Most overpaid, underpaid players in NFC East

NFL salaries can be tricky. Younger players often outperform their contracts while some veterans fail to meet expectations associated with larger deals. General managers prefer the former to the latter, but all 32 teams have both.

Here are the most overpaid and underpaid players for each team in the NFC East. (All salary cap numbers provided by Spotrac) 

Dallas Cowboys

Most overpaid: Dak Prescott, QB | Despite evidence to the contrary, Prescott was not paid by the interception in 2022. The 29-year-old quarterback tied for the league lead with 15 interceptions last season but played in only 12 games because of an injury.

In 2021, Prescott signed a four-year, $160 million contract extension that made him the highest-paid player in the league. Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson make more now, but Prescott’s $26 million cap hit ranks fourth among quarterbacks in 2023.

Thirteen quarterbacks, including Jared Goff and Matt Ryan, had more yards passing per game than Prescott last season. His 66.2 completion percentage ranked 14th in the league and his 91.1 quarterback rating ranked 15th. Prescott is a good quarterback, but those numbers don’t justify his salary.

Most underpaid: Tyler Smith, OT | OLB Micah Parsons and WR CeeDee Lamb deserve consideration, but given how NFL teams covet the left tackle position, Smith should be considered the team’s biggest bargain.

With a $3 million cap hit for 2023, Smith is being paid as the team’s 19th-best player and 29th-best left tackle in football. The Cowboys drafted him to play left guard with hopes he’d eventually move to left tackle. But a training camp injury to Tyron Smith forced him to play left tackle for 13 games.

Tyler Smith will start 2023 at left guard but could be the starting left tackle again in 2024.

New York Giants

Most overpaid: Daniel Jones, QB | According to a free agency survey conducted by The Athletic, some NFL insiders believe it was a mistake to give Jones a four-year, $160 million contract.

“They would have been better off doing a bad deal with Saquon Barkley and (franchise) tagging Jones rather than the other way around,” an NFL executive said. “Who was going to step out and pay Daniel Jones? That one was wild.”

Despite averaging just 200.3 yards passing per game with 15 touchdown passes last season, Jones has a cap hit that ranks eighth among quarterbacks in 2023. If those numbers don’t improve, he could be the most overpaid player in the NFL.

Most underpaid: Saquon Barkley, RB | Assuming he signs his $10 million franchise tender, Barkley will have a cap hit that ranks fourth among NFL running backs. According to those numbers, Barkley hardly seems underpaid. But in terms of production, Barkley, like most running backs, should earn more.

Despite having the fourth-most rushing yards last season, New York’s offense overall had the seventh-fewest yards in 2023. Barkley’s 1,312 yards rushing accounted for 23% of the team's total offense. 

Given Jones’ low passing numbers, Barkley’s performance is critical to the team’s success. He’s easily the best player on the team, but without a new contract, he’ll remain the Giants fifth-highest paid player.

Philadelphia Eagles

Most overpaid: Derek Barnett, DE | Since coming to Philadelphia as the 14th overall pick in 2017, Barnett has just 21.5 sacks. He signed a three-year, $15 million contract extension last season but missed all but one game in 2022 with a torn ACL.

Barnett had just two sacks the season before and hasn’t forced a fumble since 2019. Meanwhile, defensive ends Brandon Graham and Josh Sweat both had 11 sacks last season.  Even with a relatively low $3 million cap hit in 2023, he’ll remain the team’s most-overpaid player until he proves otherwise.

Most underpaid: DeVonta Smith, WR | Among NFL wide receivers, Smith’s $5.5 million cap hit ranks 39th. Smith led the team in targets (104), yards receiving (906) and touchdown passes (five) as a rookie in 2021, and finished the 2022 regular season with 1,196 yards receiving and seven touchdown catches.

Of course, he really proved his worth in Super Bowl LVII, leading all receivers with seven catches for 100 yards. CBS Sports named Smith one of the NFL’s top 25 players under 25. Expect Philadelphia to pick up his fifth-year option at the end of the season.

Washington Commanders

Most overpaid: Logan Thomas, tight end | After three years in Buffalo, Thomas broke out with 670 yards receiving and six touchdown catches for Washington in 2020. He missed 11 games the following season, but that didn’t stop the Commanders from giving him a three-year, $24 million contract extension.

In 14 games last season, Thomas had just 323 yards receiving and one TD catch. With a $6 million cap hit for 2023, Thomas is Washington’s eighth-highest paid player and the NFL’s 11th-highest paid tight end.

Most underpaid: Kamren Curl, safety | As a seventh-round pick in 2020, Curl hasn’t made much money under his rookie contract. His $3 million cap number for 2023 ranks 20th among safeties.

After finishing third on the team in combined tackles (83) and second in solo tackles (58) last season, Curl was named the NFL’s second-best safety by Pro Football Focus. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent in 2024, so the Commanders would be wise to extend him in 2023.