Bengals salary cap breakdown: Wide Receiver

The Bengals are spending more money on the receiver position than you might realize.

It's not because they're spending big money on several players though. It's largely due to A.J. Green's sizable fifth-year option. Because he didn't sign an extension with the Bengals before the option was exercised, Green will have a $10.1 million salary in 2015, which is tied for the sixth-highest cap hit of any NFL receiver.

Here's a salary breakdown in 2015 for the Bengals' wide receivers:

POS.

BASE SALARY

SIGNING BONUS

ROSTER BONUS

WORKOUT BONUS

DEAD CAP IF CUT

CAP HIT

A.J. Green

WR

$10,176,000

-

-

-

$10,176,000

$10,176,000

Mohamed Sanu

WR

$1,542,000

$140,813

-

-

$140,813

$1,682,813

Marvin Jones

WR

$660,000

$40,700

-

-

$40,700

$700,700

Denarius Moore

WR

$745,000

$25,000

$30,000

$25,000

$25,000

$665,000

Brandon Tate

WR

$745,000

$50,000

-

$30,000

$50,000

$665,000

James Wright

WR

$510,000

$12,456

-

-

$37,368

$522,456$12,456

Mario Alford

WR

$435,000

$14,776

-

-

$59,104

$449,776$14,776

Cobi Hamilton

WR

$435,000

-

-

-

-

$435,000

Jake Kumerov

WR

$435,000

-

-

-

-

$435,000

Tevin Reese

WR

$435,000

-

-

-

-

$435,000

The Bengals are spending just $13.9 million on the receiver position this year. That's essentially what quarterback Andy Dalton is making in 2015 at $13.6 million.

And we wonder why everyone and their grandma wants to play quarterback...

Cincinnati actually ranks 12th in the NFL in cap spent on receivers in 2015, per Spotrac. Green's cap hit is what makes the position group rank so high. Without Green included, the Bengals are committing just $3.8 million to this position in 2015. That would be the lowest of any team, in addition to being $3 million behind the next closest team (the Jaguars at $6.4 million).

That's what happens when every other receiver is either still on his rookie deal (Sanu, Jones, Wright, Alford, Reese, Kumerov, Hamilton) or is signed to a one-year, veteran-minimum deal (Moore, Tate). Sanu, a former third-round pick, is the only receiver not named Green making at least $1 million dollars.

Jones was selected in the fifth round of the 2012 draft, the same draft class in which Sanu was selected during the third round. Jones will make less than half of what Sanu makes in 2015, but there's a good chance that will never be the case again once both players become free agents in 2016.