Where the great defenses spend their money

[Skooby]

With all the talk about Byrd and his contract situation, I wanted to look at the best defense's in the NFL the past two years and see where those teams spent their money on defense and what positions they really invested in. I only looked at the teams who were inside the top 10 in pts/game the last two years because I wanted to see the teams who are consistently the best in the league, not just a year here and there.


Seattle Seahawks:


Defensive End: ~$32.46M/guaranteed
Safety: ~$19.60M/guaranteed
Outside Linebacker: ~$9.87M/guaranteed
Defensive Tackle: ~$9.80M/guaranteed
**Corner Back: ~$3.23M/Guaranteed (Sherman 5th Rd)
Inside Linebacker: ~$2.65M/guaranteed


San Francisco 49ers


Inside Linebacker: ~$31.40M/guaranteed
Outside Linebacker: ~$23.89M/guaranteed (4-3 defensive end)
Corner Back: ~$18.08M/guaranteed
Defensive End: ~$15.52M/guaranteed (4-3 defensive tackle)
Safety: ~$12.60M/guaranteed
Defensive Tackle: ~$3.46M/guaranteed


Cincinnati Bengals:


Defensive End: ~$29.37M/guaranteed
Cornerback: ~24.77M/guaranteed
Defensive Tackle: ~$23.8M/guaranteed
Safety: ~$7.22M/guaranteed
Outside Linebacker: $3.45M/guaranteed
**Inside Linebacker: ~$450,000 guaranteed (Burfict UDFA)


Miami Dolphins


Defensive End: ~$33.13M/guaranteed
Outside Linebacker: ~$22.72M/guaranteed
Defensive Tackle: ~$18.83M/guaranteed
Safety: ~$16.05M/guaranteed
Inside Linebacker: ~$14M/guaranteed
Cornerback: ~$11.22M/guaranteed


New England Patriots:


Outside Linebacker: ~$33.38M/guaranteed
Defensive Tackle: ~$30.41M/guaranteed
Defensive End: ~$16.51M/guaranteed
Safety: ~$15.28M/guaranteed
Cornerback: ~$12.70M/guaranteed
Inside Linebacker: ~$1.64M/guaranteed


Baltimore Ravens:


Defensive Tackle: ~$28.5M/guaranteed
Outside Linebacker: ~$20.11M/guaranteed (4-3 defensive end)
Corner Back: ~$18.16M/guaranteed
Inside Linebacker: ~$13.76M/guaranteed
Safety: ~$5.5M/guaranteed
Defensive End: ~$3.5M/guaranteed (4-3 defensive tackle)


Pittsburgh Steelers:


Outside Linebacker: ~$27.75M/guaranteed (4-3 defensive end)
Defensive End: ~$16.54M/guaranteed (4-3 defensive tackle)
Safety: ~$14.10M/guaranteed
Inside Linebacker: ~$12.62M/guaranteed
Cornerback: ~$9.41M/guaranteed
Defensive Tackle: ~$1.65M/guaranteed


Buffalo Bills:


Defensive Tackle: ~$33.13M/guaranteed
Defensive End: ~$31.49M/guaranteed
Corner back: ~$18.49M/guaranteed
Safety: ~$12.15M/guaranteed
Outside Linebacker: ~$5.64M/guaranteed
Inside Linebacker: ~$2.61M/guaranteed


On teams like the 49ers, Ravens and the Steelers, they all run a typical 3-4 defense and even though some of their guys are listed as OLB's, they are really just defensive ends so that's why some of the positions have parentheses around them saying "4-3 defensive end", plus it helps simply all this. These teams run a lot of nickel in 3-4 which basically puts 5 DB's on the field, 2 LB's and 4 defensive lineman.


Position averages NOT including the Bills:


Defensive End (includes 3-4 OLB for simplicity): ~$26.17M/guaranteed
Defensive Tackle (includes 3-4 DE's): ~$21.70M/guaranteed
Outside Linebacker (doesn't include any 3-4 OLB's): ~$17.35M/guaranteed
Corner back: ~$13.94M/guaranteed
Safety: ~$12.90M/guaranteed
Inside Linebacker: ~$10.93M/guaranteed


Now some of these numbers are skewed because guys like Richard Sherman and Burfict were drafted in the 5th round and undrafted but are obviously playing at a much higher level than what they are getting paid and where they were draft. This would increase the CB average and OLB average if they were making what they will be making once their rookie contracts are up.


Compare it to the Bills:


*Pretty close to these teams average at DE, will be pretty close once we extend Hughes.
*Defensive tackle we pay more but that's largely because Marcell's contract is fully guaranteed of $20M.
*Outside linebacker isn't even close for us
*Corner back is pretty good but Gilmores rookie contract inflates our real number.
*Safety is interesting because of the Byrd situation. Where we are right now with paying our safeties is pretty close to these 7 other teams safeties. Do we pay Byrd more?
*Inside linebacker for us is again because of where Kiko was drafted. He's obviously outperforming a 3rd round contract.


But if you take all this and apply it to the Byrd situation, seeing that out of 7 positions safety is the 2nd least paid, does it help/hurt your argument for paying Byrd what he wants, seeing that the average guaranteed money is around $12-13M where he is reportedly wanting $20M?

- - - Updated - - -

Credit to: Floridagatorsbuffalobills

[BuffaloRedleg]

I've looked over this a few times and I can't find anything relevant to make of it. Other than Defensive End it's pretty all over the place with the only pattern being whether they are 3-4 or 4-3 and that Cornerbacks are never #1/#2.

[Mike]

I agree. There are too many variable to draw anything deeply insightful. For instance, you also have to consider the personnel; Seattle and Pittsburg have very good Safeties which is reflected in the price. Baltimore's safeties are average as is the price they pay. If anything, it goes to show that its in your teams interest to pay your STARS regardless of position. Great players, regardless of position, make good $$$ which is why the different teams have different costs for CBs, LBs, S, etc...

[ServoBillieves]

So you're saying teams with defenses spend money on defensive players...

BRILLIANT!

[sukie]

Cut Defense Spending!!!!!!

[ghz in pittsburgh]

It really does not matter where you spend money. If you have Revis in CB, you spend it there. If you have Ray Lewis in LB position, you spend it there. The common theme is that good defense has a good D line.

[coastal]

Cut Defense Spending!!!!!!
By $100 million

[Mace]

"Where the great defenses spend their money"....you got me on this one.

I thought it was going to be a thread about bars, restaurants, and places to shop.