Cap Efficiency
Bang for the Buck
Which players are worth every penny — and which aren't.
Value Score = 99 Overall Grade / Cap Hit ($M). Salary data from OverTheCap.com and Spotrac.com. Updated for the 2025 NFL season. 2025 salary cap: $279.2M.
Best Value Players
Great players on affordable deals — the roster-building sweet spot.
Puka NacuaGrade
96.3
Cap Hit
$1.1MValue
87.5PFF 96.3 — the highest WR grade ever recorded. On a ~$1.1M rookie deal. This is the most valuable contract in NFL history by grade-per-dollar.
Drake MayeGrade
90.1
Cap Hit
$5.5MValue
16.4PFF ~90.1 on a bottom-5 roster on a rookie deal. The Patriots have a franchise QB at a slot receiver price — the biggest competitive advantage available in the NFL.
Brock BowersGrade
89.5
Cap Hit
$4.2MValue
21.3Rookie-deal TE producing at an All-Pro level. Historic receiving pace for the position. Las Vegas has a superstar at $4.2M while teams are paying Kelce $10M+.
Jayden DanielsGrade
87.2
Cap Hit
$3.8MValue
22.9Franchise QB on a ~$3.8M rookie deal. Washington's cap efficiency at the most important position is the reason they can build a complete roster around him.
Laiatu LatuGrade
84.1
Cap Hit
$3.9MValue
21.6PFF 84.1 pass rush grade on a rookie deal. Latu is an elite-tier edge rusher that Indianapolis is getting at a fraction of the market rate for the position.
Grade
91.4
Cap Hit
$5.7MValue
16.0Elite edge rusher on a pre-extension deal — now signed to $45M AAV (highest non-QB in NFL history). Detroit locked up generational value before the market reset.
Grade
87.3
Cap Hit
$5.5MValue
15.9Shutdown corner on a rookie deal — teams are avoiding his side of the field. Still on pre-extension money.
Grade
91.2
Cap Hit
$6.4MValue
14.3Most disruptive interior DL in the league by gap displacement. Rookie-scale deal is a roster construction cheat code for Philadelphia.
Jaxon Smith-NjigbaGrade
88.4
Cap Hit
$5.8MValue
15.2Route-running and separation metrics suggest a top-10 WR by process. Seattle is getting elite production on a first-round rookie deal.
Grade
85.2
Cap Hit
$6.3MValue
13.5Separation metrics are elite. Jacksonville got a WR1 at the rookie price — one of the few bright spots on an otherwise inefficient roster.
Least Efficient Contracts
High cap hits, lower-than-expected production. This is about team optimization, not talent — the NFL salary cap makes every dollar a strategic decision.
Deshaun WatsonGrade
58.2
Cap Hit
$46.0MValue
1.3The worst value contract in the NFL by a wide margin. $46M cap hit, below-average grades across every 99 Overall criterion. Cleveland's massive deadcap makes this nearly inescapable for multiple seasons.
Dak PrescottGrade
68.3
Cap Hit
$60.0MValue
1.1$60M AAV — the largest QB contract in NFL history. Dallas went 4-13. Process-level grades flag late reads, missed progressions, and forced throws. Paying maximum money for a below-average process QB.
Kirk CousinsGrade
68.5
Cap Hit
$40.0MValue
1.7$40M+ AAV with declining performance and below-average pre-snap recognition. Atlanta is paying a top-5 QB salary for a player grading as a fringe starter by process metrics.
Grade
72.3
Cap Hit
$36.3MValue
2.0Still a technically sound route runner, but separation and YAC numbers have declined significantly. New York is paying WR1 money for a WR2 production profile at age 32.
Grade
67.1
Cap Hit
$27.5MValue
2.4Free agent overpay. Production dropped significantly in a new scheme. Gap control grades fell from above-average to average — Las Vegas paid for past production.
Grade
71.8
Cap Hit
$31.2MValue
2.3Availability concerns compound an average process grade. Miami is paying a top-10 QB salary for bottom-half production and consistency.
Grade
63.8
Cap Hit
$18.5MValue
3.4Volume receiver without the efficiency. Drops and contested catch rate are both bottom-quartile. Not the profile Baltimore should pay for given their cap structure.
Grade
66.9
Cap Hit
$27.0MValue
2.5The arm talent still shows on select deep balls, but pocket movement and decision-making speed have declined steadily. Pittsburgh needed a bridge — this was a bridge too expensive.
Grade
74.1
Cap Hit
$58.3MValue
1.3$58.3M AAV — second-largest QB contract in the NFL. Love showed flashes in 2023 but regressed in 2025. Green Bay is paying franchise-QB money before the production is consistent.
Joe BurrowGrade
86.2
Cap Hit
$61.3MValue
1.4The highest AAV QB contract in the NFL at $61.3M. Burrow is genuinely elite — but the cap number makes it impossible for Cincinnati to build a complete supporting cast around him.
Position Value Rankings
The best and worst value at every position group.
QB
$5.5M
90.1 grade
$46.0M
58.2 grade
WR
$1.1M
96.3 grade
$36.3M
72.3 grade
RB
$3.5M
87.6 grade
$9.5M
84.1 grade
TE
$4.2M
89.5 grade
$14.3M
78.2 grade
EDGE
$3.9M
84.1 grade
$27.5M
67.1 grade
CB
$5.5M
87.3 grade
$24.1M
72.0 grade
OL
$12.2M
95.2 grade
$26.1M
78.5 grade
DT
$6.4M
91.2 grade
$27.5M
67.1 grade
Team Cap Efficiency
Average 99 Overall grade points per million dollars of cap space. Which front offices are getting the most out of every dollar?
Most Efficient
Least Efficient
What the Data Says
If you're a GM, here's what the value data tells you about roster construction.
Invest in the Offensive Line
OL value scores are 3x higher than WR value scores on average. Elite protection creates elite passing — at a fraction of the cost.
Rookie QBs Are the Cheat Code
Rookie QBs on their first deal are the biggest competitive advantage in the NFL. The salary cap savings fund 2-3 additional starters elsewhere.
Edge Rushers Regress on Second Contracts
Edge rushers on second contracts have the worst value regression of any position. The production-to-cost ratio drops 42% after the rookie deal.
Don't Pay Running Backs
The top 5 value RBs are all on rookie deals. No RB on a second contract appears in the top 20 value scores. The positional economics are undeniable.
Go Deeper
See Every Grade
Every value score is backed by explainable grades and behavioral anchors. See the full methodology and compare players yourself.
Salary cap data sourced from OverTheCap.com and Spotrac.com. PFF grades from verified 2025 season public sources. 2025 NFL salary cap: $279.2M. All cap figures are AAV or 2025 cap hits.