The 49ers have again made Fred Warner the NFL’s highest-paid off-ball linebacker. The franchise did this in 2021 as well. A team that has employed All-Pro NaVorro Bowman and Hall of Famer Patrick Willis over the past 15 years, the 49ers have spent on the high end to fortify this position. Other clubs, however, have been far more hesitant to unload significant cash to staff this job. Although some contracts handed out recently created optimism about this stubborn market, franchises’ pasts here do not depict a trend of paying second-level defenders.
Excluding rookie contracts and arranged by guaranteed money, here is (via OvertheCap) the richest contract each franchise has given to an off-ball ‘backer:
Arizona Cardinals
- Jordan Hicks; March 12, 2019: Four years, $34MM ($20MM guaranteed)
Atlanta Falcons
- Deion Jones; July 17, 2019: Four years, $54MM ($34MM guaranteed)
Baltimore Ravens
- Roquan Smith; January 10, 2023: Five years, $100MM ($60MM guaranteed)
Buffalo Bills
- Matt Milano; March 12, 2023: Two years, $28.33MM ($27.15MM guaranteed)
Milano’s first extension (in 2021) brought more in overall value and fully guaranteed money, but the 2023 pact provided more in total guarantees
Carolina Panthers
- Luke Kuechly; September 10, 2015: Five years, $61.8MM ($33.36MM guaranteed)
Shaq Thompson‘s 2019 extension brought a higher AAV ($13.54MM), but Kuechly’s included more in guarantees
Chicago Bears
- Tremaine Edmunds; March 13, 2023: Four years, $72MM ($50MM guaranteed)
Cincinnati Bengals
- Logan Wilson; August 4, 2023: Four years, $36MM ($10MM guaranteed)
Cleveland Browns
- Jamie Collins; January 23, 2017: Four years, $50MM ($26.4MM guaranteed)
Dallas Cowboys
- Jaylon Smith; August 20, 2019: Five years, $63.75MM ($35.41MM guaranteed)
Denver Broncos
- Brandon Marshall; June 14, 2016: Four years, $32MM ($20.1MM guaranteed)
Dre Greenlaw‘s 2025 contract (three years, $31.5MM) brought a higher AAV but a lower guarantee
Detroit Lions
- Jack Campbell; May 21, 2026: Four years, $81MM ($51.5MM guaranteed)
Green Bay Packers
- De’Vondre Campbell; March 14, 2022: Five years, $50MM ($15MM guaranteed)
Houston Texans
- Azeez Al-Shaair; April 30, 2026: Three years, $54MM ($45MM guaranteed)
Indianapolis Colts
- Shaquille Leonard; August 8, 2021: Five years, $98.5MM ($52.5MM guaranteed)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Foye Oluokun; March 14, 2022: Three years, $45MM ($28MM guaranteed)
Kansas City Chiefs
- Nick Bolton; March 9, 2025: Three years, $45MM ($30MM guaranteed)
Las Vegas Raiders
- Quay Walker; March 9, 2026: Three years, $40.5MM ($28MM guaranteed)
Los Angeles Chargers
- Donald Butler; February 28, 2014: Seven years, $51.8MM ($11.15MM guaranteed)
Kenneth Murray‘s rookie contract (a fully guaranteed $12.97MM) narrowly eclipses this deal
Los Angeles Rams
- James Laurinaitis; September 8, 2012: Five years, $41.5MM ($23.62MM guaranteed)
Mark Barron‘s 2016 contract brought a higher AAV ($9MM) but a lower guarantee
Miami Dolphins
- Jerome Baker; June 13, 2021: Three years, $37.5MM ($28.41MM guaranteed)
Minnesota Vikings
- Anthony Barr; March 12, 2019: Five years, $67.5MM ($33MM guaranteed)
New England Patriots
- Jerod Mayo; December 17, 2011: Five years, $48.5MM ($27MM guaranteed)
Robert Spillane‘s $11MM AAV leads the way at this position in New England, but the recently dismissed HC’s contract brought more guaranteed money
New Orleans Saints
- Kaden Elliss; March 10, 2026: Three years, $33MM ($23MM guaranteed)
New York Giants
- Tremaine Edmunds; March 9, 2026: Three years, $36MM ($23.7MM guaranteed)
New York Jets
- C.J. Mosley; March 12, 2019: Five years, $85MM ($51MM guaranteed)
Philadelphia Eagles
- Zack Baun; March 5, 2025: Three years, $51MM ($34MM guaranteed)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Patrick Queen; March 12, 2024: Three years, $41MM ($20.51MM guaranteed)
San Francisco 49ers
- Fred Warner; May 19, 2025: Three years, $63MM ($56MM guaranteed)
Seattle Seahawks
- Bobby Wagner; July 26, 2019: Three years, $54MM ($40.25MM guaranteed)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Lavonte David; August 9, 2015: Five years, $50.25MM ($25.56MM guaranteed)
Tennessee Titans
- Cody Barton; March 10, 2025: Three years, $21MM ($13.33MM guaranteed)
Washington Commanders
- Leo Chenal; March 10, 2026: Three years, $24.75MM ($12.4MM guaranteed)
Jamin Davis‘ fully guaranteed rookie contract brought a higher guarantee ($13.79MM)
So a guy from John Carroll college (London Fletcher) makes the list but Michigan, Penn State, Florida and USC get shutout…lol.
Ummmmm 🤦🏻‍♂️ has absolutely nothing to do with talent. Just a list of highest paid inside linebackers for each team
Warner is not an ilb. Neither was Anthony Barr.
Warner? 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Thank you for the notice. Warner is listed as a MLB. I stand corrected.
Barr did play at MLB for part of his career (for some reason) despite being a much more natural pass rusher. I think at the time of that deal, the Vikings were still using him as the former. ESPN has an article from the 2019 offseason discussing the pros and cons of tagging Barr as a linebacker rather than an edge rusher.
Interestingly, Barr had four straight Pro Bowls at the time. Interesting to see how little that market moved.
Neither is Matt Milano, he has played WLB in Buffalo’s base nickel his whole career.
Some good deals here, actually-mixed in with a few bad ones. I was expecting worse honestly, but most of these were either pretty good or “a few good seasons, and some injuries” as well.
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