LockerRoomDaily

The edge rusher market is booming, and 2025 just cranked the heat up another level. T.J. Watt has taken the throne with a monster extension, resetting the market again after Myles Garrett and Maxx Crosby briefly held the crown earlier this offseason. Even crazier? Micah Parsons and Trey Hendrickson still haven’t been paid yet.

With pass rushers becoming as valuable as franchise quarterbacks, front offices are throwing around cash like it’s the Wild West. Let’s dive into who’s cashing in the most and what they’ve done to earn it.

1. T.J. Watt, Steelers

Annual salary: $41 million

The Steelers gave their cornerstone defender a blockbuster three-year, $123 million extension ahead of the 2025 season, making him the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history. Watt’s been the face of Pittsburgh’s defense for nearly a decade and still plays like he’s in his prime.

He’s coming off back-to-back full seasons, piling up sacks and forcing offenses to account for him on every snap. With 108 career sacks, a Defensive Player of the Year award, and an engine that never quits, Watt didn’t just earn this deal—he dared the league to top it. No one has… yet.

2. Myles Garrett, Browns

Annual salary: $40 million

Just five weeks after demanding a trade and threatening to sit out games, Garrett flipped the script and signed a four-year, $160 million extension with the Browns, briefly making him the league’s top-paid defensive player.

.@MylesLGarrett balled out in Year Four:
🏈 13 sacks
🏈 11 TFL
🏈 4 FF and 2 FR pic.twitter.com/rAqiO8m8aA

— NFL (@NFL) February 18, 2021

He’s earned every penny. Garrett is averaging 15 sacks over the last four seasons, was the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year, and is one of the most unblockable forces in football. He’s locked in through 2030, which means the AFC North will be living in fear of Watt and Garrett for years to come.

3. Maxx Crosby, Raiders

Annual salary: $35.5 million

Crosby got the bag in March with a three-year, $106.5 million extension, briefly becoming the NFL’s highest-paid defender before the Garrett and Watt deals dropped.

The Raiders edge machine has 59.5 career sacks and is a relentless motor on a rebuilding squad. He’s the face of the franchise, the leader in the locker room, and he plays every snap like it’s fourth down in the playoffs. Las Vegas locked him up through 2029—because you just don’t let guys like Crosby walk.

4. Nick Bosa, 49ers

Annual salary: $34 million

Bosa signed his five-year, $170 million extension back in 2023, putting an end to a contract standoff with the 49ers that had fans biting their nails. For a while, he was the king of the edge rusher market.

Though he battled a hip injury in 2024, Bosa still played at an elite level when on the field. The 2022 Defensive Player of the Year is still the anchor of San Francisco’s ferocious front seven and remains under contract through 2028.

5. Josh Hines-Allen, Jaguars

Annual salary: $28.25 million

The man formerly known as Josh Allen had a breakout 2023 (17.5 sacks!) and got rewarded in a big way with a five-year, $141.25 million extension in April 2024.

He’s now one of the highest-paid defenders in the league and the heartbeat of Jacksonville’s pass rush. Through six seasons, he’s racked up 53 career sacks, and if 2024 was any indication, he’s just getting warmed up.

6. Brian Burns, Giants

Annual salary: $28.2 million

Burns finally got the contract he’d been waiting for—just not with the Panthers. After a blockbuster trade to the Giants in 2024, New York handed him a five-year, $141 million deal.

In his first season with Big Blue, Burns recorded 8.5 sacks and 18 QB hits, proving he’s still one of the NFL’s most disruptive edge threats. The Giants paid for a game-wrecker, and they got one.

READ MORE: NFL’s Highest-Paid QBs in 2025

T-7. Montez Sweat, Bears

Annual salary: $24.5 million

Chicago wasted no time locking up Sweat after acquiring him at the 2023 trade deadline. Just four days after landing him, the Bears inked him to a four-year, $98 million extension with nearly $42 million guaranteed.

Sweat gives the Bears a high-floor, high-ceiling edge presence who fits perfectly into their defensive identity. His deal is cap-friendly and team-friendly, which might make it one of the better value contracts on this list.

T-7. Danielle Hunter, Texans

Annual salary: $24.5 million

Hunter signed a two-year, $49 million deal with the Texans in 2024, making him the rare third-contract player still cashing in at elite levels.

Houston didn’t fully guarantee his contract—classic Caserio move—but Hunter proved he’s still got juice after a 12-sack season. He’s in his 30s now, but he’s aging like fine wine. An extension could be on the table if he stays dominant, though Will Anderson Jr. is lurking in the wings.

9. Rashan Gary, Packers

Annual salary: $24 million

After a cautious return from an ACL tear in 2023, Gary roared back into form in 2024 with 7.5 sacks, 26 pressures, and his first Pro Bowl appearance. The Packers didn’t hesitate, signing him to a four-year, $96 million deal before Halloween last year.

Gary is still climbing and could easily rise higher on this list if his upward trajectory continues. His cap hits will swell in future years, but Green Bay clearly believes he’s worth it.

10. Bradley Chubb, Dolphins

Annual salary: $22 million

Chubb might’ve been the most debated name on this list just a year ago. The Dolphins gave up a first-rounder for him and paid him five years, $110 million, but injuries left some fans wondering if the juice was worth the squeeze.

Well, he answered those doubts in 2024: 11 sacks, 73 tackles, 33 pressures, and a league-leading six forced fumbles—all while coming off a torn ACL. That’s elite production, and now that he’s healthy again, Miami looks smart for betting on his ceiling.

And Still Waiting…

It’s worth noting—Micah Parsons and Trey Hendrickson still haven’t gotten paid. Parsons is widely expected to become the first defender to cross the $42+ million per year mark, and Hendrickson isn’t far behind after leading the NFL in sacks in 2024.

So don’t get too comfortable with this list—it’s about to get a shake-up, and soon.