Drake Maye, Myles Garrett and the 10 best contracts in the NFL this season

This offseason, Patrick Mahomes signed the richest contract in the history of the NFL. His extension will pay him upwards of $504 million from now until 2033. We’re starting to approach ridiculous numbers when it comes to the richest contracts in the league, with a salary cap exceeding $300 million. It’s no surprise that we’re starting to see more players making $50 million or more. 

However, despite the skyrocketing cap and massive salaries at the top of the league, there are still some absolute steals in the budget. There are hundreds of players still on rookie deals, and some veterans even decided to sign team-friendly deals to help get more stars on their side. These 10 vets are looking at absolute deals, and they are really helping their teams turn a massive profit on their behalf.

One quick note, we are doing this based on cap hit with the understanding that teams do wacky things to manipulate the cap. Contracts are complicated and void years could complicate things further, but for this list, we're going with the cap number and analyzing from there. All contract information is attributed to Over the Cap.

10. Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, 2026 Cap Hit: $10-11 million

This is the only time we will cheat and use more than one pick for the slot, but these feel like they need to be lumped together. Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Drake Maye went 1-2-3 in the 2024 NFL Draft. It was one of the most flush quarterback drafts in recent league history, with six quarterbacks going in the first round. With both J.J. McCarthy and Michael Penix possibly losing their starting jobs in training camp, we’ll focus on the sure things at the top.

Williams, Daniels, and Maye represent the future of this league at the most important position in sports. Maye is coming off a Super Bowl appearance, Williams is the latest Madden cover athlete, and Daniels was the 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year. All three are already superstars in this league.

It’s basically a guarantee that all three will get their fifth-year option accepted, but they are all ineligible for an extension until after the 2026 season. NFL rules prohibit first-round picks from getting their first extension until after their third year in the league. So, the Bears, Commanders, and Patriots are getting these players for just around $10-11 million per season.

9. DeVonta Smith, 2026 Cap Hit: $10.726 million

The Philadelphia Eagles made the big move this offseason, trading A.J. Brown to the defending AFC Champion New England Patriots to finally give Drake Maye a top option. The Eagles did not get the 2026 or 2027 first-round pick they were targeting, but the Patriots finally relented and gave up a 2028 first-round pick in the deal.

One of the major reasons the Eagles were open to doing such a deal, which itself removed one of the best contracts in the league at the position, was because of DeVonta Smith. The Eagles now-No. 1 wide receiver is making around $10.7 million this season. This puts him behind guys like Brandon Aiyuk, WanDale Robinson, Josh Palmer, and more than $4 million behind Calvin Ridley’s contract. 

For this price, the Eagles are getting a guy who can break the game wide open in a moment’s notice. He has breakneck speed, and he can use his agility to get past tacklers. This works perfectly with an Eagles offense that has an equally athletic running back in Saquon Barkley and a quarterback in Jalen Hurts who can make plays even after they break down.  Smith is going to have an even bigger role this season, and it should lead to this being one of the best contracts in the NFL.

8. Kyle Hamilton, 2026 Cap Hit: $10.683 million

Readers will see a theme in this article that there are two major reasons why a player is underpaid: he’s under a rookie contract, or he plays a position that is not paid at a premium. Kyle Hamilton is often considered one of the best defensive players in the National Football League. However, what’s crazy about Kyle Hamilton is that he’s not even close to the best-paid player at his position. 

Hamilton ranks 12th in safety salaries this season. He’s making under $11 million while the guys at the top of the list (Antoine Winfield Jr., Jessie Bates, and Derwin James) are making upwards of $27 million per season. Hamilton took this deal to help the Ravens afford the rising costs of the cap, but now he’s way behind his peers despite being on his current deal. Hamilton is considered a team player, but this is asking a lot to keep him under this contract. 

Also, what happened to the “record-setting” contract he signed last offseason? Right before the 2025 season, Hamilton signed a deal with $82 million in guaranteed money. He’s still making this amount in the second year after the extension? Basically, this means the contract is back-loaded. Don’t expect to see Hamilton on these lists going forward, because his pay day is coming.

7. Christian McCaffrey, 2026 Cap Hit: $10.856 million

It’s not like CMC is in the middle of the pack for running backs. This just shows where we still are with running back salaries. We’re not saying running backs are seeing their values rise to that of the 70s, 80s, and 90s, but we are starting to appreciate the difference between a good running back and a great running back. One becomes a matchup nightmare and changes how a defense game plans. The other has a decent move during the IForm techniques. 

Christian McCaffrey has been the best for a long time. After an injury-filled 2024 (dang Madden Curse), McCaffrey reminded everyone what he’s capable of in 2025. He finished the season with a league-leading 413 touches and 2,100 scrimmage yards. The 49ers relied on him more than anyone, with the injury bug decimating their roster. 

CMC is more than just a running back in this league: he’s the ultimate weapon for Kyle Shanahan’s offensive scheme. He’s the advantage that the Niners have weekly. They don’t have the best wide receiver core, and we’re still trying to figure out if Brock Purdy is a good quarterback or if he has a good situation. We have no doubts about CMC, and we know his contract is a good one, too.

6. Myles Garrett, 2026 Cap Hit: $8.44 million

We readily admit that this season is an outlier in Myles Garrett’s contract. He’s in the first year of a new extension with his new team, the Los Angeles Rams. They are trying to build a championship roster, and that takes some flexibility and patience from the roster. Garrett is making this price, but the big money is coming down the pike. His contract jumps to $15 million next year and $48 million in 2030, the final year of the deal. If Garrett retires or the Rams try to move him, there are massive cap penalties in that deal. 

This is the guy we just saw break the sacks record, which stood for more than a decade. Garrett is as dominant as they come, but he came out of negotiations with his new team, and he understood the assignment. Garrett is a team player based on everything we’ve seen him do on and off the football field. Being the guy who picks up the slack for salaries in pursuit of a championship is always a good look for public perception.

Like we said, there’s big money coming down the line. Garrett got his big-money deal, but the money up front is somewhat surprising. This isn’t a rookie deal as Garrett has been long gone from those. The best EDGE rusher in the NFL accepted a deal where he would make less than $10 million per season. And there’s just one void year, although it is accounting for almost $40 million in salary. 

5. Trey McBride, 2026 Cap Hit: $8.7 million

We know tight ends don’t get the respect they deserve on their weekly checks, but this one seems a little ridiculous. Trey McBride was far and away the best tight end in the sport last season. He lapped the competition despite playing for the Arizona Cardinals. He finished the season with 1,200 yards and 11 touchdowns catching balls from Jacoby Brissett. Heck, Brissett is trying to get paid based on McBride’s actions. 

The first-team All-Pro was exactly what the Cards need to move forward with their roster. And the brass there finally made a smart decision, re-signing his deal prior to last year’s breakout season. McBride agreed to a deal that pays him $76 million over four years. It’s not a bad deal on the surface, but tight ends across the league are getting paid more, and McBride is doing this post-rookie contract.

McBride’s cap hit is ranked 11th against all tight ends. T.J. Hockenson leads all tight ends with a little over $15 million, with McBride ranking outside the top 10 for tight end salaries. Guys like Colby Parkinson, Josh Oliver, and Dalton Schultz are making more against the cap than McBride this season. For a guy who dominated the league at such a high level, and for a team that’s not really spending much money on other guys, the Cards should be thanking their lucky stars they got this deal done last summer instead of this one.

4. Pat Surtain II, 2026 Cap Hit: $12.698 million

Pat Surtain signed his extension with the Denver Broncos. How is he not one of the most insanely paid players in the NFL? The 2024 Defensive Player of the Year makes less than Kyler Gordon and Brandon Stephens. Making less money than a Jets cornerback when the Jets went the entire season with an interception, then it’s a conversation you might want to have with your agent before proceeding with the relationship. The Broncos got a huge deal here. 

Surtain’s contract is incredibly heavy with bonuses. He is making around league minimum for his weekly salary, but he’s owed an $8.5 million roster bonus and a $3 million signing bonus. Don’t worry; Surtain’s family is not skipping any meals this offseason. However, the Broncos are getting incredible value from this deal. 

This is going to be a contract that teaches other teams how to structure things to utilize the best situation against the cap. Surtain gets his money, but the Broncos get one of the best players in the world without spending to the cap. Now, don’t get us wrong, Surtain still deserves more. He’s a dominant player at a position that’s becoming more important each season.

3. Puka Nacua, 2026 Cap Hit: $5.828 million

One of the top players at one of the most important positions is making the same money as some third-string wide receivers. Puka Nacua is some analysts' best receiver in the NFL each year. He’s definitely in the conversation with Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson, who make significantly more than him after signing extensions. Surprisingly, the Rams seem content with letting Nacua play out his entire rookie contract. Putting together a super team every year means you might have to be ruthless with some of these contract negotiations.

Nacua had just under 1,800 yards receiving last season and 10 touchdowns. He’s considered one of the best draft picks in recent memory. The Rams got him with the 177th-overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Sean McVay immediately saw the talent, and Nacua got himself a premium role with the franchise in his rookie year. Since then, he’s only gotten better.

Is Nacua willing to wait for his next deal and play on this current steal? That seems unlikely since this is the last year before his contract ends. Guys want a little sense of security. Nacua wants to be one of the highest-paid receivers in this league. However, for now, he’s the top bargain at the position. 

2. Bijan Robinson, 2026 Cap Hit: $6.987 million

Honestly, put all of the running backs on this list. The back with the highest cap hit next season as of this writing is Jonathan Taylor. He’s making just over $15 million against the cap. Bijan Robinson’s cap hit is half of that. That’s right, probably the best player at his position is making less than $8 million against the salary cap for the Atlanta Falcons. That’s one huge reason why they can make the huge risk of paying Kyle Pitts this offseason. 

Robinson’s cap hit is 17th among running backs in 2026. He’s behind some backup running backs, like Rhamondre Stevenson, Kenneth Gainwell, and Jaylen Warren. Chuba Hubbard of the Panthers is set to cost his team more on the cap next season. That’s ridiculous. This is what happens when a player is still playing under his rookie contract. 

Robinson seems like a pretty clear candidate to sign the richest extension at the position. He’s the best running back in the league, and the Falcons spent some serious draft capital on him. He was exactly as advertised, putting up just under 2,300 yards from scrimmage to lead all skill players in the NFL. Getting that for the measly price the Falcons are paying is highway robbery.

1. Jaxson Dart, 2026 Cap Hit: $3.858 million

Listen, we get it. Rookie wage scale, blah, blah, blah. The scale is built to be an advantage for the teams while providing a sense of security for players trying to avoid bust status. Every so often, there’s a contract so eye-popping that it stands out. Jaxson Dart is the key to the New York Giants renaissance. He put his body on the line every play, and the Ole Miss product gets up after every hit. With John Harbaugh taking the reigns in New Jersey, Dart is expected to take a major step forward. 

For all that, the Giants are paying less than $4 million against the cap. He’s making less than notable busts Mitchell Trubisky, Kenny Pickett, Jameis Winston (his teammate), and Davis Mills are all making way more money than him. The guys at the top of the league are making his salary tenfold. 

Dart’s contract, as long as he stays healthy, will continue to be the best in the league until he signs a fresh, new extension. He’s not eligible for that until after the 2027 season, so Dart will be waiting for a while before the massive money starts coming in. Since he wasn’t a top-five pick like most other young, star quarterbacks, Dart’s payday will be even more necessary.

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