As the NFL Salary cap consistently goes up, so will NFL contracts. Over the next two years you will see records fall at every position. It’s just the nature of the NFL. Since the offseason is agonizingly long, each week I will profile a different position to tell you who is the next man up for the Biggest NFL Contract. This week: Linebacker
Quarterback
The Next Biggest NFL Contract Series
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Offensive Tackle
Defensive Tackle
Wide Receiver
Cornerback
Guard and Center
Safety
Running Back
Linebacker
Tight End: August 19
Special Teams: August 26
It’s important to know that this list only includes traditional linebackers and not the pass rushers masquerading as linebackers but without most of the responsibility. It’s a position that does get love in terms of dollars because it doesn’t come with the shiny counting stats like sacks and interceptions. Still, get yourself a great linebacker and watch the rest of your defense come together.
Total Value – Roquan Smith – $100m
I usually begin with AAV, but the LB conversation has to start with Smith who signed a 5/$100m contract with the Ravens back in 2023 after a trade from the Bears. Smith is a great LB and Baltimore had to be thinking it would get ahead of the market with this contract, but it simply never happened. At the time, Shaq Leonard was the highest paid with a 5/$98.5m deal from the Colts (who had topped the recently signed 5/$95.5m deal signed by Fred Warner), so Smith received the logical next iteration of the highest contract. Then the market dried up. Smith has held the title for every day of the 3 years since he signed his deal
AAV – Fred Warner – $21m
Smith’s deal was also the benchmark for AAV until last year when Fred Warner re-signed with the 49ers for 3/$63m. Pretty simple business here, taking Smith’s $20m and raising it by $1m per season. The more surprising thing is that after elite play and never missing a game, Warner didn’t try to do more for the position. A 2/$50m or 3/$75m deal would not have been crazy. I guess the crazy part is that the salary cap was $225m when he took the title and is now $301m. The market for LBs has barely budged while the league salary cap has gone up 33%.
Total Guarantee – Roquan Smith – $60m
Smith continues into his 4th year with the highest guarantee for a LB. The big difference between him and everyone else on the list is that he is basically out of Guaranteed money at this point. Only $4m of his $20m cash this season is guaranteed. Of course, they would have to get rid of him to not pay him and they are not going to do that. Fred Warner on the other hand just received $56.7m guaranteed on his recent deal of only 3 years. you have to think Smith will want to join him and his financial stability.
Who’s Next?
The guy most likely to break these records, did not. Jack Campbell signed an extension with the Lions for 4/$81m with $51m guaranteed. That puts him right up there with Smith and Warner but not passed them. He fit the pedigree too: 1st round pick, All Pro, and young. So, if not Campbell, then who could it be? This is not the age of the star MLB like Ray Lewis or Luke Kuechly with Warner and Smith coming closest. Guys like Devin Lloyd and Jordyn Brooks came off good years and only managed 3/$40m-ish contracts. Since Jack Campbell 4 drafts ago, only one traditional LB has been drafted in the 1st round, Jihaad Campbell by the Eagles. Other than him, the only other promising LB talent out there is Edgerrin Cooper of the Packers. Unless Cooper levels up big time, no one is going to top the $100m of Smith any time soon.
As for the $21m AAV of Warner, there are two candidates: Smith and Eagles MLB Zack Baun. Since Smith has no more guaranteed money remaining, he could ask the Ravens for a raise on a short term. However, it’s just as easy to see them asking him to take a pay cut after failing to make an All-Pro team. Baun signed a 3/$51m deal after his transformational first year in Philadelphia. He followed that up with a very solid but non-All Pro year last season. He will be 30 years old by the end of the season and will not have any guaranteed money left on his contract. If Jihaad Campbell breaks out without Nakobe Dean in front of him this season, the Eagles could trade Baun. However, should Campbell stumble, there’s a chance an extension is on the table.
Contract Terms
Let’s say Roquan Smith returns to form this year and next to him on the All-Pro team is Baun. Both will be 30 and in the last year of their contracts with their current teams and looking for security. Considering their cap situations, neither team may be in position to give them a new contract. Assuming either trades or release and a ripe free agent market, both guys could be looking at 2-3 year deals paying right around what Warner received from SF but with a slight bump. That would be in the 2/$44m or 3/$66m range. Any drop in play though and they will become victims of the depreciated MLB market.
Contracts: Spotrac
Photo: AP Photo/Terrance Williams
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