Five NFL games we can’t wait to watch in the 2025 season
The NFL schedule for the 2025-2026 season has been released. Here are a few games on our must-watch list.
The major transactional portion of the 2025 NFL offseason has come and gone, with many top-tier talents getting lucrative, long-term extensions that have shaken up the league’s financial pecking order.
The late-spring and early-summer months will likely feature a handful more big-money signings as NFL teams look to lock up their top talents for the foreseeable future. The most recent example was the San Francisco 49ers‘ signing of Brock Purdy to a five-year, $265 million deal that will move him from the bottom of the NFL’s quarterback salary rankings to near the top.
Still to come are potential deals for star Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons, Cincinnati Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner and Washington Commanders receiver Terry McLaurin, among others.
For now, here’s a look at the NFL’s highest-paid players for 2025.
Highest-paid NFL players 2025
(All salary information via Spotrac.com.)
1. Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas CowboysAverage Annual Value (AAV): $60 millionT-2. Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo BillsT-2. Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati BengalsT-2. Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville JaguarsT-2. Jordan Love, QB, Green Bay Packers6. Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Miami DolphinsT-7. Jared Goff, QB, Detroit LionsT-7. Brock Purdy, QB, San Francisco 49ers9. Justin Herbert, QB, Los Angeles Chargers10. Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens11. Jalen Hurts, QB, Philadelphia Eagles12. Kyler Murray, QB, Arizona Cardinals13. Deshaun Watson, QB, Cleveland BrownsT-14. Kirk Cousins, Atlanta FalconsT-14. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs16. Matthew Stafford, QB, Los Angeles Rams17. Ja’Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals18. Myles Garrett, edge, Cleveland BrownsT-19. Derek Carr, QB, New Orleans Saints*
* Carr is set to retire but his contract hasn’t officially come off the Saints‘ books yet.
T-19. Geno Smith, QB, Las Vegas Raiders21. Danielle Hunter, edge, Houston Texans22. Maxx Crosby, edge, Las Vegas Raiders23. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota VikingsT-24. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas CowboysT-24. Nick Bosa, edge, San Francisco 49ers26. Sam Darnold, QB, Seattle Seahawks27. Baker Mayfield, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers28. D.K. Metcalf, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers29. A.J. Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles30. Chris Jones, DT, Kansas City Chiefs