CMP: 285

ATT: 404

YDS: 4,627

TD: 43

INT: 6

RAT: 198.9

Bottom line: No. 1 in the draft. No. 12 in total cash. With NFL rookie contracts on a scale, Baker Mayfield will make over $22 million in his debut season and then “just” over $10 million combined over the next three seasons.

Cleveland fans are hoping this Heisman winner from the state of Texas performs much better than the last one, Johnny Manziel. Johnny Football lasted long enough with the Browns to earn $7.7 million while Mayfield is hoping to put an end to that long miserable list of Browns quarterbacks.

The former Sooners quarterback is the only player in college football history to go from a walk-on to a Heisman winner, so if anyone can end the Browns’ struggles, it’s Baker Mayfield.

#11: Derek Carr

Team: Oakland Raiders

Position: Quarterback

Age: 27

Experience: 5 years

Rookie season: 2014

Financials:

2018 pay: $22,500,000

Base salary: $7,400,000

Signing bonus: $12,500,000

Contract: 5 years, $125,000,000

Free Agent: 2023

Career Statistics

CMP: 1,566

ATT: 2,508

YDS: 16,717

TD: 113

INT: 52

RAT: 88.3

2018 Statistics

CMP: 188

ATT: 261

YDS: 2,027

TD: 10

INT: 8

RAT: 94.5

2017 Statistics

CMP: 323

ATT: 515

YDS: 3,496

TD: 22

INT: 13

RAT: 86.4

Bottom line: Derek Carr is the principal reason that Jon Gruden left the cozy Monday Night Football booth to return to the sidelines. Carr is a three-time Pro Bowler, but he took a step back in 2017 as his numbers dipped across the board.

Still, Carr is a franchise quarterback for a franchise that will soon be on the move. The Raiders may be calling Oakland home for just one more season and leave (early) for Las Vegas in the 2019 campaign.

Carr is doing everything he can to give the loyal Oakland fans one last great hurrah while Gruden seems to be already preparing for the future (see Khalil Mack).

#10: Geno Atkins

Team: Cincinnati Bengals

Position: Defensive Tackle

Age: 30

Experience: 9 years

Rookie season: 2010

Financials

2018 pay: $25,500,000

Base salary: $8,000,000

Signing bonus: $13,000,000

Contract: 4 years, $65,200,000

Free Agent: 2023

Career Statistics

COMB: 321

SOLO: 201

AST: 120

SACK: 67.0

TD: 1

2018 Statistics

COMB: 25

SOLO: 11

AST: 14

SACK: 6.0

TD: 0

2017 Statistics

COMB: 46

SOLO: 29

AST: 17

SACK: 9.0

TD: 0

Bottom line: Despite his abilities, Geno Atkins toils in general anonymity in Cincinnati thanks to the team's lack of postseason success. But Bengals fans are aware of the greatness of Atkins, who is on a Hall of Fame trajectory.

He entered the league the same year as Ndamukong Suh, and despite Suh having the higher profile, Atkins has more Pro Bowls and more sacks over their careers.

Atkins also is a legacy NFL player as his father, Gene Atkins, spent 10 seasons in the NFL during the 1980s and '90s as a safety with the Saints and Dolphins.

#8 (tie): Kirk Cousins

Team: Minnesota Vikings

Position: Quarterback

Age: 30

Experience: 7 years

Rookie season: 2012

Financials

2018 pay: $26,000,000

Base salary: $22,500,000

Signing bonus: $3,000,000

Contract: 3 years, $84,000,000

Free Agent: 2021

Career Statistics

CMP: 1,613

ATT: 2,437

YDS: 18,727

TD: 115

INT: 59

RAT: 94.9

2018 Statistics

CMP: 241

ATT: 341

YDS: 2,521

TD: 16

INT: 4

RAT: 102.5

2017 Statistics

CMP: 347

ATT: 540

YDS: 4,093

TD: 27

INT: 13

RAT: 93.9

Bottom line: It may not be on par with Roger Bannister breaking the 4-minute mile, but Kirk Cousins changed the game by becoming the first NFL player to land a fully guaranteed contract. After making $1.9 million, combined, in his first three NFL seasons, Cousins will make $84 million over his next three seasons.

Born and raised in the Midwest, Cousins returned to that area after agreeing to become the Minnesota Vikings’ signal-caller. He’s still looking for his first postseason victory, but Cousins has shown the ability to thrive in clutch situations as he led all quarterbacks in game-winning drives during the 2017 season.

#8 (tie): Trumaine Johnson

Team: New York Jets

Position: Cornerback

Age: 28

Experience: 7 years

Rookie season: 2012

Financials

2018 pay: $26,000,000

Base salary: $6,000,000

Signing bonus: $20,000,000

Contract: 5 years, $72,500,000

Free Agent: 2023

Career Statistics

COMB: 340

SOLO: 292

AST: 48

INT: 19

TD: 3

2018 Statistics

COMB: 13

SOLO: 11

AST: 2

INT: 1

TD: 0

2017 Statistics

COMB: 65

SOLO: 57

AST: 8

INT: 2

TD: 1

Bottom line: Prior to Khalil Mack’s and Aaron Donald’s deals, Trumaine Johnson was the NFL's highest-paid defensive player, though the casual pro football fan likely has never heard of him. Johnson can thank his fortune from a new contract he signed in the 2018 offseason that brought him from the West Coast to the East Coast.

A big cornerback (6-foot-2, 213 pounds) in the mold of Richard Sherman, Johnson played on the franchise tag with the Rams each of the past two seasons.

Johnson always has been an overachiever — he wasn’t even ranked in high school and had to attend an FCS school in Montana — and now his contract makes him the envy of every other defensive back in the league.

#7: Drew Brees

Team: New Orleans Saints

Position: Quarterback

Age: 39

Experience: 18 years

Rookie season: 2001

Financials

2018 pay: $27,000,000

Base salary: $10,200,000

Signing bonus: $13,500,000

Contract: 2 years, $50,000,000

Free Agent: 2020

Career Statistics

CMP: 6,410

ATT: 9,537

YDS: 72,435

TD: 502

INT: 229

RAT: 97.3

2018 Statistics

CMP: 188

ATT: 243

YDS: 1,990

TD: 14

INT: 1

RAT: 118.2

2017 Statistics

CMP: 386

ATT: 536

YDS: 4,334

TD: 23

INT: 8

RAT: 103.9

Bottom line: Less was more for Drew Brees and the Saints in 2017 as the future Hall of Famer attempted his fewest passes in eight seasons and it resulted in the Saints being a Minneapolis Miracle away from the NFC championship game.

Brees is taking things year by year at this point in his career, but we should expect him to stick around to become the NFL’s passing king. He already passed Peyton Manning’s career yardage mark and should reach his passing touchdowns mark in 2019. With a healthy lead in career completion percentage, Brees is just about 1 1/2 seasons away from being the NFL king in the quarterback Triple Crown categories.

#6: Matt Ryan

Team: Atlanta Falcons

Position: Quarterback

Age: 33

Experience: 11 years

Rookie season: 2008

Financials

2018 pay: $29,250,000

Base salary: $6,000,000

Signing bonus: $46,500,000

Contract: 5 years, $150,000,000

Free Agent: 2024

Career Statistics

CMP: 3,817

ATT: 5,856

YDS: 44,131

TD: 275

INT: 128

RAT: 94.3

2018 Statistics

CMP: 187

ATT: 263

YDS: 2,335

TD: 15

INT: 2

RAT: 114.2

2017 Statistics

CMP: 342

ATT: 529

YDS: 4,095

TD: 20

INT: 12

RAT: 91.4

Bottom line: In 1980 Lam Jones became the first NFL player to receive a contract worth more than $1 million, and 38 years later, Matt Ryan became the first NFL player to average $30 million per season. That is thanks to a landmark five-year, $150 million deal Ryan signed prior to the 2018 season.

The 2016 MVP hasn’t won the big one yet, but he’s done just about everything else. No player has more passing yards in NFL history than Ryan has through his first 10 seasons, while also ranking third in passing touchdowns and third in wins.

#5: Alex Smith

Team: Washington Redskins

Position: Quarterback

Age: 34

Experience: 14 years

Rookie season: 2005

Financials

2018 pay: $40,000,000

Base salary: $13,000,000

Signing bonus: $27,000,000

Contract: 4 years, $94,000,000

Free Agent: 2023

Career Statistics

CMP: 3,021

ATT: 4,841

YDS: 33,449

TD: 191

INT: 98

RAT: 87.6

2018 Statistics

CMP: 144

ATT: 228

YDS: 1,561

TD: 8

INT: 2

RAT: 91.3

2017 Statistics

CMP: 341

ATT: 505

YDS: 4,042

TD: 26

INT: 5

RAT: 104.7

Bottom line: Who said you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? After being labeled Captain Checkdown for most of his career, a new Alex Smith emerged in 2017, and he started throwing deep.

Smith led the league in adjusted yards per pass attempt as well as passer rating. But all that earned him was a trip out of Kansas City as the Chiefs traded him to the Redskins.

At some point, the Redskins likely will replace him with a younger quarterback just as the 49ers and Chiefs did. For now, Washington has the best quarterback it’s had in years.

And although Smith is getting up there in age, he showed off his underrated athleticism in 2017 with a 70-yard run, the longest by any Chiefs player and one of the longest by any quarterback in NFL history.

4. Aaron Donald

Team: Los Angeles Rams

Position: Defensive Lineman

Age: 27

Experience: 5 years

Rookie season: 2014

Financials

2018 pay: $40,892,000

Base salary: $892,000

Signing bonus: $40,000,000

Contract: 6 years, $135,000,000

Free Agent: 2023

Career Statistics

COMB: 233

SOLO: 167

AST: 66

SACK: 49.0

TD: 0

2018 Statistics

COMB: 29

SOLO: 19

AST: 10

SACK: 10.0

TD: 0

2017 Statistics

COMB: 41

SOLO: 32

AST: 9

SACK: 11.0

TD: 0

Bottom line: Aaron Donald spent one day as the NFL’s highest-paid defender. After signing his deal on Aug. 31, Khalil Mack topped him a day later. But only $108,000 separates those two in 2018 salary, and not much separates them on the field.

Donald won the Defensive Player of the Year award for the 2017 season, and he wreaks havoc in backfields from every position on the defensive line.

This dominance does not go unrecognized. Donald is the first defensive lineman since "Mean" Joe Greene in 1969-72 to make the Pro Bowl in each of his first four seasons in the NFL.

#3: Khalil Mack

Team: Chicago Bears

Position: Outside Linebacker

Age: 27

Experience: 5 years

Rookie season: 2014

Financials

2018 pay: $41,000,000

Base salary: $7,000,000

Signing bonus: $34,000,000

Contract: 6 years, $141,000,000

Free Agent: 2023

Career Statistics

COMB: 323

SOLO: 247

AST: 76

SACK: 45.5

TD: 2

2018 Statistics

COMB: 20

SOLO: 16

AST: 4

SACK: 5.0

TD: 1

2017 Statistics

COMB: 78

SOLO: 61

AST: 17

SACK: 10.5

TD: 0

Bottom line: Jon Gruden apparently never saw the value in Hall of Fame-talent pass rushers, so he acted like a man on a 10-year plan and traded Khalil Mack to the Bears for future draft picks.

The Raiders didn’t want to meet Mack’s contract demands, but Chicago was happy to oblige, and they made him the richest defensive player in NFL history.

In 2015, Mack became the first player in league history to make the All-Pro First Team at two different positions (DE, OLB), and he followed that up by winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2016.

#2: Jimmy Garoppolo

Team: San Francisco 49ers

Position: Quarterback

Age: 27

Experience: 5 years

Rookie season: 2014

Financials

2018 pay: $41,950,000

Base salary: $6,200,000

Signing bonus: $7,000,000

Contract: 5 years, $137,500,000

Free Agent: 2023

Career Statistics

CMP: 236

ATT: 361

YDS: 2,968

TD: 17

INT: 8

RAT: 97.3

2018 Statistics

CMP: 53

ATT: 89

YDS: 718

TD: 5

INT: 3

RAT: 90.0

2017 Statistics

CMP: 120

ATT: 178

YDS: 1,560

TD: 7

INT: 5

RAT: 96.2

Bottom line: Despite starting just seven games (all of which were wins), Jimmy Garoppolo signed the largest contract in NFL history in February 2018 before being surpassed by Matt Ryan and then Aaron Rodgers.

Still, Jimmy G will take home as much money in the first year of his deal as 49ers legend Jerry Rice made during his entire NFL career. The 49ers had an abundance of cap space, so they decided to front-load Garoppolo’s contract, and much of his total cash can be attributed to a $28 million roster bonus.

A torn ACL ended Garoppolo’s first full season in San Francisco, and chances are he’ll spend all offseason learning how to slide in order to avoid those season-ending injuries.

#1: Aaron Rodgers

Team: Green Bay Packers

Position: Quarterback

Age: 34

Experience: 14 years

Rookie season: 2005

Financials

2018 pay: $66,900,000

Base salary: $1,100,000

Signing bonus: $57,500,000

Contract: 4 years, $134,000,000

Free Agent: 2024

Career Statistics

CMP: 40,785

ATT: 5,179

YDS: 3,362

TD: 326

INT: 79

RAT: 103.6

2018 Statistics

CMP: 174

ATT: 284

YDS: 2,283

TD: 13

INT: 1

RAT: 100.4

2017 Statistics

CMP: 154

ATT: 238

YDS: 1,675

TD: 16

INT: 6

RAT: 97.2

Bottom line: Many consider Aaron Rodgers to be the best player in the NFL, and he’s paid like it.

Just a week before the 2018 season began, Rodgers signed a new deal that made him the highest-paid player in the 99-year history of the NFL. Thanks to a signing bonus, a roster bonus and workout bonuses, Rodgers will collect more than $80 million between August 2018 and March 2019.

As the all-time NFL leader in both passer rating and touchdown-to-interception ratio, Rodgers has the stats to back up his pay. But he couldn't care less about stats or money. He is focused on getting ring No. 2.