The 2025 offseason has been extraordinary for the defensive side of the ball. It began with Maxx Crosby signing a three-year, $106.5 million extension with the Las Vegas Raiders on March 5, 2025, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history at $35.5 million per year.
However, that record was short-lived when Myles Garrett agreed to a four-year, $160 million extension with the Cleveland Browns just four days later, averaging $40 million per year.
But there remain some premium edge rushers waiting for an extension. Names like T.J. Watt, Trey Hendrickson, and Micah Parsons are still in line for a massive payday. And one analyst is willing to take a crack at who among that group could walk away with the biggest number next to their name.
Which Pass Rusher Will Land the Most Lucrative Extension?
After Garrett signed his record-breaking contract that made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history, the next big money deal could go even further. Among the names in line are two edge rushers with ongoing contract disputes in Watt and Hendrickson.
T.J. Watt is not attending the Pittsburgh Steelers’ mandatory minicamp this week amid his pursuit of a new contract. While the Steelers are hesitant on the exact number, the Cincinnati Bengals are far more restricted by their current salary cap situation to offer Hendrickson a huge payday, especially after the extensions to Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
The Dallas Cowboys find themselves in a similar situation, with owner and general manager Jerry Jones having spent five to six hours discussing contract details directly with Parsons, though they haven’t reached an agreement yet. Their salary cap puts them in a tough bind due to the already massive extensions given to Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb.
In this complicated landscape, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk sat down on the official NFL on NBC YouTube channel to make his predictions for who, among the three, and possibly a returning Aidan Hutchinson for the Detroit Lions, could walk away with the biggest deal.
“I think the team that will end up paying the most, my guess, and again, this is just a guess, I think it’s going to be the Lions because I think they’re going to kick the can through this season and wait to see if Aidan Hutchinson becomes the guy that he once was.”
Hutchinson has been medically cleared to return from his broken leg injury suffered last season and is fully cleared for physical contact. Depending on how Hutchinson performs, the timing of his deal could mean he gets a bigger deal than the other three names. However, among those as well, Florio is ready to dismiss Hendrickson as an option because of the situation in Cincinnati.
“I think between Parsons and Watt, it’s going to be a question of who goes second. Both teams have blown their chance to get this deal done. Because right now, if I’m Parsons or if I’m Watt, I want to see what the other guy gets. Because then I know, that’s my target.”
Age Could Be the Deciding Factor in Record-Breaking Deals
With the risk his leg injury brings, Detroit likely waits a year before giving Hutchinson his contract. That, if 2025 goes successfully, could translate to the biggest contract among the group. Going into the 2025 season, though, the toss-up remains between the other names.
Among them, senior NFL insider Adam Schefter has already confirmed that he expects Parsons to become “the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history”, thanks to his age advantage over the competition. At just 26 years old, Parsons has a significant age advantage over competitors like Hendrickson and Watt, who are both entering their age-31 seasons.
Watt, who has 108 career sacks, is currently holding out from Steelers mandatory minicamp as he seeks a new deal. Meanwhile, Hendrickson, who led the NFL with 17.5 sacks in 2024, has stated he won’t play for the Bengals under his current contract.
The market dynamics have shifted dramatically since these discussions began. According to Schefter, both Hendrickson and Watt will likely land deals “in the Crosby-Garrett range, somewhere in there,” suggesting contracts between $35.5 million and $40 million annually.
However, Parsons’ youth and consistent production, including 52.5 sacks in his first four seasons and at least 12 sacks in each year, position him to potentially reset the market once again when his deal gets done.