Cameron Jordan

NFL Active Leaders In Career Earnings

July 13th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Ben Levine

Kirk Cousins‘ four-year, $180MM deal with the Falcons this season vaulted him up the list of active career earners. This was by virtue of his $50MM signing bonus, adding to the more than $231MM he earned from the Commanders and (mostly) the Vikings throughout his career. Even under the worst-case scenario, Cousins will still see at least another $50MM come his way via his contract with Atlanta, which would push his career earnings north of $331MM.

While the soon-to-be 36-year-old Cousins will surely see a significant portion of the $80MM worth of unguaranteed money on his contract, he’ll still be hard pressed to catch Aaron Rodgers on the career-earnings list. Rodgers earned more than $306MM during his long tenure in Green Bay, and he’s already made close to $37MM during his one season in New York (mostly via the $35MM signing bonus on his reworked pact).

With at least $40MM of additional guarantees coming his way from the Jets, Rodgers will continue to grow his lead as the highest-earning NFL player of all time. Both Rodgers and Matthew Stafford were able to leap Tom Brady among the NFL’s highest all-time earners over the past year.

With all that said, we’ve listed the 25 active players who have earned the most money in their NFL careers (h/t to OverTheCap.com). While this list is up to date, it doesn’t account for soon-to-realized salaries for the 2024 campaign. This list is also solely focused on NFL cash and does not include off-the-field earnings:

QB Aaron Rodgers: $343MM
QB Matthew Stafford: $328MM
QB Russell Wilson: $305MM
QB Kirk Cousins: $281MM
QB Jared Goff: $234MM
LB Von Miller: $179MM
QB Joe Flacco: $177MM
OT Trent Williams: $171MM
QB Derek Carr: $165MM
LB Khalil Mack: $162MM
QB Dak Prescott: $161MM
DL Aaron Donald: $157MM
QB Jimmy Garoppolo: $150MM
DE Calais Campbell: $143MM
QB Deshaun Watson: $142MM
QB Patrick Mahomes: $136MM
DE Joey Bosa: $134MM
DL Leonard Williams: $134MM
WR Mike Evans: $132MM
QB Carson Wentz: $130MM
WR DeAndre Hopkins: $128MM
WR Stefon Diggs: $126MM
DE Cameron Jordan: $126MM
OT Lane Johnson: $121MM
DT Chris Jones: $120MM

Latest On Saints DEs Cameron Jordan, Chase Young

May 26th, 2024 at 11:59am CST by Rory Parks

Saints stalwart Cameron Jordan underwent surgery earlier this year to address the significant ankle injury he sustained in November. While the eight-time Pro Bowler was able to play through the injury, he was clearly limited by it down the stretch of the 2023 season, and he ultimately recorded just two sacks (his lowest total since his rookie year in 2011).

Fortunately, Jordan is on the mend. He told reporters, including Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football, that he is running again and participating in walk-throughs, and he hopes to do some on-field work by the end of OTAs and minicamp (the last OTA session is on June 6, and the club’s three-day mandatory minicamp commences on June 11).

Despite the diminished sack total, Jordan still played fairly well in the eyes of Pro Football Focus, securing a solid 73.5 overall grade that positioned him as the 41st-best edge defender out of 112 qualified players. That is off the pace of his elite performances from 2015-21 but right in line with his 2022 work. His overall mark was pulled down by a middling 63.8 pass rush grade, though there is hope that a healthy ankle will at least allow him to replicate the counting stats he accumulated in 2022, when he tallied 8.5 sacks, 66 total tackles (13 TFL), and a pair of forced fumbles.

One way or another, it appears that Jordan, who will turn 35 in July, has another two years to go in his illustrious playing career. The Cal product inked an extension last August that keeps him under club control through 2025, which he expects to be his last season. In classic Saints fashion, the team restructured his contract in March to clear cap space.

Joining Jordan on the New Orleans defensive front is free agent acquisition Chase Young, who has yet to get the big-money deal that he was doubtlessly eyeing when the Commanders made him the No. 2 overall pick in 2020. Young, of course, earned Defensive Rookie of the Year honors that season but struggled with a serious knee injury thereafter, though he did manage to post 7.5 sacks between the Commanders and 49ers in 2023. While he can earn up to $13MM on his one-year pillow contract with the Saints, most of that value comes in the form of per-game roster bonuses.

Young’s market was limited in part by the fact that he required neck surgery this offseason, and while the Saints were comfortable with his prognosis, they knew he would need some time to recover. As Triplett notes, Young will likely remain in “walk-through mode” through minicamp, which is consistent with earlier reports that he would be sidelined into training camp in July.

NFC South Rumors: Bucs, Saints, Wonnum

April 12th, 2024 at 1:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

Moving on from Shaquil Barrett after four years, the Buccaneers do have some options following that release. They saw 2023 Day 3 pick YaYa Diaby lead the team in sacks, and they signed Randy Gregory to pair with the ascending rusher and 2021 first-rounder Joe Tryon -Shoyinka. Granted, the Bucs have not seen tremendous production from Tryon-Shoyinka. Three years after that pick, the team is looking into first-round-caliber edge rushers once again. Already hosting Jared Verse on a visit, the Bucs have done “a ton” of work on UCLA’s Laiatu Latu and Penn State’s Chop Robinson, ESPN.com’s Matt Miller notes. The team was active on the pro-day circuit as well, speaking to a host of edges. The Bucs, who saw only one front-seven player (Diaby) eclipse six sacks last season, hold the No. 26 pick in this year’s draft.

Here is the latest from the NFC South:

Regularly investing early-round resources in their O-line, the Saints are in a bind at tackle. All-Pro right tackle Ryan Ramczyk is no longer a lock to play in 2024, and 2022 first-round pick Trevor Penning has not proven the answer yet at left tackle. The player the Saints kicked outside to replace Penning last season, Andrus Peat, is unsigned. This uncertainty has brought Saints connections to Penn State’s Olu Fashanu and Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga, ESPN.com’s Jordan Reid offers. This is a good year to need a tackle, with several first-round-caliber options available. Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board, which slots Fuaga 10th and Fashanu 15th overall, includes seven tackles in the top 25.
Going into his 14th NFL season, Cameron Jordan recently underwent surgery to address a badly sprained ankle, according to NOLA.com’s Matthew Paras. The longtime Saints edge anchor suffered the injury in late November, and while he played through it, the malady limited him down the stretch. The Saints believe the ankle issue contributed heavily to Jordan’s disappointing two-sack season. Last season marked Jordan’s first with fewer than 7.5 sacks since his 2011 rookie year. Jordan, 34, joins Chase Young as Saints D-ends who will be on the mend heading into the team’s offseason program. Young, who signed a one-year deal with much of its value in per-game roster bonuses, underwent neck surgery shortly after signing with the Saints.
On the subject of pass rusher injuries in this division, the Panthers will not have one of their edge pickups to start the offseason. Wonnum will not be available for Carolina’s OTAs, The Athletic’s Joe Person tweets. The former Vikings contributor suffered a torn quad near the end of last season. The Panthers gave Wonnum a two-year, $12.5MM deal; of that amount, however, only $1.25MM came guaranteed at signing.
Antonio Hamilton‘s recent Falcons contract is worth $1.4MM, ESPN.com’s Michael Rothstein tweets. Hamilton, who played for $1.5MM last season with the Cardinals, secured $985K guaranteed in his recent Atlanta agreement. Eddie Goldman, who has vacillated on retirement since his 2022 Bears release, did not see any guaranteed money on a vet-minimum deal. The Falcons, who have ex-Bears GM Ryan Pace in their front office, are giving Goldman a third chance. The veteran nose tackle has not played since 2021.

NFL Restructures: Saints, Ward, McGovern

March 2nd, 2024 at 5:04pm CST by Ely Allen

With the league’s recent release of the new salary cap numbers and the rapid approach of free agency and the draft, NFL teams are working to clear up cap space to help add significant talent to their rosters for the 2024 NFL season. The Saints made a number of moves recently to reflect this pattern.

New Orleans agreed to a restructured deal with defensive end Carl Granderson, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. The team converted a $9MM roster bonus that Granderson was due into a signing bonus spread over a five-year period. The move reduced his cap hit in 2024 from $12.45MM to $5.25MM, freeing up $7.2MM of cap space.

The team applied the same tactic to interior offensive lineman Cesar Ruiz‘s contract, per Pelissero, converting his $8MM roster bonus into a signing bonus and adding a void year to the end of his deal. The result saw Ruiz’s cap number drop from $10.85MM to $4.45MM, freeing up $6.4MM more of cap space.

One more time, the Saints got another player to sign a restructured deal this week. This time, star pass rusher Cameron Jordan agreed to convert $11.79MM of his 2024 base salary into a signing bonus, according to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football. Jordan’s base salary was reduced to $1.21MM, and the team cleared $9.43MM of cap space as a result.

Granderson, Ruiz, and Jordan join quarterback Derek Carr, defensive tackle Nathan Shepherd, and center Erik McCoy as Saints who have signed restructured deals to help clear cap space recently.

Here are a couple of other restructured deals from around the league:

The Browns got in on the party, agreeing to a restructured deal with cornerback Denzel Ward, per Pelissero. Cleveland converted $14.2MM of Ward’s base salary into a signing bonus and added a void year to the end of his contract. Ward’s 2024 salary is now $1.13MM as a result, and the move cleared $11.36MM of cap space for the upcoming league year.
Finally, the Bills were the other team this week to work towards more cap space. Offensive guard Connor McGovern agreed to a reworked deal that would convert $4.68MM of his 2024 base salary into a signing bonus and add two void years to the end of his contract, according to Pelissero. The restructure clears up $3.74MM of cap space for Buffalo.

NFC South Notes: Saints, Panthers, Edmonds

August 22nd, 2023 at 5:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Saints made a key tweak to their front office Tuesday, announcing Khai Harley will move into the assistant GM role. Harley has been with the Saints for 16 years, most recently serving as the team’s VP of football administration. Mickey Loomis has credited Harley as being one of the chief architects behind the franchise’s aggressive strategy with regards to the salary cap. Omar Khan used this background to become the Steelers’ GM, and Harley rising to this post may put him on the radar for interviews.

New Orleans also Scott Kuhn as director of football administration, Zach Stuart as director of analytics and Rishi Desai as a scouting assistant. Gaining extensive experience on the analytics front, Kuhn spent 16 years with the Vikings. Stuart spent the past three years as the Jets’ analytics coordinator. Additionally, former safety Matt Giordano is now an assistant on Dennis Allen‘s staff. Giordano, 40, spent one season with the Saints (2010); the 30-game starter also played for the Colts, Packers, Raiders and Rams from 2005-13. Giordano had spent six seasons as head coach of Buchanan High School in his native Fresno, concluding that tenure after the 2021 season.

Here is the latest from the NFC South:

Although Payton Turner carries a first-round pedigree, he is unlikely to beat out Carl Granderson for the starting role Marcus Davenport vacated this offseason. The Saints are more likely to turn to Granderson — a former UDFA — than Turner opposite Cameron Jordan, Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com notes. Granderson, 26, has stood out in training camp and has two five-plus-sack seasons over the past three years. Turner entered camp after two iffy years, and while the Saints are likely to give the 2021 first-rounder another shot, a rotational role looks to be how this will play out.
Jordan’s two-year, $27.5MM Saints extension is fully guaranteed, and it will also include sack incentives. Jordan can pick up an extra $500K with a 10-sack season this year, Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.football tweets. The 34-year-old defensive end can add $250K by reaching $250K in 2024 and 2025. Sitting 23rd on the official sack list (115.5), Jordan has six double-digit sack slates on his resume — including a 12.5-sack showing in 2021.
Frank Reich is in place as the Panthers‘ play-caller to start his HC tenure, but OC Thomas Brown continues to loom as a future option for the post. The first-year Carolina HC said the long-term goal remains to make Brown the play-caller, Darin Gantt of Panthers.com tweets. This is Brown’s first OC post, but he has already booked HC interviews and received interest from other teams regarding their respective OC jobs. A former Rams assistant, Brown earning play-calling responsibilities this year would enhance his case for a top coaching job.
Deion Jones‘ one-year Panthers agreement is worth $1.17MM, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. That doubles as the veteran minimum, though Wilson adds the former Falcons mainstay will receive a $75K bonus for making the Panthers’ 53-man roster. The Falcons gave Jones a four-year, $57MM extension before the 2019 season, but the team cut bait on that deal before the 2022 trade deadline. The Browns also removed a year from Jones’ contract, and scant interest came his way this offseason. This will be a key year for the 29-year-old linebacker.
The Panthers included four void years in Justin Houston‘s contract, dropping his cap hit to $2.13MM, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Houston signed a fully guaranteed one-year, $6MM deal earlier this month. The contract will include sack incentives, with Wilson adding Houston will receive $500K by reaching 11 sacks and could earn another $500K by hitting 12 (Twitter link). These are classified as not likely to be earned; Houston has one 11-sack season since 2015.
As the Buccaneers prepare to use Rachaad White as their starting running back, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times notes offseason addition Chase Edmonds is locked into the third-down role. Edmonds, who received just $153K guaranteed on a one-year Bucs deal, operated as a solid pass catcher for the Cardinals but is coming off a down year. The Dolphins included him as salary filler in the Bradley Chubb trade, and the Broncos made him a cap casualty in March.

Saints, Cameron Jordan Agree To Extension

August 4th, 2023 at 10:03pm CST by Adam La Rose

The latest new deal keeping Cameron Jordan in New Orleans has been worked out. The parties agreed to a two-year extension which is worth a fully-guaranteed $27.5MM, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link). The team has confirmed the news.

Jordan is now on the books through 2025, which should set him up well to meet his stated goal of continuing his career for roughly three to four more seasons. Indeed, while Jordan would not rule out a return in 2026 — which would be his 16th year in the league — he expects the 2025 campaign to be his last (Twitter link via Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football).

The new money and guarantees included in this pact are the largest ever provided to a defensive player at the age of 34, showcasing Jordan’s ongoing value to New Orleans even in the latter stages of his playing days. The eight-time Pro Bowler began extension talks earlier this offseason, and a strong mutual interest existed to ensure he would not play for a franchise other than the Saints. General manager Mickey Loomis made it clear a deal would be worked out, and Jordan’s future is now secure. The latter will move into second in franchise history in games played if he remains durable during the 2023 season, something which has never been an issue to date.

Jordan has played exactly 16 games in each of his 12 seasons in the NFL, remaining consistently productive over that span. He has reached double-digit sacks six times, and earned a Pro Bowl nod each year since 2017. Amidst his remarks confirming his wishes to remain in New Orleans to finish out his career, the former first-rounder said he intended to retire when it became clear he could no longer operate as a full-time starter. With 8.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss in 2022, Jordan will still be counted on as an anchor of the Saints’ defensive front moving forward.

New Orleans saw former first-rounder Marcus Davenport depart in free agency, which will leave plenty of snaps available for Payton Turner and second-round rookie Isaiah Foskey this season. Jordan will still be at the heart of the team’s edge rushing contingent, though, as he looks to extend his franchise record in sacks (115.5) while climbing the NFL’s all-time list in that department. Only Von Miller has more sacks amongst active players, and three years of runway will give Jordan considerable opportunity to improve on his current NFL rank of 23rd.

The Cal product was set to count for $15.1MM against the Saints’ cap this season, and it will be interesting to see if this agreement alters that figure. More importantly, though, New Orleans will now not be facing the prospect of seeing a $23.3MM cap charge next season as a result of the numerous void years tacked onto his deal. A multi-year extension should provide the Saints – a team forever tasked with salary cap gymnastics to retain its veterans – some clarity and stability moving forward.

Jordan is now well-positioned to help guide the Saints back to the postseason while adding further to his personal accolades. The 2010s All-Decade member will have a clearer picture of his remaining playing days as he winds down what will likely be a Hall of Fame career.

Saints DE Cameron Jordan Wants To Play For 3-4 More Years

July 30th, 2023 at 11:02am CST by Rory Parks

Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan is entering a contract year, and player and team have been discussing an extension for several months. When those conversations were first reported, we heard that Doug Hendrickson, Jordan’s agent, was hoping to get a deal finalized before training camp. If that did not happen, Hendrickson suggested that negotiations would be tabled until after the season.

On the day veterans reported to camp, Josina Anderson of CBS Sports reported (via Twitter) that talks were ongoing, with no suggestion that they would be tabled. Hendrickson noted in May that he was hoping to secure his client a deal of at least two years in length, while Anderson says that Jordan wants to play for three or four more years.

Jordan, who is entering his age-34 season, has had a remarkably productive and durable career. A first-round pick of the Saints in 2011, the Cal product has spent 12 years in New Orleans and has missed just two games during that time. He has compiled 115.5 sacks, eight Pro Bowl bids, and one First Team All-Pro nomination. He has received Pro Bowl acclaim in each of the past six seasons.

Clearly, Jordan remains an effective player, and Saints GM Mickey Loomis has unequivocally stated that Jordan will not suit up for any other franchise. Still, the fact that a new deal is not yet in place despite motivation on both sides indicates that there is nonetheless a gap to be bridged. Per Anderson, Jordan is seeking “respectable” terms, though it is unclear exactly what that means and how far apart the two sides are.

In addition to Jordan’s age and mileage, his performance did take a bit of a dip in 2022. He recorded 8.5 sacks, down from 12.5 the year prior, and his QB hits dropped from 22 to 13. He has generally been an advanced metrics darling, and while he still earned a strong 74.5 overall grade from Pro Football Focus in 2022, his pass rush grade was a below-average 53.2. That is easily the lowest mark of his career, and combined with the diminished surface-level stats, it is fair to wonder if a more precipitous decline could be forthcoming.

On the other hand, Jordan posted just 7.5 sacks and 16 quarterback hits in 2020 before bouncing back with a more typical performance in 2021, so while Loomis may be concerned about a decline, Jordan’s camp can just as easily argue that 2022 was merely a blip and that the player’s overall body of work is more relevant to contract dicussions. In any event, in light of Anderson’s report, it seems that an agreement may still be struck at some point in the near future.

Cameron Jordan Addresses Saints Extension Talks

June 19th, 2023 at 11:46am CST by Adam La Rose

Talks are underway on another new contract for Cameron Jordan, something which would further extend his career-long stint in New Orleans. Recent remarks made by general manager Mickey Loomis pointed to an extension being worked out soon, something the franchise icon would welcome.

“That’s a huge blessing,” Jordan said, via John DeShazier of the team’s website, in reaction to Loomis’ guarantee regarding his future with the Saints. “I want what I’ve always wanted, to be Black and Gold. I’ve said that plenty of times, whether I play 15 years or 16 years, I want to be here.”

The 33-year-old has remained highly productive during his 12 seasons in New Orleans, thanks in no small part to his sterling record of durability. Jordan has suited up for exactly 16 games every year to date, giving him the opportunity to break the franchise’s all-time sack lead amongst his many individual accomplishments. 2022 marked the sixth consecutive season (and eighth overall) in which he was named a Pro Bowler.

It thus came as little surprise when it was learned contract talks were underway earlier this offseason between Jordan and the Saints. One year remains on his current deal, one which has been restructured like those of many other Saints in recent years. A new deal would not only achieve the mutual goal of ensuring 2010s All-Decade member retires in New Orleans, it would also help the team’s cap situation. A short-term extension would help soften the void money charge currently in place for 2024 ($23.2MM).

It would also, of course, allow Jordan to continue climbing the Saints’ games played list and that of the NFL’s all-time sack leaders. He sits at 115.5 in the latter regard, which places him 23rd on the official count. Considering Jordan has racked up at least 7.5 sacks in every season except his rookie campaign, it would be reasonable to expect a move inside the top 20 in 2023. How much further he would be able to ascend would depend on the length of his next, and likely final, contract, one for which there is certainly a mutual desire.

Saints GM: Cameron Jordan Will Finish Career In New Orleans

May 30th, 2023 at 8:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Saints have begun extension talks with Cameron Jordan. This would mark a rare three-extension career for a non-quarterback, but Jordan — the Saints’ all-time sack leader — has continued to display durability and quality production into his mid-30s.

Although no deal is done, it does not sound like the Saints will chance letting Jordan come close to hitting free agency in 2024. The contract-year pass rusher remains firmly in the organization’s plans, with GM Mickey Loomis indicating Jordan will be a one-team player.

“He’s meant so much, not just to the organization, but the community and how he embraced New Orleans. He’ll definitely be with us for the duration of his career,” Loomis said during a Sirius XM Radio interview (Twitter links via NOLA.com’s Rod Walker). “He’s going to be able to play for us as long as he wants to and as long as he can.”

Jordan, 34 in July, is finishing up a three-year, $52.5MM deal he inked in 2019. One more year will match Saints Hall of Fame pass rusher Rickey Jackson, the franchise’s sack leader if unofficial totals before the sack era are included, but Jordan (115.5 career sacks) appears to be eyeing a move past Year 13. The 2011 first-round pick has missed just two games throughout his career, totaling an astounding 16 games played in all 12 of his NFL seasons.

New Orleans’ defensive line anchor totaled eight sacks last season but saw his quarterback-hit number drop from 22 (in 2021) to 13. The Saints lost five-year Jordan sidekick Marcus Davenport in free agency but have 2021 first-round pick Payton Turner and 2023 second-rounder Isaiah Foskey in place as wingmen going forward. The team also let longtime D-tackle starter David Onyemata walk in free agency; first-rounder Bryan Bresee will be charged with replacing him.

In the years since Jordan’s third Saints contract, T.J. Watt, Myles Garrett, Joey Bosa, Maxx Crosby and Bradley Chubb have signed deals at or north of $20MM per year. Jordan did not become the NFL’s highest-paid edge rusher in 2019 and will not threaten that place this year, especially with Nick Bosa ticketed for a contract north of $30MM per year. But Jordan remains a top-10 highest-paid D-end. A lucrative short-term deal that will help on the void-years front the Saints regularly navigate would stand to be mutually beneficial. Jordan’s current contract, which the team restructured again this offseason, contains a $23.3MM void charge. That puts the onus on the Saints to extend him before the 2024 league year. It sounds like they are ready to do so.

Only Jackson and Drew Brees have started more games than Jordan (191) with the Saints. Given his lack of an injury past, Jordan should be expected to cruise into second place on this list this season. He would need to play into the 2025 season in New Orleans to surpass Brees (228). That might not be out of the question.

Saints, Cam Jordan In Extension Talks

May 16th, 2023 at 11:54am CST by Adam La Rose

Cam Jordan is likely nearing the end of his Saints tenure, but at least one more contract could be agreed to in the near future. The franchise mainstay is in talks on an extension, as detailed by Brett Martel of the Associated Press.

The 33-year-old has one year remaining on the $52.5MM extension he signed in 2019. That deal has been restructured (along with many others amongst Saints veterans in recent years), leaving Jordan with a 2023 cap hit of $15.1MM. During the first of several void years after that, however, his cap hit is set to spike to $23.3MM.

Jordan represents a logical extension candidate given his continued production deep into his career. He posted a team-leading 8.5 sacks in 2022, which helped earn him a sixth consecutive (and eighth overall) Pro Bowl nod. It also gave the 2010s All-Decade team member a career sack total of 115.5, moving him past Rickey Jackson for the all-time franchise lead in that department.

Doug Hendrickson, Jordan’s agent, commented on his desire to get a deal of “at least” two years in length completed before training camp. Failing that, he added, contract talks would likely be tabled until after the season, where the prospect of free agency would loom over negotiations. The Saints are one of many teams projected to be well over the cap in 2024 as things currently stand, something which could provide incentive for the team to solidify Jordan’s financial future for the next few years.

Jordan should once again be in line for a starting role next season, with fellow defensive end Marcus Davenport having departed in free agency. New Orleans has focused on their edge rushing corps in recent years, though, using a first-round pick in 2022 on Payton Turner and a second-rounder this past draft on Isaiah Foskey. Those two will look to grow into significant contributors under the tutelage of Jordan, who acknowledged that this upcoming contract will likely be his last.

“If we get a deal done, that’ll be probably the final years of my career here,” he said, adding that he does not envision himself transitioning to a rotational role later in his career. “Whatever happens, happens. In terms of how we play, how we want to attack offenses, that’s what I’m here for.”

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