When the Cowboys recently inked a new contract extension for Quinnen Williams, it not only made him one of the highest defensive players in the NFL, but he's now jumped up the charts among the Cowboys roster as well.
Williams' deal with pay him on average of $35.3 million, putting him second – a distant second – behind Dak Prescott, who still has the NFL's highest average salary at $60 million per season.
Contracts can be evaluated in many ways, but the metric players pay closest attention to is APY (Average Per Year). With that in mind, here's a look at the Cowboys' top 15 salaries as the regular season approaches — a snapshot that, like all things in the NFL, is always subject to change.
Dak Prescott - $60 million – Signed just before the start of the 2024 regular season for the richest deal in NFL history, Prescott is still the NFL's highest-paid player.
Quinnen Williams – $35.3 million The average per year (APY) salary is at $35.3 million based off the new money from the recent extension. Factoring in the previous contract that was done by the Jets, Williams' overall average is around $30 million. But the extension has made headlines this week, and it puts Williams in a category as one of the highest-paid defensive tackles in league history.
CeeDee Lamb - $34 Million - One of the biggest camp storylines from 2023 was Lamb's absence because of a contract negotiation. Lamb signed a deal worth $34 million per year that had him as the second-highest paid receiver. Now, Lamb ranks sixth and although Pickens will likely get a new deal, Lamb might not be too far behind.
George Pickens - $27.2 Million - He will play this year on the franchise tag of $27.2 million since a new deal was not reached before the NFL's July 15 deadline. In playing on the tag, Pickens has a fully-guaranteed deal, but it does rank 19th among NFL receivers. He can get a new deal at the end of the season with the Cowboys, who would have about two months to strike a deal before free agency hits in March of 2027. Also, tagging him again is also an option for the Cowboys at an escalated price of a projected $33 million.
Tyler Smith - $24 Million- Although he's always got the talent and skill to kick out and play tackle, Smith has remained a guard and is currently the second-highest paid in the NFL for his position. Overall, he's the 13th highest-paid offensive lineman when it comes to average salary per year.
DaRon Bland - $22.5 Million – Bland received a new contract nearly a full year ago, making him one of the highest-paid corners in the league. Bland set the NFL record in 2023 with five interception returns for touchdowns, which was one of the backbones of the deal.
Kenny Clark - $21.3 Million – Clark signed a three-year extension worth $64 million back in 2024 while a member of the Packers. This past March, Clark received an $11 million bonus for being on the roster when the new league year began.
- Rashan Gary - $16 Million – The Cowboys reworked his original contract from the Packers soon after he was traded in the offseason, giving them so relief on the cap. Gary counts just $5.7 million on the cap but has a guaranteed salary for the next two years.
- Jake Ferguson - $12.5 Million - Ferguson signed a four-year extension worth $50 million last year in the middle of camp. He has the chance to earn up to $52 million based off incentives. Currently, Ferguson's APY of $12.5 million is tied for seventh in the NFL among tight ends.
- Terence Steele - $11 Million – The Cowboys signed Steele to a three-year, $33 million extension two years ago but they have since restructured the terms of the contract for some cap relief.
Jalen Thompson - $11 Million - Thompson signed a 3-year contract back in March worth $33 million with a max value of $36 million. The deal includes $22 million guaranteed, making him one of the highest-paid free agent signings the Cowboys have had in years.
- Javonte Williams - $8 Million – After his career-high season, Williams stayed in Dallas, signing the three-year, $24 million contract. However, with the recent deals from running backs around the league, Williams ranks 20th in the NFL among APY (Average per year) for running backs.
- Caleb Downs - $7.2 Million – Without even playing a snap, Downs is still up here on the list because of his first-round status. Overall, the four-year, $28.9 million deal was basically slotted for a player drafted No. 11 overall. Like all first-round picks, it comes with a fifth-year option.
- Brandon Aubrey - $7 Million– The Cowboys signed Aubrey in the offseason, making him the highest-paid kicker in NFL history. Aubrey got a four-year, $28 million extension that keeps him with the Cowboys through 2030.
T.J. Bass - $5.7 Million - The Cowboys gave Bass the second-round tender worth $5.7 million. By doing that, it all but assured him returning to Dallas in 2026 considering no team has ever signed an offer sheet to a player who received a second-round tender. Bass will be an unrestricted free agent next year unless he signs an extension.
