NFL betting statistics show that the highest paid NFL quarterback is Cincinnati’s Carson Palmer. That’s right; it is not Tom Brady or Peyton Manning. Brady doesn’t even make the Top 10 in terms of highest NFL player salaries for quarterbacks.
NFL betting stats show that four of the league’s seven players with salaries above $10 million are quarterbacks. Before we get into the top NFL player salaries you should understand that they change every season because of how the contracts were written and the salary cap. For example, last season the highest paid player was Indianapolis Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney at just over $30 million but that number is skewed because Freeney signed a six year deal with a $30 million bonus. The highest paid players on the list are the ones with the biggest NFL signing bonuses.
Let’s look at what the real numbers are in terms of highest NFL player salaries without all of the bonuses thrown in. Carolina’s Julius Peppers is the top paid player in the league at $14.1 million per season according to NFL betting statistics. He is followed closely by Simeon Rice at $10.5 million according to NFL betting stats. The top defensive tackle in terms of NFL player salaries is Denver’s Dewayne Robertson at $7.4 million according to NFL betting numbers. The top offensive lineman is Cleveland’s center Ryan Pontbriand at $8.9 million. San Francisco cornerback Nate Clements is the league’s second-best paid defensive player after Julius Peppers at just over $11 million according to NFL betting stats. The best paid linebacker is Baltimore’s Ray Lewis at $9.4 million according to NFL betting numbers. San Diego’s LaDainian Tomlinson is the league’s highest paid running back at $7.1 million just ahead of Arizona’s Edgerrin James. The highest paid safety is Chicago’s Adam Archuleta at just over $5 million per season according to NFL betting stats. He is probably the most overpaid player in the league.
Vikings punter Chris Kluwe leads the kickers at $5 million a year according to NFL betting numbers. The lowest paid position according to NFL betting numbers is tight end. Topping the list is Todd Heap at $4.9 million according to NFL betting numbers.
Keep in mind that these salaries don’t include all the bonuses that players signed for which tilt the overall salaries.