Edge rushers are overvalued. Don’t get me wrong, they are important to an NFL team, but a bad value position when you look at how much teams win with the highest paid edge rushers.
Edge rusher is the flashy defensive position that racks up gaudy stats and commands high salaries. But does that contribute to winning?
Of the past ten Super Bowl Champions, just 2 had an edge rusher in the top ten in cap hit for their position. 6 teams didn’t even have a player in the top 20.
| Team | Highest Cap Hit Rank of Edge Rusher On The Team |
| 2025 Seattle Seahawks | 18th |
| 2024 Philadelphia Eagles | 21st |
| 2023 Kansas City Chiefs | 33rd |
| 2022 Kansas City Chiefs | 6th |
| 2021 Los Angles Rams | 24th |
| 2020 Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 9th |
| 2019 Kansas City Chiefs | 34th |
| 2018 New England Patriots | 44th |
| 2017 Philadelphia Eagles | 16th |
| 2016 New England Patriots | 57th |
Paying star edge makes it hard to fill other positions with quality players. The approach of building a strong, well-rounded defense rather than focusing on a single high-paid edge rusher has proven successful. While drafting a great edge rusher can be beneficial, it’s not necessary to sacrifice significant capital to draft, sign, or trade for a star edge rusher. Teams should aim to find solid, reliable players who can contribute without breaking the bank.
Wheelhouse Blog 