5 most overpaid players in the NFL in 2022
The NFL is a sport with a hard salary cap, which means teams are only allowed to spend a certain amount of money each season on their players' contracts. This means that general managers and front office members need to make wise decisions about the proper amount of money to pay each player. The goal is for their dollar value to line up with their production on the field.
Teams have to solve their salary cap situation by balancing risk versus reward along the way. It's important to pay elite players high salaries to keep them on the team and satisfied with their position. It's equally important to avoid overpaying for a player who may not produce enough down the road.
While NFL teams are cautiously aggressive when giving players contracts, it's inevitable that some players will end up being overpaid at some point.
Here are five of the most overpaid players, based on the total cash value of their contract for the 2022-23 NFL season.
#5 Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco 49ers - $25.55 million
Only 18 NFL players will make more than $25 million in the 2022-23 season and Jimmy Garoppolo is one of them. While the San Francisco 49ers have found success with Garoppolo, including making a Super Bowl appearance, they are projected to name Trey Lance as their starting quarterback.
That makes Garoppolo one of the most expensive back-up quarterbacks of all time. The 49ers have been actively trying to get rid of him in the trade market. However, they have been unable to find a team interested enough to make a deal.
#4 Ezekiel Elliot, Dallas Cowboys - $12.4 million
Ezekiel Elliot is set to make $12.4 million during the 2022-23 season as part of his six-year contract with the Dallas Cowboys. He is the highest-paid running back heading into the 2022-23 season based on total cash value.
The Cowboys are likely cutting a top WR because they signed Ezekiel Elliott to a contract everyone knew was insane the moment pen hit paper.
Elliott earned his record-breaking contract from the Cowboys for being one of the most dominant offensive players in the league. However, he hasn't exactly been that way over the last two years. After averaging 1,900 scrimmage yards per season in his first three full seasons, he has averaged just 1,300 across his last two. He is still a productive back, but probably shouldn't be the highest-paid.