Highest-Paid Defensive Tackles in the NFL: Full Breakdown

A couple of weeks after Jalen Carter agreed to a four-year, $152 million extension with the Eagles, another NFC East defensive tackle secured a massive payday.

The Cowboys and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams agreed to a three-year contract extension on Monday. The new deal is worth a total of $105.9 million and includes $101 million in guaranteed money, making Williams the NFL’s second-highest paid defensive tackle, behind only Carter. The 28-year-old will make an average of $35.3 million per season over the course of his new contract, narrowly more than the $35.28 million Titans star Jeffrey Simmons is due to earn on a yearly basis.

ORR: What Vita Vea’s Trade Request and Jalen Carter’s Extension Say About the DT Market

Who is the highest-paid defensive tackle in the NFL?

With his new contract, Carter is now the highest-paid defensive tackle in the NFL in terms of both average annual salary and guaranteed money. Carter’s deal with the Eagles is worth up to $160 million and includes $106 million in guaranteed money, making him one of the highest-paid defensive players in the league. Carter became extension eligible earlier this offseason, and the two-time Pro Bowler has cashed in ahead of his fourth NFL season.

Top 10 highest-paid defensive tackles in the NFL

Here are the 10 highest-paid defensive tackles in the NFL, via Over the Cap.

Player	Team	Average Annual Salary	Total Contract Value
Jalen Carter	Eagles	$38 million	$152,000,000
Quinnen Williams	Cowboys	$35.3 million	$105,900,000
Jeffrey Simmons	Titans	$35.28 million	$105,828,000
Chris Jones	Chiefs	$31.75 million	$158,750,000
Leonard Williams	Seahawks	$30 million	$90,000,000
Vita Vea	Buccaneers	$30 million	$30,000,000
Dexter Lawrence II	Bengals	$28 million	$28,000,000
Milton Williams	Patriots	$26 million	$104,000,000
Jordan Davis	Eagles	$26 million	$78,000,000
Zach Allen	Broncos	$25.5 million	$102,000,000

Who could be the next highest-paid defensive tackle?

It's unclear who could surpass Carter as the next highest-paid defensive tackle in the league. Carter was the obvious candidate to become the highest-paid defensive tackle, and has took that title this summer. The primary other player with case that he is a better defensive tackle than Carter is Jeffrey Simmons, who was already extended earlier this offseason.

Since Simmons and Carter’s deals, Leonard Williams and Vita Vea also cashed in with new deals of their own at an average salary of $30 million each. Vea had requested a trade from the Buccaneers before agreeing to a one-year, $30 million extension.

As for a couple younger defensive tackles on their rookie contracts, look for Kobie Turner and Byron Murphy II to break through and receive large extensions over the next year or two.

How defensive tackle salaries have changed over time

As with all positions, salaries have grown exponentially at the defensive tackle position over the past 50 years. Hall of Fame defensive tackle "Mean" Joe Greene was the highest-paid defensive lineman in 1978 with a salary of $174,000, according to The Washington Post. By the late 1990s, Hall of Fame defensive tackle Bryant Young became the highest-paid defensive tackle by signing a six-year, $26 million deal, per the SF Gate.

Just over a decade ago in 2015, Ndamukong Suh became the highest-paid defensive player in history when he signed a six-year, $114 million deal with the Dolphins. Three years later, future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald topped him with a six-year, $135 million deal with the Rams in 2018. In 2022, after winning the Super Bowl, Donald was given a raise and deservedly became the first defensive tackle and non-quarterback to earn $30 million per year in average salary.

How defensive tackle salaries compare to other positions

The highest-paid defensive tackles only trail quarterbacks, receivers and edge rushers for the top-paid position in the game. They are also making nearly double the amount of the highest-paid linebackers and running backs. Outside of Simmons, Williams and Carter, the other highly-paid defensive tackles make a similar amount to the top-paid cornerbacks, who are currently making $30-$31 million.

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