22. David Bakhtiari
Whereas Donald gets paid big money to harass opposing quarterbacks, Bakhtiari is making $23 million to get his signal-caller upright. The Packers understand just how important it is to protect Aaron Rodgers’ blindside.
Bakhtiari is playing his age-30 season in 2021 but hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. He’s got an incredible combination of power and quickness that allows him to stymy opposing defensive lineman. His speciality is using his nimble feet to keep opposing pass rushers at bay.
Green Bay made a clear choice to prioritize keeping Bakhtiari over All-Pro center Corey Linsley last offseason because of the shortage of quality left tackles available. Bakhtiari has a rare set of skills that he deploys at the offensive line’s most valuable position.
A lot of Packers fans don’t notice the good work Bakhtiari does on game day but that’s just a testament to his consistency. He’s a big reason why Rodgers can be found even higher on this list of lucrative NFL earners.