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Even after a subpar 2014 season, the Bengals' defensive line will be paid handsomely in 2015.
A big reason for the positions large collective salary after getting just 16.5 sacks last year is the return of Michael Johnson. After a one-year hiatus in Tampa Bay, Johnson is back with a manageable $2.6 million cap hit this year. Any time you get a guy capable of what Johnson brought to Cincinnati in the past, it's worth it.
Here's a look at the salary cap breakdown for the entire Bengals defensive line:
|
POS. |
BASE SALARY |
SIGNING BONUS |
ROSTER BONUS |
|
DEAD CAP |
CAP HIT |
|
|
Carlos Dunlap |
DE |
$3,000,000 |
$1,600,000 |
- |
|
($4,800,000) |
$4,900,000 |
|
Michael Johnson |
DE |
$1,300,000 |
$1,125,000 |
$175,000 |
|
($4,500,000) |
$2,600,000 |
|
Wallace Gilberry |
DE |
$1,850,000 |
$200,000 |
- |
|
($200,000) |
$2,050,000 |
|
Margus Hunt |
DE |
$688,736 |
$262,473 |
- |
|
($524,946) |
$1,001,209 |
|
Will Clarke |
DE |
$510,000 |
$136,345 |
- |
|
($409,035) |
$656,345 |
|
Marcus Hardison |
DE |
$435,000 |
$86,423 |
- |
|
($345,692) |
$521,423 |
|
Sam Montgomery |
DE |
$510,000 |
- |
- |
|
- |
$510,000 |
|
Geno Atkins |
DT |
$5,700,000 |
$3,000,000 |
- |
|
($9,000,000) |
$9,000,000 |
|
Domata Peko |
DT |
$2,000,000 |
- |
$1,500,000 |
|
- |
$3,700,000 |
|
Brandon Thompson |
DT |
$665,000 |
$130,300 |
- |
|
($130,300) |
$795,300 |
|
Devon Still |
DT |
$660,000 |
$50,000 |
- |
|
($50,000) |
$740,000 |
|
Pat Sims |
DT |
$870,000 |
$50,000 |
- |
|
($50,000) |
$665,000 |
|
Kwame Geathers |
DT |
$510,000 |
- |
- |
|
- |
$510,000 |
|
DeShawn Williams |
DT |
$435,000 |
$1,666 |
- |
|
($5,000) |
$436,666 |
|
Kalafitoni Pole |
DT |
$435,000 |
$166 |
- |
|
($500) |
$435,166 |
Carlos Dunlap did have a decent year with sacks and an 8.3 Pro Football Focus rating. He earned his $8.6 million cap hit in 2014, and he'll likely do so again in 2015 with just a $4.9 million salary for the year. Robert Geathers and Wallace Gilberry combined to make $4.5 million last year, despite combining for just 2.5 sacks. Now, Geathers is gone and Gilberry will make just $2 million this year.
Geno Atkins has a hefty $9-million cap hit, which is 5.92 percent of the team's 2015 cap. Domata Peko takes up a sizable $3.7 million. Margus Hunt is the only other player making at least $1 million this year, if he's even on the 53-man roster. He counts for a little over $500,000 if released.
All in all, the defensive line will make a total of $26 million in 2015, the 10th-highest of any NFL team's D-line. It's also the highest-paid unit on the Bengals' roster. Hopefully, their play on the field lives up to their lofty pay this year.