NFL's Highest Paid Players

Peyton Manning

Last year, Colts owner Jim Irsay promised to make Peyton Manning the highest paid player in the NFL. Little did he know that he would do it twice. On Tuesday the Colts gave Manning the exclusive franchise tag, a move expected to cost the Colts $23 million. That figure alone makes Manning the highest paid player (on an average annual basis), but Irsay hasn't backed down on his promise, maintaining that the franchise tag merely gives the Colts time to negotiate a long term deal. While the Colts negotiate, SI.com presents the rest of the richest men in the NFL in terms of average annual salary.

Tom Brady

Eli Manning

Phillip Rivers

Julius Peppers

Richard Seymour

Albert Haynesworth

Ndamukong Suh

Carson Palmer

DeMarcus Ware

Sam Bradford

Ben Roethlisberger

Gerald McCoy

Jason Smith

Jared Allen

Mark Sanchez

Dwight Freeney

Matthew Stafford

Matt Ryan

Darrelle Revis