On Wednesday, we looked at the NFL’s most overpaid players. It’s time to follow that one up with the most underpaid players.
But we’re going to do this with a twist. We’re not going to include players who are still on their rookie contract. The reason for that is simple. Most rookies are underpaid under the current collective bargaining agreement. Prior to this CBA, plenty of rookies got tons of money before they ever played an NFL snap and many of them flopped.
The current CBA limits what teams can pay draft picks and each pick is basically slotted in a salary according to draft position. If we were going to include players still in their rookie contracts, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes would be the hands-down winner as the league’s most underpaid player. Between base salary and a roster bonus, Mahomes will earn $1.95 million in 2019. That’s a tremendous bargain for a guy that was the league’s Most Valuable Player last season.
But Mahomes isn’t eligible for this list. Instead, this list is limited to players who are on at least their second contract. Under those terms, here are the 11 most underpaid players in the NFL.
11. Julio Jones, wide receiver, Atlanta Falcons
Jones probably won’t stay on this list for long. The Falcons have expressed optimism that they’ll be able to work out a new deal with Jones soon. But, at the moment, he’s scheduled to make $9.6 million this year. That places him 26th among receivers in salary. That means Jones is grossly underpaid because he might be the best wide receiver in the league.
10. Wesley Woodyard, LB, Tennessee Titans
The NFL trend in recent years has been to not pay a lot of money to inside linebackers. But Woodyard is especially underpaid. He’ll make $4.1 million this year. 20 inside linebackers will make more than him. But Woodyard is better than a lot of them. He’s been an anchor for Tennessee’s defense since 2014. Although he’s 33, he hasn’t shown signs of slowing down and has produced 9.5 sacks over the last two seasons.
9. Laken Tomlinson, guard, San Francisco 49ers
Tomlinson has been a bright spot on a bad team. He’s become an above-average starting guard. But he’s making below average money. He’s scheduled to make just $2.5 million this year. The good news for the 49ers is that Tomlinson remains under contract for two seasons after this one at very reasonable rates. He’s scheduled to make $4 million in 2020 and $5 million in 2021.
8. Johnathan Joseph, CB, Houston Texans
Joseph signed his third contract with the Texans in 2018, a two-year deal worth $10 million. He reportedly could have gotten more elsewhere but didn’t want to uproot his family. Joseph, 35, will make $5.9 million this year, which isn’t a lot for a proven corner who still is playing at a high level.
7. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, safety, Chicago Bears
Clinton-Dix signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the Bears this offseason. He’s not a star, but $3 million is not a lot of money for a starting safety. Clinton-Dix could be in position for a nice year because the rest of Chicago’s secondary is very good and the pass rush is excellent. If Clinton-Dix performs well this season, he’ll put himself in line for a much better contract next year.
6. Eric Ebron, TE, Indianapolis Colts
Ebron wasn’t a huge factor in his first four seasons in Detroit and that’s why the Colts were able to sign him to a reasonable two-year, $13 million contract. In his first season in Indianapolis, Ebron caught 66 passes for 750 yards and 13 touchdowns. If he can produce at a similar rate, the $7 million he’ll earn in salary and bonuses this year will be a bargain.
5. Robert Woods, wide receiver, Los Angeles Rams
Woods had a breakout season last year, catching 86 passes for 1,219 yards and six touchdowns. He’ll make $6.5 million this year, which is a bargain for a 1,200-yard wide receiver. Woods is under contract (at a very reasonable rate) through 2021. But, if he can produce numbers similar to last season, Woods and his agent can make a strong argument that he’s outperforming his contract and should receive a new deal.
4. Ryan Kerrigan, defensive end, Washington Redskins
Kerrigan will make $10.75 million this year. That’s roughly half of what Khalil Mack and Von Miller will make. Mack and Miller are considered elite pass rushers, but Kerrigan deserves to be in that conversation. Since 2014, Kerrigan has produced 60 sacks. Only Miller (63) has produced more in that span.
3. Mitchell Schwartz, OT, Kansas City Chiefs
His previous contract averaged $6.6 million per season, but the Chiefs gave him a one-year, $11.25 million extension this offseason. He didn’t get all that large a raise. The total deal is worth $24.55 million over three years. That’s not a lot for a guy who was All-Pro last year and anchors a line that does a good job of protecting Patrick Mahomes.
2. David Bakhtiari, OT, Green Bay Packers
When the Packers re-signed Bakhtiari to his current four-year, $48 million deal in 2016, he wasn’t one of the league’s elite pass blockers. Now, he is. Bakhtiari was a first-team All-Pro last season and a second-team choice in each of the two years before that. He’s scheduled to make $11 million this year. That’s a bargain for a guy who might be the best tackle in the league.
1. Drew Brees, quarterback, New Orleans
Brees is in the second year of a two-year, $50 million contract. That may sound like there’s no way he should be among the league’s most underpaid players. But let’s look at this a little closer. Brees is a quarterback, and guys at that position make a ton of money. Brees, who is on the short list of top quarterbacks with Mahomes and Tom Brady, worked with the Saints to make his cap figure as friendly as possible. Brees will make $23 million this year. To put that in perspective, Brees is making roughly the same as Denver’s Joe Flacco. If there’s such a thing as being a bargain at $23 million, Brees is it.
Pat Yasinskas has covered the NFL since 1993. He has worked for The Tampa Tribune, The Charlotte Observer and ESPN.com and writes for numerous national magazines and websites. He also has served as a voter for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
