Highest-paid NFL defensive players: Where Texans' Will Anderson Jr. ranks

TL;DR

Will Anderson Jr. of the Houston Texans has signed a three-year, $150 million extension, making him one of the highest-paid defensive players in the NFL. The trend of increasing salaries for top defensive players continues as teams invest heavily in their defenses.

Key points

Will Anderson Jr. signed a three-year, $150 million extension
He is now one of the highest-paid defensive players in the NFL
The trend of rising salaries for defensive players continues
Other top defensive players include Myles Garrett and T.J. Watt

Houston Texans

Defense spending continues to rise.

NFL teams are starting to cut big checks for the league's best defensive players, and the market is booming right now. It's a market that now has some of the game's best pass-rushers standing alongside quarterbacks as among the sport's highest-paid players.

On April 17, Will Anderson Jr. etched his name onto those lists after the Houston Texans awarded him with a three-year, $150 million extension, according to reports.

In other words, it pays to play defense.

Myles Garrett, Maxx Crosby, Danielle Hunter, T.J. Watt and Micah Parsons all claimed a spot last offseason – a sign of things to come.

Anderson is getting the party started this offseason, setting the stage – and market – for many years to come. Now there's a new No. 1 on the highest-paid lists.

Here's what to know about the highest-paid NFL defensive players in terms of average annual value (AAV) and total value, as well as the highest-paid non-quarterbacks in the sport.