Every NFL Team's Most Underpaid Player Following Peak 2026 Free Agency

Few significant deals are left to be signed this NFL offseason, which means we can settle in and judge the moves made so far.

One fun annual judgement is assessing who are the league's most underpaid and overpaid players.

Here's a team-by-team rundown of those who deserve raises.

Salary information courtesy of Spotrac

AFC East

AP Photo/Bart Young

James Cook

Buffalo Bills: RB James Cook

The 26-year-old celebrates his third consecutive season in this spot. Productive running backs on rookie deals are special, and Cook is the definition of that. He's gone over 1,200 scrimmage yards in three consecutive seasons and has scored 32 touchdowns the last two years combined, but the second-team All-Pro will rank 19th among backs with a $5.9 million salary-cap hit in 2026. 

Miami Dolphins: RB De'Von Achane

Same story here. The 2023 third-round pick earned a Pro Bowl nod with a league-best 5.7 yards-per-attempt average in his third season, and he'll cost the team just $6.0 million against the cap as his rookie contract expires in '26. 

New England Patriots: QB Drake Maye

Dude fell a couple votes shy of winning the MVP but will carry just the 26th-highest cap hit ($9.9 million) among quarterbacks in his third season. Since this one's obvious, we'll also shout out Pro Bowl cornerback Christian Gonzalez and his $4.8 million cap number for '26. 

New York Jets: Edge Will McDonald 

McDonald has lacked consistency as a pass rusher and reliability as a run defender, but that doesn't change the fact the 2023 first-round pick has delivered 18.5 sacks the last two seasons combined. The talent and overall production is there for a high-ceiling 26-year-old due just $5.2 million in the final year of his rookie contract.

AFC North

AP Photo/Matt Ludtke

Zay Flowers

Baltimore Ravens: WR Zay Flowers

Another 2023 first-rounder who has continued to rise, Flowers is coming off a 1,211-yard, six-touchdown campaign at the age of 25. Like McDonald and Maye, he'll inevitably become very expensive soon. For now, his $4.5 million 2026 cap hit ranks 50th among active receivers. 

Cincinnati Bengals: RB Chase Brown

The 2023 fifth-round pick broke out with 1,350 scrimmage yards and 11 touchdowns in 2024 before building on that with 1,456 and 11 more scores in 2025. He'll cost the Bengals just $3.7 million as his rookie deal expires in 2026. 

Cleveland Browns: LB Carson Schwesinger

The 2025 Defensive Rookie of the Year was the 13th-highest-graded qualified run-blocking linebacker at Pro Football Focus, but as a second-round pick he's owed just $9.7 million over the course of the next three total seasons.  

Pittsburgh Steelers: Offensive linemen drafted in 2024

We can't pick just one, because right now the Steelers are getting excellent value out of all three of the offensive linemen they selected in the first four rounds of the 2024 draft. Troy Fautanu, Zach Frazier and Mason McCormick have become a force together, and they're slated to count a total of just $7.4 million against the cap in 2026.

AFC South

AP Photo/John Raoux

Parker Washington

Houston Texans: Edge Will Anderson

In a lot of other seasons, Anderson would have been Defensive Player of the Year. But he still joined Myles Garrett as a first-team All-Pro in a campaign that featured 12 sacks and three forced fumbles. The 2023 No. 3 overall pick will make just $11.2 million as his rookie contract wraps up in '26, leaving him out of the top 25 highest-paid edge defenders in the sport. 

Indianapolis Colts: OL Tanor Bortolini

The 23-year-old earned the third-highest PFF grade among qualified centers in a breakout 2025 campaign. As a 2024 fourth-round pick, he did so for less than $1.2 million. Bortolini is slated to make just $2.7 million over the course of the next two seasons. 

Jacksonville Jaguars: WR Parker Washington

Washington's cap hit will rise by nearly 300 percent in 2026, and yet he'll still count just $3.7 million against the cap in the final year of a four-year, $4.0 million rookie contract. Not bad considering that he put up 847 yards and five touchdowns in a breakout 2025 season. The 23-year-old is carrying a ton of momentum into 2026. 

Tennessee Titans: LB Cedric Gray

As a 23-year-old sophomore in 2025, Gray earned the league's second-highest qualified run defense grade from PFF. The 16-game starter compiled 164 tackles and looks like a fourth-round steal from 2024. He's still just midway through a four-year, $4.9 million entry-level deal. 

AFC West

AP Photo/David Becker

Chamarri Conner

Denver Broncos: QB Bo Nix

Nix is a bargain to the Broncos like Maye is to the Patriots. Promising third-year first-round pick on track to become a longtime franchise quarterback. His $5.1 million 2026 cap hit ranks 35th at that position, behind Davis Mills, Marcus Mariota and Gardner Minshew. In fact, Nix won't even be the highest-paid QB on the Broncos roster this year, as Jarrett Stidham is due $8 million. 

Kansas City Chiefs: CB Chamarri Conner

The 2023 fourth-round pick moved into a full-time starting role and generally excelled with a couple sacks, a pick and some good moments in coverage in 2026. He's on a good track, and he's wrapping up a four-year, $4.6 million entry-level deal. 

Las Vegas Raiders: WR Tre Tucker

The 2023 third-round selection has improved every year he's been in the league and should continue to be a key cog in the Raiders offense in 2026. He's entering the final year of his four-year, $5.3 million rookie contract. 

Los Angeles Chargers: Edge Tuli Tuipulotu

Another fourth-year guy who has steadily improved throughout his rookie deal, the 23-year-old earned his first Pro Bowl nod with 13 sacks in 2025. Tuipulotu will receive a big raise from $1.8 million in '25 to $6.2 million in '26, but his rookie contract will have cost the team just $11.4 million total. 

NFC East

AP Photo/Adam Hunger

Jaxson Dart

Dallas Cowboys: G Tyler Booker

The 2025 first-round pick looks like a long-term fixture at guard in Dallas after a strong rookie campaign in which he earned the league's seventh-best qualified PFF run-blocking grade at that position. He'll count just $5.1 million against the cap in '26. 

New York Giants: QB Jaxson Dart

Another sophomore first-rounder who didn't disappoint as a rookie, Dart just may be the Giants' next franchise quarterback. Yet he won't be one of 42 signal-callers counting at least $4 million against the salary cap in 2026. 

Philadelphia Eagles: CB Cooper DeJean

The team's top two draft picks from 2024—Quinyon Mitchell and DeJean—have both become stars in the Philadelphia secondary. Mitchell is the higher pick and was probably a slightly more impactful player in 2025, but he'll cost the organization $4.0 million in '26 compared to just $2.5 million for DeJean. 

Washington Commanders: QB Jayden Daniels

His sophomore season didn't go as planned, but Daniels is still just a year removed from one of the best rookie campaigns in NFL history. His $10.3 million 2026 cap charge ranks 25th among players at the sport's most critical position. 

NFC North

AP Photo/Melissa Tamez

Keisean Nixon

Chicago Bears: DT Gervon Dexter

We went with Dexter over Caleb Williams last year and are sticking with those guys as our winner and runner-up after both continued to make progress in 2025. Williams is obviously a higher-impact player, but he'll make more than $10 million next season while Dexter will still cost just $2.1 million in the final year of his rookie contract. He recorded a career-high six sacks while forcing two fumbles in '25. 

Detroit Lions: LB Jack Campbell

The 2023 first-round pick became a first-team All-Pro with 176 tackles in his third season. He'll count just $4.7 million against the cap in 2026, which ranks 43rd among off-ball linebackers.

Green Bay Packers: CB Keisean Nixon

There are no glaring coups on the Green Bay payroll, but Nixon has become a fairly reliable starter after standing out for several years as a return specialist. The 28-year-old has outperformed the three-year, $18 million deal he signed in 2024. 

Minnesota Vikings: DL Jalen Redmond

A recipient of the exclusive rights tender this offseason, the undrafted 27-year-old has found a home following a surprise six-sack 2025 season in Minnesota. He did so while making less than a million bucks and is slated to count just $1.1 million against the cap in 2026. 

NFC South

AP Photo/Doug Murray

YaYa Diaby

Atlanta Falcons: RB Bijan Robinson

Robinson won't struggle to make ends meet with a cap hit of nearly $7 million in 2026, but that still leaves the first-team All-Pro outside of the top 15 at his position. If he puts together a third consecutive monster season, it'll surely be the last year he'll come cheap. 

Carolina Panthers: WR Tet McMillan

The reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year went over 1,000 yards and scored seven times in 2025. His rookie deal will cost the Panthers $22.8 million over the course of the next three seasons, and 35 wideouts will be more expensive in '26. 

New Orleans Saints: QB Tyler Shough 

Other strong candidates giving the Saints bargains include Kool-Aid McKinstry (AAV of $2.3 million), Jonas Sanker ($1.6 million) and Bryan Bresee ($3.1 million), but it's impossible to ignore Shough ($2.7 million) considering that he's on track to become the team's shiny new franchise quarterback following an encouraging rookie campaign. A total of 51 signal-callers will make more than Shough in 2026. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Edge YaYa Diaby

The 2023 third-round pick has generally remained under the national radar while compiling 19 sacks and 47 quarterback hits in three pro seasons. He'll still count just $3.9 million against the Bucs' cap in a walk year this fall. 

NFC West

AP Photo/Stephen Brashear

Puka Nacua

Arizona Cardinals: WR Michael Wilson

In a breakout 2025 campaign, the 2023 third-round selection went over 1,000 yards and scored seven times despite plenty of turbulence in Arizona. He'll receive a massive bump from $1.5 million last year to $4.1 million in 2026, but that still ranks 54th at the position. 

Los Angeles Rams: WR Puka Nacua

The 24-year-old superstar  is one of the most obvious choices on this list following another huge season. This time, Nacua earned a first-team All-Pro nod while leading the NFL in receptions (129) and receiving yards per game (107.2). Because he was just a fifth-round pick in '23, he's still slated to count just $5.8 million against the cap in the final year of his entry-level contract (unless he signs an extension before then). 

San Francisco 49ers: LB Dee Winters

Drafted one round later than Nacua, Winters has not become a star but made tremendous strides during a 101-tackle 2025 campaign. He's not a lock to have a long starting career, but he's certainly a factor while working through a four-year, $4.0 million rookie deal. 

Seattle Seahawks: WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Duh. JSN put up an NFL-best 1,793 receiving yards while earning first-team All-Pro honors as a 23-year-old in 2025. This'll be his last cheap year, so the Seahawks have to savor the fact one of the best offensive weapons in the game will cost just $4.6 million as the 48th-highest-paid wideout in the league.