Highest-paid NFL defensive players: Where Texans' Will Anderson Jr. ranks

[ASFN Admin]

Defense spending continues to rise.

NFL teams are starting to cut big checks for the league's best defensive players, and the market is booming right now. It's a market that now has some of the game's best pass-rushers standing alongside quarterbacks as among the sport's highest-paid players.

On April 17, Will Anderson Jr. etched his name onto those lists after the Houston Texans awarded him with a three-year, $150 million extension, according to reports.

In other words, it pays to play defense.

Myles Garrett, Maxx Crosby, Danielle Hunter, T.J. Watt and Micah Parsons all claimed a spot last offseason – a sign of things to come.

Anderson is getting the party started this offseason, setting the stage – and market – for many years to come. Now there's a new No. 1 on the highest-paid lists.

Here's what to know about the highest-paid NFL defensive players in terms of average annual value (AAV) and total value, as well as the highest-paid non-quarterbacks in the sport.

Highest-paid NFL defensive players​

Here's a look at the top-10 highest-paid defensive players in terms of AAV and total contract value, according to OverTheCap.

AAV​

1. Will Anderson Jr., Houston Texans: $50 million
2. Micah Parsons, Green Bay Packers: $46.5 million
3. Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit Lions: $45 million
4. T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers: $41 million
5. Danielle Hunter, Houston Texans: $40.1 million
6. Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns: $40 million
7. Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas Raiders: $35.5 million
8. Nick Bosa, San Francisco 49ers: $34 million
9. Chris Jones, Kansas City Chiefs: $31.75 million
10. Trent McDuffie, Los Angeles Rams: $31 million

Total contract value​

1. Micah Parsons, Green Bay Packers: $186 million
2. Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit Lions: $180 million
3. Nick Bosa, San Francisco 49ers: $170 million
4. Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns: $160 million
5. Chris Jones, Kansas City Chiefs: $158.75 million
6. Will Anderson Jr., Houston Texans: $150 million
7. Joshua Hines-Allen, Jacksonville Jaguars: $141.25 million
8. Brian Burns, New York Giants: $141 million
9. Trent McDuffie, Los Angeles Rams: $124 million
10. T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers: $123 million

Highest-paid non-QBs​

1. Will Anderson Jr., Houston Texans: $50 million
2. Micah Parsons, Green Bay Packers: $46.5 million
3. Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit Lions: $45 million
4. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks: $42.15 million
5. T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers: $41 million
6. Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals: $40.25 million
7. Danielle Hunter, Houston Texans: $40.1 million
8. Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns: $40 million
9. Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas Raiders: $35.5 million
10. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings: $35 million

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Will Anderson Jr. contract extension makes him NFL's highest-paid non-QB

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