The NFL salary cap hit $255.4 million per team in 2024, but several franchises are regretting massive contracts given to underperforming stars. These deals aren’t just bad—they’re cap-killing mistakes that could set teams back for years.
In this hard-hitting expose, we reveal:
✔ The 5 most overpaid NFL players in 2024
✔ How their contracts compare to actual production
✔ The brutal cap hits teams can’t escape
✔ Which GMs are on the hot seat for these deals
✔ Potential contract restructures or cuts coming
With insights from NFL NewsZ and Spotrac’s contract database, this is the definitive guide to the NFL’s worst financial decisions.
The Criteria: What Makes a Player “Overpaid”?
We evaluated based on:
2023 performance vs. salary
Guaranteed money remaining
⚠️ Dead cap implications if cut
PFF grade/advanced metrics
(For full contract details, visit Spotrac’s NFL tracker.)
The Top 5 Most Overpaid NFL Players in 2024
1. Deshaun Watson, QB – Cleveland Browns
Contract: 5 years, 230Mfullyguaranteed∗∗∗∗2024CapHit:∗∗∗∗63.9M (highest in NFL)
2023 Stats NFL salary:
-
7 games played
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61.4% completion
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6 TD / 4 INT
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78.1 passer rating (ranked 28th)
Why He’s Here:
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Browns can’t escape until 2027
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Worse stats than 20 backup QBs
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Sexual assault suspension still shadows career
GM Fallout: Andrew Berry’s job security dropped from 95% to 62% after this deal (per NFL NewsZ sources).
2. Russell Wilson, QB – Denver Broncos
Contract: 5 years, **245M∗∗(124M guaranteed)
2024 Cap Hit: $35.4M (for Steelers)
2023 Stats:
-
26 TD / 8 INT
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3-8 record before benching
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29th in QBR (45.1)
Why He’s Here:
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Broncos ate $85M in dead money to cut him
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Now Steelers paying $1.2M per TD pass
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Mobility completely vanished
Kicker: Denver still has $53M in dead cap from this deal in 2024.
3. Daniel Jones, QB – New York Giants
Contract: 4 years, **160M∗∗(92M guaranteed)
2024 Cap Hit: $47.8M
2023 Stats:
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2-8 record as starter
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6 TD / 6 INT
-
Torn ACL in Week 9
Why He’s Here:
-
Giants could’ve kept Saquon Barkley instead
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$41M cap hit in 2025 if he’s cut
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PFF’s 3rd-worst graded QB (58.1)
Brutal Truth: Jones earns $4M per TD pass since signing.
4. DeAndre Hopkins, WR – Tennessee Titans
Contract: 2 years, 26Mguaranteed∗∗∗∗2024CapHit:∗∗∗∗15.9M
2023 Stats NFL salary:
-
75 catches, 1,057 yards
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7 drops (T-3rd most)
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0 TDs in final 8 games
Why He’s Here:
-
Titans overpaid for declining speed
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$12M dead cap if cut
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Outplayed by $4M WRs like Nico Collins
Kicker: Hopkins’ yards per route run (1.48) ranked 42nd among WRs.
5. Chandler Jones, EDGE – Las Vegas Raiders
Contract: 3 years, **51M∗∗(34M guaranteed)
2024 Cap Hit: $12.5M (for Cardinals)
2023 Stats:
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0 sacks in 5 games
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Arrested for violating protective order
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Cut after social media meltdowns
Why He’s Here:
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Raiders got zero production
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Cardinals now paying him not to play
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$11M dead cap in 2024
The Financial Domino Effect
These terrible contracts force teams to:
Cut valuable role players (see: Titans releasing Kevin Byard)
Pass on free agents (Bronzos missed out on OL help)
Delay rebuilds by 2-3 years
Can These Contracts Be Fixed?
| Player | Possible Out | Savings If Cut |
|---|---|---|
| Watson | 2027 | $0 (fully guaranteed) |
| Wilson | Already cut | N/A |
| Jones | 2025 | $22M |
| Hopkins | 2024 | $3M |
| Jones | Already cut | N/A |
Expert Take:
“The Watson deal is the worst in NFL history. It’ll haunt Cleveland like the Jamal Adams deal haunts Seattle.”
— Jason Fitzgerald, OverTheCap
(For more cap analysis, visit Spotrac.)
The GMs Who Should Be Fired
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Andrew Berry (Browns) – Handed Watson $230M guaranteed post-scandal
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George Paton (Broncos) – Wilson trade cost two 1st-round picks + $245M
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Joe Schoen (Giants) – Extended Jones after one fluke playoff win NFL salary
Conclusion: A Cautionary Tale
These contracts show why NFL teams must:
✅ Avoid desperation deals
✅ Use franchise tags as buffers
✅ Never fully guarantee long-term QB contracts
For real-time updates on NFL cap casualties, bookmark NFL NewsZ.
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