Dead money against the salary cap is the NFL equivalent of still making payments on a totaled car. The thrill is gone, times have changed, but the agreement from more prosperous, optimistic times is still in place.
Unlike a totaled car, NFL teams can’t exactly default on the payments and just ignore calls from debt collectors. They still owe the money, and it counts against their current salary cap.
Here is a list of all 32 NFL teams’ dead money situation, including which player is collecting the most from the team’s dead money pool. Figures are according to Over the Cap.
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Biggest dead money: QB Matt Ryan, $40,525,000
(AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
Biggest dead money: LB Khalil Mack, $24,000,000
(AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)
Biggest dead money: QB Deshaun Watson, $16,200,000
Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Biggest dead money: DT Fletcher Cox, $9,641,408
Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Biggest dead money: QB Russell Wilson, $26,000,000
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Biggest dead money: OT Terron Armstead, $12,981,324
Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Biggest dead money: CB James Bradberry, $11,727,778
Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Biggest dead money: QB Ben Roethlisberger, $10,340,000
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Biggest dead money: DE Yannick Ngakoue, $8,000,000
(AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)
Biggest dead money: CB Za’Darius Smith, $11,424,443
Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
Biggest dead money: C Matt Paradis, $8,293,334
[Bob Self/Florida Times-Union]
Biggest dead money: LB Joe Schobert, $9,937,500
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Biggest dead money: LB Jaylon Smith, $6,800,000
Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
Biggest dead money: LB Anthony Barr, $9,890,000
(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Biggest dead money: DE Trey Flowers, $12,112,376
(Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports)
Biggest dead money: G Ali Marpet, $7,150,000
Jeff Lange-USA TODAY NETWORK
Biggest dead money: TE Austin Hooper, $3,750,000
Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
Biggest dead money: DT Star Lotulelei, $5,200,000
Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Biggest dead money: OT Ja’Wuan James, $6,000,000
George Walker IV / Tennessean.com-USA TODAY NETWORK
Biggest dead money: WR Julio Jones, $4,800,000
(AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)
Biggest dead money: WR Robert Woods, $11,900,000
Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Biggest dead money: CB Tavon Young, $3,338,000
Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Biggest dead money: DT Jordan Phillips, $3,301,444
Sam Greene-USA TODAY Sports
Biggest dead money: CB Trae Waynes, $5,000,000
Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Biggest dead money: G Shaq Mason, $3,150,000
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Biggest dead money: WR DeVante Parker, $5,400,000
(AP Photo/David Becker)
Biggest dead money: LB Anthony Hitchens, $4,223,750
(AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
Biggest dead money: WR T.Y. Hilton, $2,300,000
(AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Biggest dead money: C Weston Richburg, $3,453,651
John McCreary-USA TODAY Sports
Biggest dead money: S Landon Collins, $3,825,000
Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Biggest dead money: OT Bryan Bulaga, $3,333,334
Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
Biggest dead money: TE Ryan Griffin, $500,000