Agent’s Take: How off-ball linebacker became the most underappreciated position on the NFL pay scale

Marcus Warner just became the first off-ball linebacker to break $ 20 million-in-year barrier. San Francisco 49ers and Warner have Equal to three years, $ 63 million contract extension Averaging $ 21 million a year with $ 56.7 million in promises.

There was some sense of urgency to redo warner’s contract. He had two years left in five years, $ 95.225 Million extension Averaging $ 19.045 million a year and signed in July 2021. He was scheduled at $ 18.25 million and $ 26.71 million hundreds and $ 26.71 million.

The 49ers do not have urgent work at the lower Warner’s 2025 Salary cap number, which was the roof of the off-ball linebackers prior to the new deal. According to the NFLPA data, 49ers had NFL’s Second-most 2025 cap space at $ 46.167 million under offseason system rules where only the top 51 salaries (ie, cap number) material. It’s Before Warner New deal with the Five years, $ 265 million extension averaging $ 53 million per year Quarterback brock purdy sealed.

Nevertheless Warner’s Record-Contract-Off-Ball Linebacker remains the most stagnant position financially. Warner’s extension moves on PIN by 5%. Warner Eclipsed Five-Year, $ 100 million action Roquan Smith received a Baltimore Raven on January 2023 at the first off-ball linebacker to hit $ 20 million-in-year mark.

Off-ball linebacker is quietly become underappreciated placed on the NFL pay scale for stagnation. It is always in this way.

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Jeff Kerr

The last days off-ball linebacker underwent a major reset was in 2019. Kwon Alexander briefly became the highest paid at the place with four years, $ 54 million averaging $ 13.5 million a year, who received a 49ers in the free year, who is from 49ers in the free. CJ Mosley quickly took off-ball linebacker classroom to different levels. I signed five years, $ 85 million contract averaging $ 17 million a year with a new york breaks to free free agent. Another shift in this market met with the future of the first-ballot for football Hall de Famer Bobby Wagner signed three-year-year-$ 54 million extension of averaging $ 18 million per year with the Seahawks at the start of training in late July.

None of the nearby Wagner’s $ 18 million a year to Warner’s 2021 extension overcome deal. There was only the material weeks before Shaquille Leonard Beat Warner with five-year, $ 98.5 million extension averaging $ 19.7 million a year and accepted by Colts.

Unfortunately for off-ball linebackers, warner’s 2021 extension has held in the market. He was still a covenant’s second-sum paid off-ball linebacker after Smith despite the signing about four years ago. The Colts released Leonard in the middle of the 2023 times.

The salary cap is grown 40.87% over the past five years from $ 198.2 million in 2020 as currently $ 279.2 million. At the top of the off-ball linebacker market has increased by just 16.67% with the current NFL Collective agreement is valid in March 2020. 16.67% of the worst growth between someone’s place in this area.

Comparing off-ball lb to other positions

Many positions, place the quarterback undergo, easily exceeded the growth of salary cap to the last five years. At the top of the cornerback market is almost doubled from Xavien Howard is $ 15.05 million per year for $ 30 million a year Derek Stingley Jr. Texans received from Houston in March with their three-$ 90 million extension in three-$ 90 million. It’s up to 50% increase in a breviare in the timeframe at the beginning of 2020 regular season with Jalen Ramsey had just become the first $ 20 million-a year defensive in five years, $ 100 million extension and signed with Los Angeles Rams.

A wide to receive the market exploded. It’s gone in 82.95% where Julio Jones was a leading road to $ 22 million a year to Ja’marr Chase Being NFL’s highest-paid non-four-quarterback in four-year-year, $ 171 million per year with Cincinnati Bengals per year.

In the mouth of Rusher Market saw 70.21% growth. Khalil Mack was probation for $ 23.5 million a year in March 2020. It’s a myles Garrett at $ 40 million a year. Garrett signed four years of $ 160 million extension with Cleveland needs in March. During the period 2025 regularly time begins Micah Parsons is expected to replace Chase as a league’s highest paid non-quarterback.

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Garrett Podell

The first tight end to break $ 10 million-in-year Mark happens in 2020 free agency with austin hooper signed four years, $ 42 million in averaging $ 10.5 million a year with browns. The dramatic reset occurred in the start of training camp with George sending receiving five years, $ 75 million extension averaging $ 15 million per year and July.

Suspendisse recently recovered a place on top and tight end salior hierarchy with four years, $ 76.4 million extension of $ 19.1 million per year signed by this part of April. The Eclipsed Four-year-$ 76 million extension averaging $ 19 million a year Trey McBride received a Arizona cardinals of the month before. Kittle is the deal with backloaded while McBride’s not up. Since Hooper signed, top of tight market has increased 80.95% – even if a little is a lot released when McBride is average $ 18 million each year.

Off-ball linebackers also lag after running back back, which had issues with salary depression in terms of top-of-in-market growth. 37.33% and running back to the market. The chief Ezekiel Ezekiel in March 2020 at $ 15 million a year. Nobody is waiting for Philadelphia Eagles extend the three years, $ 37.75 million contract averaging $ 12.583.33 per year (worth of $ 46.75 million in the incentive and salary of the first $ 20 million-in-year-old $ 41.2 million extension of $ 20.6 million per year with $ 36 million fully in March.

At the top of running back the market is not moved because Carolina Panthers gave Christian McCaffrey a four-year extension averaging $ 16,015,853 per year in April 2020 to 49ers addressed in the contract last of June. McCaffrey, who had two years left in the contract as Warner, signed two years, $ 38 million extension of averaging $ 19 million per year. I received an 18.63% increase on its market-setting 2020 deal. Contrary Warner got a 10.27% raised from 2021 extension. It would be essentially four-year-old-time between deals with and players. McCaffrey’s increase alone is a little higher (18.63%) than growth at the top of the off-ball linebacker market because Wagner signed about six years (16.67%).

Causes a lack of financial growth

Having expire contract in 2025 as off-ball linebacker is different than in 2019. Zack Ballebacker in 2024 at the end of the linebacker and the first four years to Orleans and in the first four years in NFL.

Baun became the only player to ever have at least 150 tackles and five or more forced fumbles in the NFL season. And it was in a bowl and earned the first-team all-for honors and the first of his life last time. BAUN AND FINALIST IN NFL’s Defensive player year award.

But most of the other positions despite a limited track record, baun was stood by a good chance resetting in the market. The eagles made an uncharacteristic, though, in making a major investment in the off-ball linebacker to re-sign BAUN to three, $ 5 li $ 17 million per year. The deal has been made BAUN in the league of the fourth-high-paid off-ball linebacker. It’s the same average-in-year-old salary Mosley got six years in the free agency to get in the market. When Alexander briefly put the market before Mosley, which is coming to turn off the year in which he tore the ACL on the left knee six games at the time. Nevertheless, Alexander contract had $ 25.5 million in the promise.

Another big difference from 2019 to what Wagner is the extension made up the Sixth-total-paid defensive player. For Warner’s extension at the same thing that would need to sign more than $ 28.25 million per year. The $ 21 million per year, warner is tied with green Bay Packers Cornerbackback Jaire Alexander and Bengals Edge Rusher Trey Hendrickson as NFL’s 30th high-paid defensive player.

How’s the next LBS?

It’s hard to get out of luck off-ball linebackers dramatically changing each other quickly. Smith is the best bet at the top warner. It would be in the morning 2026, but a couple of things you need. Smith is to continue to perform at all-for the level, which was the case always with the Corvi acquired by the Chicago to trade deadline in the midst of 2022 days. Space for two-time NFL MVP quarterback lamar jackson will take priority on Smith. Like Smith, Jackson will have two years left in the contract in 2026. It will be tough to the raven to carry jackson in 2026 in his $ 74.5 million cap number. The ability to get Jackson Gets a great deal of 2025 regular time begins It does not help encourage the way to Smith next year.

Smith has the largest 2026 cap is a number for an off-ball linebacker at $ 28,718.750. Ideal lion to be at Smith’s $ 4 million fifth-day-of-2026-covenant-year roster is a good debt next March 15.

Another off-ball linebacker to watch a jack campbell. In 2023 first-in a pick made with an enormous progress in 2024. Another step forward this time could start to Campbell to the Magnum Payday. Detroit lions, the first major decision in Campbell will be next offseason and fifth year. If the year Campbell in 2027 declined, hope for breaking the bank in Detroit Breathe. If Campbell is named in a bowl in the original search of this happen in the fifth year option is in $ 16 million neighborhood.

The recent trend has been decline fifth years of age options on the off-ball linebackers who are the first-in reader. It’s an easy choice for the most players haven’t lived at the catch positions.

The last off-ball linebacker have a fifth-year option practiced was 2019 fifth-overall pick devin white in 2022 in Tampa Bay Boccaneers. Parsons was drafted to the off-ball linebacker by Dallas Cowboys in 2022 and made a transition to the end of Rusher for his passage-rushed ability.

White overplayed in the hand ask in his contract year in 2023 per se the high-off-ball linebacker money. Buccaneers are interested in paying the fact level. White had a contract year to forget. By the time of the playoffs started, whites had been balanced for confidence in KJ Britt.

White signed one-year prove to act in 2024 free agency for $ 4 million deal with an eagle, which is worth up to $ 7.5 million in incentives. With Baun’s unexpected emergence, white is an expendable. He was released in the morning October. White is trying to resurrection career with the Raiders. I signed a self-year deal on its $ 1.17 million League minimum salary at the end of March.

Patrick Queen, which signed the most profit contract their first-in reads whose fifth-year options are not exercised after the list’s was. I proceeded to have their best season for instead of in 2023. Queen earned for a bowl of honors and the name of the second-team all-for a associated press, both at first, when forming the NFL’s Ball finally in Ravens with Smith. I sent to Pittsburgh Steelers, one of the Baltimore of Aemals in AFC North, in three years, $ 41 million contract in 2024 to free free agent. Queen $ 13,66667 a year barely more than that Alexander got a 49ers in 2019 free agency.