Kicking off a new series, we’ll be taking a look at spending rankings for every NFL position by team for the 2025 season. Dead cap hits from players who are no longer on the team do not count towards their positional spending, so Russell Wilson will not show up for the Broncos’ quarterback room despite carrying a dead cap hit of $32,000,000 for the year.
We’ve already covered each offensive position, the offense as a whole and every defensive position. Edge rushers and corners typically cost the most, but some teams prioritize the interior defensive line and safeties. Here’s a look at the most expensive defenses in the league of players currently on the roster.
- Cap information compiled via Over The Cap
- PFF grades for the entire unit from 2024
1 – Steelers: $178,904,919
- Percentage of total cap: 63.1 percent
- Interior defensive line: 12.9
- Edge rusher: 19.8 percent
- Linebacker: 10.8 percent
- Safety: 12.9 percent
- Cornerback: 7.6 percent
- Top cap hit: EDGE T.J. Watt, $30,418,694
- PFF grade: 77.8 (4th)
2 – Giants: $150,963,580
- Percentage of total cap: 54.1 percent
- Interior defensive line: 14.5
- Edge rusher: 15.4 percent
- Linebacker: 8.3 percent
- Safety: 6.2 percent
- Cornerback: 9.6 percent
- Top cap hit: IDL Dexter Lawrence, $23,664,012
- PFF grade: 66.9 (20th)
3 – Colts: $144,375,895
- Percentage of total cap: 51.7 percent
- Interior defensive line: 16.1 percent
- Edge rusher: 13.8 percent
- Linebacker: 5.5 percent
- Safety: 5.4 percent
- Cornerback: 10.9 percent
- Top cap hit: IDL DeForest Buckner, $26,600,000
- PFF grade: 74.2 (9th)
4 – Bears: $144,096,835
- Percentage of total cap: 51.6 percent
- Interior defensive line: 6.8 percent
- Edge rusher: 14.3 percent
- Linebacker: 10.7 percent
- Safety: 6.9 percent
- Cornerback: 12.9 percent
- Top cap hit: EDGE Montez Sweat, $25,085,494
- PFF grade: 70.9 (11th)
5 – Patriots: $136,947,196
- Percentage of total cap: 49.1 percent
- Interior defensive line: 12.2 percent
- Edge rusher: 8.4 percent
- Linebacker: 8.7 percent
- Safety: 11.2 percent
- Cornerback: 8.5 percent
- Top cap hit: S Kyle Dugger, $15,264,706
- PFF grade: 64.4 (24th)
6 – Texans: $136,249,076
- Percentage of total cap: 48.8 percent
- Interior defensive line: 6.5 percent
- Edge rusher: 17.4 percent
- Linebacker: 7.3 percent
- Safety: 7.3 percent
- Cornerback: 10.3 percent
- Top cap hit: EDGE Danielle Hunter, $20,200,000
- PFF grade: 74.8 (7th)
7 – Commanders: $135,199,729
- Percentage of total cap: 48.4 percent
- Interior defensive line: 14.2 percent
- Edge rusher: 11.9 percent
- Linebacker: 5.2 percent
- Safety: 5.9 percent
- Cornerback: 11.2 percent
- Top cap hit: IDL Daron Payne, $26,170,000
- PFF grade: 54.5 (31st)
8 – Jaguars: $134,383,419
- Percentage of total cap: 48.1 percent
- Interior defensive line: 6.6 percent
- Edge rusher: 16.00 percent
- Linebacker: 7.3 percent
- Safety: 6.5 percent
- Cornerback: 11.7 percent
- Top cap hit: EDGE Josh Hines-Allen, $15,370,588
- PFF grade: 63.1 (26th)
9 – Raiders: $133,170,860
- Percentage of total cap: 47.7 percent
- Interior defensive line: 10.7 percent
- Edge rusher: 21.7 percent
- Linebacker: 5.1 percent
- Safety: 4.9 percent
- Cornerback: 5.2 percent
- Top cap hit: EDGE Maxx Crosby, $38,153,250
- PFF grade: 57.2 (30th)
10 – Cardinals: $132,866,063
- Percentage of total cap: 47.6 percent
- Interior defensive line: 15.5 percent
- Edge rusher: 8.3 percent
- Linebacker: 7.5 percent
- Safety: 10.5 percent
- Cornerback: 5.8 percent
- Top cap hit: S Jalen Thompson, $13,727,750
- PFF grade: 64.8 (23rd)
11 – Ravens: $130,666,571
- Percentage of total cap: 46.8 percent
- Interior defensive line: 10.7 percent
- Edge rusher: 10.2 percent
- Linebacker: 10.8 percent
- Safety: 5.4 percent
- Cornerback: 9.6 percent
- Top cap hit: LB Roquan Smith, $23,718,750
- PFF grade: 75.4 (6th)
12 – Vikings: $130,098,936
- Percentage of total cap: 46.6 percent
- Interior defensive line: 10.3 percent
- Edge rusher: 15.6 percent
- Linebacker: 5.8 percent
- Safety: 7.4 percent
- Cornerback: 7.6 percent
- Top cap hit: EDGE Jonathan Greenard, $22,300,000
- PFF grade: 70.6 (12th)
13 – Broncos: $128,720,308
- Percentage of total cap: 46.1 percent
- Interior defensive line: 16.7 percent
- Edge rusher: 6.8 percent
- Linebacker: 6.9 percent
- Safety: 7.9 percent
- Cornerback: 7.8 percent
- Top cap hit: IDL Zach Allen, $19,795,000
- PFF grade: 74.1 (10th)
14 – Cowboys: $128,701,445
- Percentage of total cap: 46.1 percent
- Interior defensive line: 5.8 percent
- Edge rusher: 14.3 percent
- Linebacker: 6.8 percent
- Safety: 8.5 percent
- Cornerback: 10.7 percent
- Top cap hit: EDGE Micah Parsons, $24,007,000
- PFF grade: 62.9 (27th)
15 – Browns: $128,649,318
- Percentage of total cap: 46.1 percent
- Interior defensive line: 6.8 percent
- Edge rusher: 11.9 percent
- Linebacker: 5.9 percent
- Safety: 4.1 percent
- Cornerback: 17.4 percent
- Top cap hit: CB Denzel Ward, $24,560,505
- PFF grade: 74.5 (8th)
16 – Packers: $128,433,267
- Percentage of total cap: 46.0 percent
- Interior defensive line: 11.6 percent
- Edge rusher: 13.9 percent
- Linebacker: 4.6 percent
- Safety: 8.4 percent
- Cornerback: 7.5 percent
- Top cap hit: EDGE Rashan Gary, $25,771,138
- PFF grade: 70.5 (13th)
17 – Titans: $127,416,399
- Percentage of total cap: 45.6 percent
- Interior defensive line: 16.6 percent
- Edge rusher: 5.4 percent
- Linebacker: 3.6 percent
- Safety: 7.3 percent
- Cornerback: 12.8 percent
- Top cap hit: IDL Jeffery Simmons, $22,770,588
- PFF grade: 67.4 (19th)
18 – Falcons: $123,285,208
- Percentage of total cap: 44.2 percent
- Interior defensive line: 9.3 percent
- Edge rusher: 9.4 percent
- Linebacker: 6.9 percent
- Safety: 9.9 percent
- Cornerback: 8.6 percent
- Top cap hit: S Jessie Bates III, $22,250,000
- PFF grade: 68.0 (17th)
19 – Buccaneers: $119,141,196
- Percentage of total cap: 42.7 percent
- Interior defensive line: 14.1 percent
- Edge rusher: 8.3 percent
- Linebacker: 5.4 percent
- Safety: 6.1 percent
- Cornerback: 8.8 percent
- Top cap hit: IDL Vita Vea, $22,465,065
- PFF grade: 66.8 (21st)
20 – Dolphins: $118,635,929
- Percentage of total cap: 42.5 percent
- Interior defensive line: 8.7 percent
- Edge rusher: 12.3 percent
- Linebacker: 6.9 percent
- Safety: 2.2 percent
- Cornerback: 12.4 percent
- Top cap hit: S Minkah Fitzpatrick, $15,500,000
- PFF grade: 67.8 (18th)
21 – Panthers: $116,842,493
- Percentage of total cap: 41.9 percent
- Interior defensive line: 17.6 percent
- Edge rusher: 7.3 percent
- Linebacker: 6.0 percent
- Safety: 4.6 percent
- Cornerback: 6.3 percent
- Top cap hit: IDL Derrick Brown, $18,740,000
- PFF grade: 44.7 (32nd)
22 – Chiefs: $114,646,156
- Percentage of total cap: 41.1 percent
- Interior defensive line: 10.9 percent
- Edge rusher: 8.5 percent
- Linebacker: 9.1 percent
- Safety: 3.6 percent
- Cornerback: 8.9 percent
- Top cap hit: IDL Chris Jones, $23,600,000
- PFF grade: 79.4 (2nd)
23 – Bills: $113,528,255
- Percentage of total cap: 40.7 percent
- Interior defensive line: 11.3 percent
- Edge rusher: 9.4 percent
- Linebacker: 7.6 percent
- Safety: 3.4 percent
- Cornerback: 8.9 percent
- Top cap hit: LB Matt Milano, $12,188,500
- PFF grade: 59.7 (28th)
24 – 49ers: $112,117,117
- Percentage of total cap: 40.2 percent
- Interior defensive line: 3.4 percent
- Edge rusher: 16.7 percent
- Linebacker: 9.0 percent
- Safety: 4.7 percent
- Cornerback: 6.3 percent
- Top cap hit: EDGE Nick Bosa, $20,430,870
- PFF grade: 68.4 (16th)
25 – Lions: $110,906,568
- Percentage of total cap: 39.7 percent
- Interior defensive line: 12.6 percent
- Edge rusher: 8.1 percent
- Linebacker: 7.7 percent
- Safety: 3.1 percent
- Cornerback: 8.2 percent
- Top cap hit: IDL D.J. Reader, $12,933,000
- PFF grade: 76.8 (5th)
26 – Seahawks: $110,780,512
- Percentage of total cap: 39.7 percent
- Interior defensive line: 11.6 percent
- Edge rusher: 10.2 percent
- Linebacker: 3.9 percent
- Safety: 4.5 percent
- Cornerback: 9.5 percent
- Top cap hit: IDL Leonard Williams, $15,041,250
- PFF grade: 69.8 (14th)
27 – Chargers: $110,356,062
- Percentage of total cap: 39.5 percent
- Interior defensive line: 4.5 percent
- Edge rusher: 11.5 percent
- Linebacker: 4.0 percent
- Safety: 14.2 percent
- Cornerback: 5.3 percent
- Top cap hit: S Derwin James, $23,856,400
- PFF grade: 78.5 (3rd)
28 – Jets: $106,989,353
- Percentage of total cap: 38.3 percent
- Interior defensive line: 10.8 percent
- Edge rusher: 6.4 percent
- Linebacker: 7.2 percent
- Safety: 3.8 percent
- Cornerback: 10.0 percent
- Top cap hit: IDL Quinnen Williams, $21,585,249
- PFF grade: 64.0 (25th)
29 – Bengals: $99,444,107
- Percentage of total cap: 35.6 percent
- Interior defensive line: 7.4 percent
- Edge rusher: 11.7 percent
- Linebacker: 5.7 percent
- Safety: 4.8 percent
- Cornerback: 5.9 percent
- Top cap hit: EDGE Trey Hendrickson, $18,666,668
- PFF grade: 66.0 (22nd)
30 – Saints: $92,497,857
- Percentage of total cap: 33.1 percent
- Interior defensive line: 6.3 percent
- Edge rusher: 9.8 percent
- Linebacker: 5.4 percent
- Safety: 6.6 percent
- Cornerback: 5.0 percent
- Top cap hit: EDGE Cameron Jordan, $9,775,000
- PFF grade: 57.5 (29th)
31 – Rams: $69,208,636
- Percentage of total cap: 24.8 percent
- Interior defensive line: 5.4 percent
- Edge rusher: 4.3 percent
- Linebacker: 2.5 percent
- Safety: 4.6 percent
- Cornerback: 7.9 percent
- Top cap hit: CB Darious Williams, $9,166,666
- PFF grade: 69.7 (15th)
32 – Eagles: $64,445,867
- Percentage of total cap: 23.1 percent
- Interior defensive line: 5.9 percent
- Edge rusher: 4.2 percent
- Linebacker: 4.8 percent
- Safety: 2.5 percent
- Cornerback: 5.6 percent
- Top cap hit: IDL Jalen Carter, $5,947,110
- PFF grade: 91.2 (1st)
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