There are a ton of bad contracts in the NFL today, but which player on each team has the worst one for the 2025 NFL Season?
Most NFL teams do have a contract that they don't really care for. Overpaying for a player is something that each team does at some point, and in many instances, it's really just a waiting game until they can move on in a smart financial way.
The 2025 NFL Season is quickly approaching, as the summer months are absolutely going to fly by, but as we get into the bulk of the summer, let's look at each NFL team's worst contract.
Identifying the worst contract on each NFL team for 2025
Arizona Cardinals - Kyler Murray, QB, $46.1m per year
Kyler Murray is getting paid quite a bit and is among the top paid quarterbacks in the NFL. However, Murray hasn't really ever broken out and cemented himself as a top QB. The Arizona Cardinals have had some decent success with the first overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, but nothing consistent has ever materialized.
Murray is their most overpaid player and is the team's worst contract.
Atlanta Falcons - Kirk Cousins, QB, $45m per year
This one is obvious. Kirk Cousins is absolutely the worst contract on the Atlanta Falcons. He was signed in free agency last year, which was fine, but them drafting Michael Penix Jr and Cousins declining in real-time in 2024 has really made this situation awkward. Is Cousins just going to be a $45 million per year backup QB in 2025?
Baltimore Ravens - Rashon Bateman, WR, $12.25m per year
Rashod Bateman is an interesting player who is now getting just over $12 million per year. He's not a bad player, and this might be a fair contract, but the Ravens are pretty much always well-run, so they don't necessarily have a bad contract. The 2024 year was the first time he's played a full season, and he's never had more than 756 yards in a season, and he's never reached 50 receptions in a year as well.
Buffalo Bills - Dawson Knox, TE, $9.83m per year
Dawson Knox has fallen out of favor a bit with the Buffalo Bills after two strong years in 2021 and 2021. Since then, Knox has failed to hit 350 yards receiving over the last two years and is getting paid just about $10 million per season. Since he's still on the team, they may have a plan for him, but the value be brings to the franchise at this point is not worth nearly $10 million per season.
Carolina Panthers - Robert Hunt, OG, $20m per year
Robert Hunt signed a free agency deal with the Carolina Panthers last offseason for the giant price of $20 million per year, but he really wasn't all that great for them. As a whole, the Panthers offensive line is solid and honestly among the best in the NFC. Quarterback Bryce Young really has no excuses in 2025, as the team has added a ton of other offensive talent this offseason.
But it would not shock me to see the team trying to move on from Hunt in some capacity as soon as they can. It's also not hard to find competent iOL play. Robert Hunt is the Panthers worst contract for 2025.
Chicago Bears - Montez Sweat, DE, $24.5m per year
Montez Sweat is a very good player, but I bet you had no idea he's getting paid nearly $25 million per year. Sweat was a trade addition by Bears GM Ryan Poles, and it's not been his best move. In 2024, Sweat played in 16 games and finished with 5.5 sacks, nine tackles for loss, and 12 QB hits. While being a DL is more than just pass rush statistics, you absolutely would expect more in this department from a top-paid DE.
Cincinnati Bengals - The contracts they don't have done
Both Trey Hendrickson and Shemar Stewart do not currently have the contracts they need from the Cincinnati Bengals. Hendrickson has developed into an elite pass rusher with Cincy over the past few seasons, and Stewart is their 2025 first-round pick. There seems to be a distinct possibility that both Hendrickson and Stewart aren't on the field for Week 1 of the 2025 NFL Season, so the already terrible Bengals defense could get even worse.
Cleveland Browns - Deshaun Watson, QB, $46m per year
Perhaps the worst contract in all of sports, Deshaun Watson's deal is paying him a whopping $46 million per season. He's now torn his Achilles twice and may not take another snap in the NFL if we're being honest. Watson likely won't even be recovered enough to be on the active roster at any point in 2025. This has turned into one of the worst transactions in the history of professional sports, and it's totally derailed the Browns franchise.
Dallas Cowboys - Dak Prescott, QB, $60m per year
At $60 million per year, Dak Prescott is the only QB in the NFL who has hit this figure, but he's absolutely not worth it. The QB contract market works like this, though, as we see QBs resetting the top of the market with regularity.
Prescott is an above-average QB and does get quite a bit of hate thrown his way. A lot of that hate is simply because he plays for the Dallas Cowboys, as he would be a better QB option than what many other teams currently have. The veteran QB has always said the right thing and is clearly a top-tier teammate, but the pricetag just isn't a fair assessment of the play the Cowboys get.
Denver Broncos - Ben Powers, OG, $13m per year
The Denver Broncos have done a very nice job at rebuilding their roster and digging themselves out of the Russell Wilson mess they got themselves in. In 2022 and 2023, Wilson's deal was clearly their worst, but if you look across this roster, Denver doesn't really have a bad contract. Ben Powers' deal might be the worst, as he's been pretty average for Denver in his two years with the team, but he's getting paid $13 million per year, which is extremely rich for an interior offensive lineman.
Detroit Lions - Jared Goff, QB, $53m per year
Jared Goff has revived his career with the Detroit Lions, but the playoff success just has not been there. Goff is near the top of the QB market with $53 million per year. At some point, the Lions are going to need their franchise QB to put this team on his back and take them on a run.
If 2025 is yet another year where Detroit falls short in the postseason, what does that say about Goff? The former LA Rams QB needs to show more on the field. The regular season stats are great, but that only goes so far.
Green Bay Packers - Jordan Love, QB, $55m per year
Another QB who falls into this category is Jordan Love of the Green Bay Packers. Love is getting paid a whopping $55 million per year, and it's clear that the Packers are banking on him eventually exploding at some point. He's got the athleticism and tools to become a top-5 QB, but no one would dispute that he isn't.
Heck, by the time 2025 is over, Love might be the third-best QB in his own division. Yes, he's a franchise passer, but he's going to end up being another guy in that tier with Dak Prescott, Tua Tagovailoa, and others if he can't help take this franchise to the next level.
Houston Texans - Cam Robinson, LT, $12m per year
I kind of understand why the Houston Texans traded Laremy Tunsil, but with Cam Robinson projected to start at LT for them in 2025, QB CJ Stroud might be running for his life. Robinson just isn't a good player and is probably going to make life harder for Stroud in the pocket. The deal he inked with Houston this offseason pays him an average value of $12 million per year. It's a one-year deal, so Houston doesn't have to stick with Robinson beyond 2025.
But if this was their plan all along for 2025 after trading Tunsil, they should have honestly just kept the veteran tackle.
Indianapolis Colts - Anthony Richardson, QB, $8.49m per year
I am kind of cheating here with this one, as Anthony Richardson is obviously on his rookie deal, but he's been such an awful quarterback for the Colts that it almost felt wrong to not put him on this list. Richardson is unfortunately a hilariously bad player and is already hurt. He could get beat out by Daniel Jones for the starting job, and if that's the case, it could put an end to his time with Indy.
Richardson was a bad college QB to begin with and just got severely over-drafted by Chris Ballard, and missing on the former Florida QB could end up putting a nail into the coffin of Ballard's tenure with the Colts as their GM.
Jacksonville Jaguars - Arik Armstead, DE, $14.5m per year
Starting just one game for the Jaguars in 2024, Arik Armstead produced two sacks and 29 total tackles. The $14.5 million per year price is just way too much for Armstead, who has been in the NFL since 2015 when he was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers. This was another pretty notable free agency miss by Trent Baalke, who isn't with the team anymore.
Armstead may end up being on the decline, and that's OK, as all NFL players go through this at some point in their careers. He is the team's worst contract approaching the 2025 NFL Season.
Kansas City Chiefs - Jawaan Taylor, RT, $20m per year
I don't know if you heard that, but it's another penalty being called against Jawaan Taylor, the Chiefs $20 million per year right tackle. Taylor has just not been good for KC. According to PFF, he was called for 17 penalties in 2024 and graded out as the 82nd-ranked tackle among 140 qualified players.
Kansas City had to part with Joe Thuney this offseason for financial reasons, as they're now wanting to extend guard Trey Smith, and it would not shock me if Taylor was a cap casualty at some point. He's just not been a $20 million per year player for the team and does often get beaten in pass blocking. He's the Chiefs worst contract for 2025.
Las Vegas Raiders - Christian Wilkins, DT, $27.5m per year
Christian Wilkins played in just five games for the Raiders in the 2025 NFL Season due to a foot injury, and he is already set to turn 30 years old during the season. Wilkins was yet another example of former GM Tom Telesco going big-fish hunting in free agency, only to overpay for a player and neglect the overall roster depth.
Wilkins is a good player, but he's not great and is clearly not worth almost $30 million per year. That's just an insane pricetag, but he was one of those free agents that was likely going to get overpaid no matter where he signed, as teams do this every single year.
Los Angeles Chargers - Justin Herbert, QB, $52.5m per year
Before you roll your eyes at me, you have to hear me out - Justin Herbert is paid like an elite QB, but besides the shiny regular season stats, what does Herbert bring? The Los Angeles Chargers have gotten blown out in both appearances in the postseason during the Herbert era thus far, and it just seems like there is a clear and distinct ceiling with this franchise having Justin Herbert as their franchise QB.
He's not particularly close to being an elite player, but that's also the primary issue with the QB market today - finding a competent QB is tough, so teams are often forced to pay top-dollar for them since it's the most important position in all of sports. Justin Herbert is the Chargers worst contract for 2025.
Los Angeles Rams - Davante Adams, WR, $22m per year
Davante Adams did actually have over 1,000 yards with the Jets and Raiders in the 2024 NFL Season, but he caught just 60.3% of his targets and is also turning 33 years old near the end of the 2025 season. Adams is clearly still able to produce at a high level, but the overall decline has been happening for a couple of years now, and you have to wonder if 2025 is where we start to see things really fall apart.
Adams' deal is worth $22 million per year, but is that honestly what the veteran is worth at this point? Did the Los Angeles Rams seriously have to pay over $20 million to sign an aging wide receiver?
Miami Dolphins - Tua Tagovailoa, QB, $53.1m per year
Tua Tagovailoa would be the perfect QB for a team that has had QB dysfunction for years. He's good enough to keep jobs safe but does come with a clear injury concern. However, if a team wants to compete for Super Bowls, the former Alabama QB isn't someone to entrust.
The injury bug has followed Tagovailoa into his NFL career, and the Miami Dolphins are currently dealing with all of that. Things seemed to go off the rails a bit in the 2024 NFL Season, and you get the feeling that if the Dolphins can't at least get into the postseason, jobs could be lost.
And if that happens, would a different team even be willing to trade for Tua Tagovailoa? He's getting paid well over $50 million per year, which is simply way too much money for the performance they get.
Minnesota Vikings - Javon Hargrave, DT, $15m per year
The two-time Pro Bowler is entering his age-32 season in the NFL and played in just three games with the San Francisco 49ers in the 2024 NFL Season, so there is already a risk here with the Minnesota Vikings having made this signing, but I get why it was done.
The Vikings front office prioritized the trenches in a big way this offseason, as they also signed DT Jonathan Allen, center Ryan Kelly, and guard Will Fries, but this is a massive overpay for a DT who is getting old and who has had double-digit QB hits in just three seasons across his career.
New Engand Patriots - Milton Williams, DT, $26m per year
In 17 games for the Eagles in the 2024 regular season, Milton Williams racked up five sacks, 24 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, and 10 QB hits. He seems to have gotten a huge boost with his massive free agency contract due to recency bias, as he was quite good during the Eagles playoff run.
Williams is getting paid a whopping $26 million per year by the New England Patriots, and this honestly feels like one of those instances where a team spent a ton of money just because they had a ton to spend. This is not an accurate representation of the type of production to expect from Milton Williams.
New Orleans Saints - Chase Young, DE, $17m per year
Chase Young started zero games for the New Orleans Saints in 2024 and racked up 5.5 sacks, eight tackles for loss, and 21 QB hits, so he did produce at a decent level, but $17 million per year for the player, who is often seen as someone who isn't always giving 100% effort, was one of the many mistakes Saints GM Mickey Loomis made this offseason.
Young is still only 26 years old, so there could be some upside left, but Chase Young was the type of player to perhaps offer a one-year deal this offseason instead of something longer. This isn't a great contract for the New Orleans Saints.
New York Giants - Jon Runyan Jr, OG, $10m per year
PFF gave Jon Runyan Jr a 56.1 grade in 2024, which graded out at 94th among 136 qualified guards, so his play might not warrant the $10 million contract he somehow scored from the Giants last offseason. Joe Schoen has been among the worst GMs in the NFL since taking over a few years ago, and Runyan is one of his many mistakes.
You almost feel bad for Giants fans at this point, right?
New York Jets - Justin Fields, QB, $20m per year
I'm sorry, but it's 2025, so we can stop with the 'Justin Fields is going to breakout' nonsense. He's now on his third team in as many seasons, a career-losing quarterback, and a below-average passer who holds onto the ball for too long and takes too many sacks. I get that this is essentially a one-year deal for Fields, but $20 million per season for backup-caliber QB play is just nasty.
My guess is that GM Darren Mougey kind of panicked and recognized that the Jets really didn't have much of a path to find a QB this offseason, so he overpaid for Fields to at least get some small level of competence in the building.
Philadelphia Eagles - Jalen Hurts, QB, $51m per year
You might come at me for this, as I have been critical of Jalen Hurts for years, but there is a reason why Howie Roseman is also fielding a top-3 offensive line, elite WR duo, and elite running back; he's got no other choice, as Jalen Hurts is an extremely limited QB who just so happens to have 'aura' which seems to make folks thing he's a top QB.
He's not. Hurts has never thrown for 4,000 yards or hit the 25 passing touchdown mark in a season. He, like Justin Fields, holds onto the ball for too long and isn't always someone you can trust to play on time. The Eagles are lucky that Howie Roseman is such a great GM, as if not, this team wouldn't have gotten to where they are today.
Pittsburgh Steelers - DK Metcalf, WR, $32.99m per year
While I am higher on DK Metcalf than a lot of people, it just feels like he's outside that top tier of wide receivers in the NFL. Some have called out Metcalf over the years for getting lazy with his route-running at times. Despite that, he has still been quite productive, but his current contract is paying him $33 million per year, which is a bit rich in the eyes of many.
Aaron Rodgers is going to throw a ton of passes Metcalf's way, and he's surely going to have a productive season, but I am not alone in thinking that the contract he got from the Pittsburgh Steelers was a bit rich.
San Francisco 49ers - Bryce Huff, DE, $17.03m per year
Bryce Huff was signed to this deal by Howie Roseman, so it's not necessarily the fault of the 49ers that he's their worst contract, but the Niners did make the trade and clearly think they can get some value from him. The former Jets and Eagles pass rusher was a total non-factor in 2024 for the Eagles, but he's still got youth on his side, so there could be a breakout season on the horizon.
Seattle Seahawks - Cooper Kupp, WR, $15m per year
Cooper Kupp has played in 12 games in each of the last two seasons, so the injuries are evident and have kind of followed him his entire career. Kupp is also on the wrong side of 30 and figures to be a focal point of the Seahawks WR room in 2025 since both DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett aren't there.
It could be hard for Cooper Kupp to get something going if Sam Darnold reverts back to his old ways and if the veteran WR can't stay on the field. It could be a long year for Kupp and the Seahawks in the 2025 NFL Season.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Antoine Winfield Jr, SAF, $21.02m per year
The safety position is tricky, as Antoine Winfield Jr is one of the best in the NFL, but he's atrocious in coverage and played in just nine games in the 2024 season. Winfield hit his stride in 2023 with three interceptions, 12 passes defended, six forced fumbles, six sacks, and 122 total tackles, but the massive deal and the 2024 injury does make things a bit tough here.
Unless he gets back to his old ways and puts the injury concern behind him, the Buccaneers could be staring down a massively overpaid defensive back. He's not making much less per year than Patrick Surtain II.
Tennessee Titans - L'Jarius Sneed, CB, $19.1m per year
L'Jarius Sneed played in just five games in the 2024 NFL Season and is already off to a rocky start with the Tennessee Titans, as he registered zero defended passes and 23 total tackles. Sneed had a great three-year run with the Chiefs from 2021-2023, but it seems like much of that could have been due to the elite coaching from Steve Spagnuolo.
Washington Commanders - Javon Kinlaw, DT, $15m per year
This was a shockingly rich deal when it went down. Javon Kinlaw has not lived up to his draft billing, but in 2024 with the Jets, he did have 4.5 sacks, 40 total tackles, five tackles for loss, and five QB hits, so he was moderately productive, but he's already set to play in his age-28 season, and $15 million per year from the Washington Commanders is just a bit too much money.
The franchise has been able to figure things out over the last year, but this move could end up being one of the worst ones of the Adam Peters era.