Highest Paid NFL Players

Not surprisingly, the highest paid NFL players are, for the most part, some of the best players the National Football league has to offer. The highest paid NFL players are guys who have made their careers leading their team to victory and being the very best of the best or are guys who certainly have the potential to take an otherwise average team and make it demonstrably better. The highest paid NFL players are also guys who are getting paid millions of dollars to play a game and because of this, there will always be those who feel they are overpaid.

1. Peyton Manning - It's not exactly a surprise to see Manning on the highest paid NFL players list considering an argument can be made that he's one of the best quarterbacks ever. Manning is raking in a league high $15.8 million per year.
2. Nnamdi Asomugha - While Asomugha certainly belongs somewhere on this list of highest paid NFL players, most will be surprised to see him in the #2 slot. Asomugha is considered one of the best, if not the best cornerback in the league and the Oakland Raiders have decided that's worth a pretty penny.
3. Donovan McNabb - McNabb is making $11.5 million annually thanks to a lucrative contract given to him by the Philadelphia Eagles. Philly turned around and traded the veteran quarterback to Washington midway through the contract, making the massive amount of money someone else's problem.
4. Champ Bailey - Yet another cornerback on the list of highest paid NFL players, Bailey is hauling in $9.5 million per year. Bailey was one of the best corners in the league but his best days are probably behind him at this point in his career.
5. Sam Bradford - Bradford was the top pick in last year's NFL draft and is making $8.3 million per year. Bradford made the most of his rookie season at quarterback for the St. Louis Rams nearly leading them to the playoffs one year off a one win season.
6. Ndamukong Suh - Suh was the second pick in the 2010 NFL draft, and the defensive tackle for the Detroit Lions rewarded his team adding him to the highest paid NFL players list by turning in a fantastic rookie season. Suh recorded ten sacks and 48 tackles in his pro-bowl debut season.
7. Elvis Dumervil - The Denver Bronco linebacker is considered one of the best in the game. Because of this, Dumervil is hauling in $7.2 million.
8. Julius Peppers - Peppers is considered one of the best defensive ends in the game and is paid like it. Peppers is making $7 million in annual salary with the Chicago Bears.
9. Matthew Stafford - While the young quarterback has battled injuries early on in his career, the Lions have still added him to the list of highest paid NFL players.  Stafford is making $6.9 million annually.
10. Gerald McCoy - McCoy is the sixth defensive player on this list. McCoy is a young defensive tackle with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and is bringing home $6.6 million per year.