Steelers, Ravens, Bears, NFL's Most Expensive Defenses for 2026 Season Revealed Amid OTAs

The Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens and Chicago Bears comprise the three most expensive defenses this season, per NFL analyst Warren Sharp.

On the Steelers' side, superstar edge-rusher T.J. Watt holds a $42 million cap number to lead the team, per Over the Cap.

Watt is an eight-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro with 115.0 career sacks and an Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year honor (2021).

Nine of the Steelers' top 16 paid players are on the defensive side of the ball. That figure does not include linebacker Nick Herbig, who signed a four-year, $100 million extension.

Quarterback Lamar Jackson is No. 1 on the Baltimore Ravens' cap ledger, but the next five players are all on defense. They include four-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro linebacker Roquan Smith and new edge-rusher Trey Hendrickson, the four-time Pro Bowler who arrived via free agency from the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Bears are up next. Seven of their top eight players on the cap are defensive stars, including Montez Sweat (league-leading 10 sacks last year) and two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jaylon Johnson.

This year's season kicks off on Sept. 9, when the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks play the New England Patriots.