Who is the highest-paid and best bargain at each offensive position in 2025?
The Los Angeles Rams are always in the mix as the most interesting team in the NFL when it comes to the salary cap. A couple of years ago, in the twilight of Aaron Donald’s career, the Rams had to survive (and made the playoffs) with the cheapest defense in the league.
That type of cap management continues to exist, and recent news of Matthew Stafford’s raise means that the Rams have to continue finding bargains like Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams on offense. But Williams isn’t as much of a bargain now, and Puka will soon be one of the highest paid skill players in the NFL.
Here is where each Rams offensive starter ranks in 2025 cap hit.
NOTE: This is where each player ranks in 2025 CAP HIT, not average annual salary or anything else. This is merely their CAP HIT in 2025, where it ranks, and who is the highest-paid in the NFL next season?
QB Matthew Stafford, $47.5 million
2025 QB rank: 2
Dak Prescott leads the way at $50.5 million, but Stafford has vaulted up the rankings here from an unbelievable bargain to the second-highest paid quarterback in the NFL this season.
The Rams and QB Matthew Stafford have finalized a new $44M contract, with $4M already paid and the other $40M fully guaranteed, per @RapSheet.
Stafford was on the books for $58M over 2 years, and will now get $84M over 2 years. pic.twitter.com/a5HXhrUbRH
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) May 5, 2025
RB Kyren Williams, $5.4 million
2025 RB rank: 20
Jonathan Taylor ($15), Derrick Henry ($13), and Josh Jacobs ($11) lead the way at running back. You might have assumed Williams would be much cheaper than this because he’s a fifth round pick on his rookie contract, but making the Pro Bowl in 2023 has increased his stock. The Rams could extend him this year.
WR Davante Adams, $12 million
2025 WR rank: 17
WR Tutu Atwell, $10 million
2025 WR rank: 20
WR Puka Nacua, $1 million
2025 WR rank: I didn’t even bother counting
Puka Nacua is essentially tied with a lot of other non-first round pick rookie contract receivers around $1 million, even though he’s a top-5 player at his position in the league. When we get to 2026, if Puka is healthy, that number is going to change considerably. If Nacua continues to produce like a number one, he will want fair compensation and there’s no reason to think that Les Snead won’t pay it.
THE LEGEND OF PUKA NACUA GROWS!
WALK-OFF GAME-WINNER pic.twitter.com/WYRXJxx9vc
— PFF (@PFF) October 1, 2023
Calvin Ridley actually leads the NFL at $28 million, far too much for him.
Adams and Atwell are both outside the top-15, but what’s surprising is that Atwell is right behind Adams this season.
TE Tyler Higbee, $9 million
2025 TE rank: 18
TE Colby Parkinson, $10 million
2025 TE rank: 15
Yes, Parkinson has a higher cap hit than Higbee. The Rams would only save $3 million to release Parkinson after his disappointing 2024 season, as he has $2.5 million of his salary fully guaranteed. Higbee is a free agent in 2026, while Parkinson is sure to be on the way out also. Drafting a second round tight end makes all the more sense.
Travis Kelce leads TEs at almost $20 million, but that’s far less shocking (at his age) than Taysom Hill being second at $18 million.
LT A.J. Jackson, $7 million
2025 LT rank: 19
On a new three-year deal that pays just under $20 million per year, Jackson’s first cap hit only ranks 19th in the NFL. That cap number increases to $25 million in 2026.
Taylor Decker leads all left tackles at a $23 million cap hit.
LG Steve Avila, $2.5 million
2025 LG rank: 27
Quenton Nelson unsurprisingly leads all left guards with a $23 million cap hit. Avila is entering his third season, meaning he would be eligible for an extension in 2026. First, he needs to be a lot more stable at left guard and even then, the Rams likely won’t consider anything until 2027.
C Coleman Shelton, $4.5 million
2025 C rank: 15
L.A.’s new starting center ranks 15th for 2025 cap hit.
2024 free agent Lloyd Cushenberry leads the NFL with a $14 million cap hit for the Titans.
Coleman Shelton can have an outsized impact on the 2025 Rams offense. Glad to see him back in Royal & Sol.
— J.B. Long (@JB_Long) March 13, 2025
RG Kevin Dotson, $18 million
2025 RG rank: 3
In his second year of a contract extension, Dotson is the third-highest paid right guard in the NFL. The Chiefs tagged Trey Smith, which puts him at $23.5 million.
RT Rob Havenstein, $11 million
2025 RT rank: 12
Would you have ever guessed that Carolina’s Taylor Moton has the highest cap hit for any offensive lineman in 2025: $31 million!
Havenstein, also potentially in his last season with the Rams, ranks 12th at right tackle with an $11 million cap hit.
Rams OL total: $49 million
Rank: 19th
The Rams recently had the cheapest offensive line in the NFL. Now they sit in the middle after paying the likes of Dotson, Jackson, and Shelton.
