As the 2024 NFL season is just days away, many teams have one player that they are overpaying. While it is a completely subjective conversation to discuss who is the most overpaid, some objective measures can be applied to determine which player on each team is paid too high.
Across the board in the NFL, every team overpays for at least one of their players. Sometimes teams will pay a player more than they are worth because of the franchise tag, and sometimes, like we saw with the Denver Broncos and Russell Wilson last season, a team pays a player the big bucks but then they do not perform at all. Here is the all-overpaid team heading into the 2024 season.
Offense
Cleveland Browns: Quarterback Deshaun Watson
Watson became one of the highest-paid players in the game’s history when the Browns signed him. He is the sixth highest-paid player right now in terms of his guaranteed money, and I would argue he is the most overpaid player in the game today.
Even if Watson had a great season this year, the contract was still awful. The contract has been one of the worst in history and with one of the best all-around rosters, all they have been missing is a quarterback.
The honorable mention here could be Daniel Jones who has a four-year, $160 million contract that carries a $47.9 million cap hit in 2024. Is he worthy of that money?
New Orleans Saints: Running Back Alvin Kamara
While there are a few backs who could take this top spot, Kamara comes in as a top-paid running back this season, and he has not performed at that level in years. He is set to make $15 million per year after signing his monster deal back in 2020.
Kamara may still have some great years left in him, but the way the running backs get paid today, this is a gross overpay. The likes of Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, and Josh Jacobs are all getting paid less.
Cincinnati Bengals: Wide Receiver Tee Higgins
While Higgens is a spectacular receiver and one of the best No. 2 receivers on any team in the NFL, they decided to franchise tag him for $21.8 million. While he is worth that, and probably more, he has yet to produce as a No. 1 receiver over his career. Whether it be because of playing with another star or due to injury, Higgins has yet to go over 75 catches or 1,110 yards in a season in his NFL career.
Seattle Seahawks: Tight End Noah Fant
Fnat comes in as the tenth highest-paid tight end in the NFL now and he has not lived up to his $21 Million contract for two years.
He is still young, so he has plenty of time to live up to money like that, but his talent has never lived up to what it should produce on the field. Travis Kelce could be an honorable mention, as while he may be a top 5-10 tight end in the league today, he is getting paid by far the most. That just comes with him already bringing multiple Super Bowls to the franchise, not to mention hundreds of millions because of his love interest.
Just based on football alone, he could be argued to be overpaid as the number one tight end today in 2024.
New England Patriots: Tackle Michael Onwenu
The Patriots are not paying almost anyone on their team that much money, as they do not have any players to spend on. The versatile tackle Onwenu would be the only player on the roster that the team could pay a little extra, but they decided to overpay.
They made him one of the ten highest-paid tackles in the NFL with $19 million a year, and while he has been productive, he is certainly far from the top of that tackle list.
Carolina Panthers: Offensive Lineman Robert Hunt
Hunt has a monster contract of five years worth over $100 million. While the Panthers wanted to spend the big bucks to protect their new quarterback, the 28-year-old has not lived up to that money. He was given $63 million in guaranteed money and was expected to be near All-Po level.
However he has been quite mediocre in his first seasons right around the NFL average in sacks allowed (9), quarterback pressures (80), and career starts (61).
Defense
Miami Dolphins: Linebacker Jordyn Brooks
While Tua Tagaviola could easily be put here as he has yet to win a playoff game and is getting paid as a top 5 quarterback in the league, that is what quarterbacks are going for in the NFL today. It is hard to call him their most overpaid player as he is a young productive quarterback, and they have all the power when it comes time to talk contracts.
It would probably have to be their linebacker Jordyn Brooks who is making $26.3 million. While he still has time to prove he is worth the money, so far he has not lived up to the contract.
Baltimore Ravens: Safety Marcus Williams
While Marlon Humphrey could certainly be the most overpaid on that roster, Williams takes the cake for being the less productive of the two. Williams has a $14 million average annual salary, making him a top 8 highest-paid player at the position when he is nowhere near the top 10.
Pittsburgh Steelers: End Cameron Heyward
One of the consistent ways on the list in which an NFL team overpays for players is with star veterans passed their prime. Heyward is now 34 years old and passed any of his glory days while the team is still going to pay him $22.4 million this season.
Buffalo Bills: Edge Von Miller
While Miller’s contract originally may have been a smart one, the 35-year-old is just not the same player that he once was. The team gave him a six-year, $120 million contract and he has been injured for the majority of his time in the last couple of seasons. While Miller may have some good football left in him if he can stay healthy, this is the worst contract for the Bills heading into the 2024 season.
Philadelphia Eagles: Cornerback James Bradbery
The corner was once elite, but his past season was one to forget. While he started as one of the top corners for the team he became almost unplayable down the stretch of the NFL season. His three-year $38 million deal is now looking like one of the worst at the corner position. In their one playoff game, he was abysmal allowing 108 yards and five catches.
