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.
The $20MM-per-year linebacker club consists of only two players (Warner, Roquan Smith), but only four surpass $15MM per year presently. Last year saw the Jaguars and Jets (Foye Oluokun, C.J. Mosley) trim their priciest ILBs’ salaries in exchange for guarantees, and the Colts did not make it too far with Shaquille Leonard‘s big-ticket extension. Although some contracts handed out this offseason 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
- DeAndre Levy; August 5, 2015: Three years, $33.74MM ($24MM guaranteed)
Green Bay Packers
- De’Vondre Campbell; March 14, 2022: Five years, $50MM ($15MM guaranteed)
Houston Texans
- Benardrick McKinney; June 14, 2018: Five years, $50MM ($22.16MM guaranteed)
Azeez Al-Shaair checks in atop franchise history in AAV ($11.33MM) but fell short of McKinney’s in guarantees
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
- Cory Littleton; March 17, 2020: Three years, $35.25MM ($22MM guaranteed)
Rolando McClain‘s 2010 rookie contract, agreed to in the final year before the rookie-scale system debuted, checked in higher in terms of guarantees ($22.83MM)
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
- Demario Davis; September 13, 2020: Three years, $27MM ($18.35MM guaranteed)
New York Giants
- Bobby Okereke; March 13, 2023: Four years, $40MM ($21.8MM guaranteed)
Blake Martinez‘s free agency deal included a higher AAV ($10.25MM) but a lower guaranteee
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)
Warner secured more guaranteed money on this extension than he did on his five-year 2021 deal ($40.5MM 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
- London Fletcher; March 3, 2007: Five years, $25MM ($10.5MM guaranteed)
Jamin Davis‘ fully guaranteed rookie contract brought a higher guarantee ($13.79MM)