Most overpaid, underpaid players in NFC North

NFL contracts are complicated, and their values can change in the blink of an eye. Some players sign deals that age poorly, leaving their teams reeling. Meanwhile, others wildly outperform their contracts en route to a massive payday.

Here are the most overpaid and underpaid players for each team in the NFC North. (All salary cap numbers provided by Spotrac).

Chicago Bears 

Most overpaid: Cairo Santos, kicker | Santos wasn't bad in 2022 but landed in the overpaid bucket due to his gradual downswing and cap hit. At $4.M, Santos carries the 11th-highest cap hit on the Bears and seventh highest among kickers. Given Santos' production, the team could afford a more- than-serviceable replacement with the $3M in cap savings it would receive by cutting him. 

Santos made 91.3 percent of his field goals last season and tied a career-high with four makes from 50 yards-plus. But he also finished with the NFL's worst extra-point percentage at 84.4 (27-of-32), by far the lowest of his career. At 31, Santos may be in the midst of a steep decline. 

Most underpaid: Justin Fields, quarterback | Entering only his third NFL season, Fields has proven to be a game-breaking runner whose passing game is making strides. However, ahead of the 2023 campaign, 26 other quarterbacks have a higher cap hit than Fields' $5.1M, including Zach Wilson ($9.5M), Trey Lance ($9.3M) and Tyrod Taylor ($6.9M). 

Fields rushed for 1,143 yards and completed 60.4% of his passes last season. With another year of maturation and star wideout D.J. Moore at his disposal, Fields is primed for a breakout. That's good news for Fields because he's eligible for a contract extension after the 2023 season. 

Detroit Lions

Most overpaid: Romeo Okwara, defensive end | Despite restructuring his contract earlier this year, lowering his salary from $11M to $2M for this season, Okwara still has one of the highest cap hits on the team at $5.6M. Ahead of training camp, only defensive end Aidan Hutchinson ($8.1M) and safety Tracy Walker ($6.3M) have a larger cap hit on the defense.

A 10-sack season in 2020 proved Okwara could be an impactful player. However, after playing in only nine games over the past two seasons due to injury, Okwara is still a question heading into 2023.

Most underpaid: Jonah Jackson, left guard | A third-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Jackson looks like a steal for the Lions with a $3.2M cap number for 2023. Jackson is entering his fourth season as a starter, but there are still 36 tackles in the NFL carrying a larger cap hit. With Jackson eligible for unrestricted free agency next offseason, the Lions or someone else will remedy that situation. 

Following a Pro Bowl campaign in 2021, Jackson finished 2022 as the 11th-ranked guard in the NFC (27th overall), per Pro Football Focus. Jackon allowed zero sacks in 13 games last season, so the best may be yet to come. 

Green Bay Packers

Most overpaid: Aaron Jones, running back | Jones, who turns 29 in December, isn't overpaid in the usual sense. Instead, he's a victim of circumstance. Despite the Packers being in a rebuild as they move on from the Aaron Rodgers era, Jones is taking up a little more than $25M in cap space over the next two years, including the ninth-highest number among running backs in 2023.

Jones restructured his contract earlier this year, knocking his cap hit in 2023 down from $20M to $8.1M, but that number jumps up to $17.7M in 2024. Jones had his third 1,000-yard rushing season in 2022, but it might not be wise for the Packers to invest so much in a running back approaching 30.

Most underpaid: Rashan Gary, edge-rusher | He carries a $10.8M cap hit in 2023, so he's making a lot of coin. However, entering the final year of his rookie deal, Gary is due a raise, and potentially a hefty one, especially with fellow 2019 first-round defensive linemen Nick Bosa, Brian Burns and Montez Sweat also coming up on new deals. 

Gary is coming off a torn ACL suffered nine games into the 2022 campaign, which might give some pause about agreeing to a long-term deal. However, after posting 15.5 sacks and 79 tackles over the last two seasons, locking Gary up seems like a no-brainer for Green Bay.

Minnesota Vikings

Most overpaid: Kirk Cousins, quarterback| The Vikings have paid Cousins $155M for one playoff win over five seasons in Minnesota. In 2023, he'll count $20.2M against the cap, the ninth-highest figure in the NFL among quarterbacks. 

Despite last year's team success in Minnesota, Cousins regressed, posting his lowest completion percentage (65.9) since 2017 and throwing a career-worst 14 interceptions. After an early exit in the playoffs last season, he's beginning to gain the reputation that he can't win the big one. With no plan at QB, the Vikings may have to turn to the 34-year-old again in 2024. 

Most underpaid: Justin Jefferson, wide receiver| Jefferson's cap hit for 2023 is only $4.1M and increases to $19.7M in 2024, but the electric wideout is still massively underpaid. Heading into his fourth NFL campaign, Jefferson will soon sign a historic deal.

Jefferson was an All-Pro and a Pro Bowler in 2022, leading the league in receptions (128) and yards receiving (1,809). At 24, Jefferson is arguably the best wideout in the NFL and is only entering his prime. He has been open about wanting to return to Minnesota, but that will likely cost the Vikings $30M a year.