The Biggest NFL Free Agency Contracts Signed Since 2000

As soon as NFL free agency begins, a few checkbooks around the league start writing some gargantuan numbers.

Before the market officially opens in 2022, we're reminiscing about the big-money deals free agents have signed since 2000.

One notable detail is that several of these contracts never officially elapsed. Based on how NFL deals are structured, there is often a non-guaranteed portion. For consistency, though, the focus is the total dollar amount when each player signed initially.

The list does not include players who re-signed or agreed to an extension; only players who changed teams are considered.

10. Julius Peppers

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Contract: Six years, $84 million

Julius Peppers went to the Carolina Panthers as the No. 2 pick in the 2002 NFL draft and surpassed expectations. He won Defensive Rookie of the Year and proceeded to amass 81 sacks and secure All-Pro honors four times with five trips to the Pro Bowl in eight seasons.

And in 2010, the Bears smashed the piggy bank for him.

Chicago swiped the pass-rusher with an $84 million deal, and Peppers had a decent four-year tenure in the Windy City. He notched 37.5 tackles and captured All-Pro recognition twice more. But the Bears released him in 2014, shedding his salary to build around then-new signing Lamarr Houston.

Peppers stayed in the division and joined the Green Bay Packers before spending his last two seasons back in Carolina.

T-8. Olivier Vernon and C.J. Mosley

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Contracts: Five years, $85 million

Perhaps it's only fitting that Olivier Vernon and C.J. Mosley have matching contracts, given the New York connection.

Vernon signed with the New York Giants in 2016, cashing in after a successful four-year run on the Miami Dolphins. The pass-rusher earned second-team All-Pro honors in his first year with Big Blue, tallying a career-high 64 tackles with 17 stops for loss and 8.5 sacks. Vernon played out his contract in 2019 and 2020 with the Cleveland Browns.

Mosley headed to the Meadowlands in the same offseason the Giants sent Vernon to Cleveland.

Mosley had secured second-team All-Pro recognition in four of his five seasons as a member of the Baltimore Ravens, setting up major expectations with the Jets. However, he missed 14 games in 2019 because of a groin injury and opted out of the 2020 season.

In 2021, the veteran linebacker came through and racked up 168 tackles, the fourth-best mark in the league.

7. Malik Jackson

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Contract: Six years, $85.5 million

Considering he was a fifth-round draft pick in 2012, Malik Jackson was a gem for the Denver Broncos. The defensive lineman collected 27 tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks with the Broncos before hitting free agency following the 2015 campaign.

And the Jacksonville Jaguars were ready to pay.

They signed him to the $85.5 million pact, which included $42 million in guarantees. The latter part proved important; Jacksonville cut Jackson after three seasons. He'd registered 14.5 sacks and 21 tackles for loss in his first two years combined, but his role diminished in 2018, and he totaled 3.5 sacks.

Ironically enough, the Jags moved on from Jackson as a way to create cap space for this next player.

6. Nick Foles

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Contract: Four years, $88 million

And, well, it failed miserably.

Nick Foles became a Philadelphia Eagles legend in 2017, replacing an injured Carson Wentz and guiding the underdogs to an improbable Super Bowl victory over Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. Foles also stepped in for Wentz a year later and helped the Eagles win another playoff game.

As he entered free agency in 2019, Jacksonville needed a quarterback to supplant Blake Bortles. And so the Jaguars scooped up Foles with the enormous contract worth $45.1 million guaranteed at signing.

Although an early shoulder injury didn't help, Foles was simply bad in four starts. Jacksonville then shipped him to the Chicago Bears, where he restructured his contract. Foles was the better option in a rough 2020 quarterback carousel with Mitch Trubisky and served as the third-stringer behind Justin Fields and Andy Dalton in 2021.

5. Trey Flowers

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Contract: Five years, $90 million

When the Detroit Lions hired Bob Quinn as general manager in 2016, they quickly turned into New England-lite.

The former Patriots executive tabbed Matt Patricia to become head coach in 2018, and Detroit added a bunch of New England players. The most notable was defensive end Trey Flowers, who moved to the Motor City in time for the 2019 season.

Flowers, though, struggled in Detroit. In three seasons, he appeared in only 29 of 49 possible games and managed just 10.5 sacks—including 3.5 in the last two years.

Prior to the official start of free agency in 2022, the Lions told Flowers he would be released.

T-3. Mario Williams and Peyton Manning

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Williams' Contract: Six years, $96 million

Manning's Contract: Five years, $96 million

Mario Williams and Peyton Manning, who were both No. 1 overall picks, signed these agreements during the 2012 offseason.

Williams capitalized on a strong six-year run with the Houston Texans to join the Buffalo Bills. He posted double-digit sacks in three seasons on the Bills, landing All-Pro honors in 2013 and 2014 while setting a career high of 14.5 sacks in the latter year.

Manning had missed the 2011 season as he recovered from neck surgery, and his absence gave the Indianapolis Colts a chance to draft Andrew Luck. Indy released its legendary quarterback, who then replaced Tim Tebow in Denver.

Safe to say it worked out.

After winning Comeback Player of the Year in 2012, Manning set NFL single-season records with 5,477 yards and 55 touchdowns in 2013. Manning and the Broncos lost to Seattle in Super Bowl XLVIII but returned to the big game two years later, capping his Hall of Fame career with a victory over Carolina.

2. Albert Haynesworth

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Contract: Seven years, $100 million

If you recall our note in the introduction, some of these contracts never reached their expiration date.

That spotlight probably shines brightest here.

After back-to-back All-Pro seasons on the Tennessee Titans, Albert Haynesworth hit free agency in 2009. His perfectly timed ascent resulted in a nine-figure contract from Washington, but the excitement of his arrival only diminished from there.

Part of it was Mike Shanahan's controversial conditioning test. Another piece was the subpar performance on the field. And overall, the coach and defensive tackle didn't get along.

Washington dealt him after just 20 games to New England in 2011, the final season of Haynesworth's fascinating career.

1. Ndamukong Suh

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Contract: Six years, $114.4 million

Detroit selected Ndamukong Suh with the No. 2 overall pick in 2010, and he immediately became a force. Suh dominated from his interior spot, amassing 66 tackles for loss, 36 sacks and four All-Pro honors in his five seasons on the Lions.

Although the team attempted to re-sign him in 2015, Detroit watched Suh leave for the Miami Dolphins. He received nearly $60 million in guaranteed money at signing.

Unfortunately for both sides, it didn't really pay off.

Suh played reasonably well and provided 181 tackles with 15.5 sacks and 37 tackles for loss, but Miami alternated between six and 10 wins in his three seasons. And the Dolphins' lone playoff trip ended with a 30-12 Wild Card loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2016.

Miami released Suh during the 2018 offseason as part of a major teardown, and he later signed with the Los Angeles Rams.

All contract information obtained from Spotrac.