Khalen Saunders

New Orleans Saints, Defensive Tackle
Age: 28y-4m-21d (Aug 09, 1996)
Exp: 5 Years
Country: US
College: Western Illinois
Drafted: Round 3 (#84 overall), 2019
Agent(s): Kyle McCarthy, Blaine Roche (Athletes First)
2024 Cap Hit

$4,400,000

2024 Cash

$3,700,000

Career Earnings

$12,072,728

2023-2025 Free Agent (CURRENT)

Khalen Saunders signed a 3 year , $12,300,000 contract with the New Orleans Saints, including $3,500,000 signing bonus, $6,600,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $4,100,000. In 2024, Saunders will earn a base salary of $3,100,000 and a roster bonus of $300,000, while carrying a cap hit of $4,400,000 and a dead cap value of $4,800,000.
Contract Terms:
3 yr(s) / $12,300,000
Average Salary:
$4,100,000
Signing Bonus:
$3,500,000
GTD at Sign:
$4,600,000
Total GTD:
$6,600,000
Free Agent:
2026 / UFA
MANAGE CONTRACT
Year Age Status Cap HitAnnual Cap % League Cap Cash Annual Cash Cumulative Dead Cap Annual
2023 27 $1,800,000 0.80% $4,600,000 $4,600,000 $4,600,000
POTENTIAL OUT: 2024, 1 YR, $4,600,000; $4,800,000 DEAD CAP
2024 28 $4,400,000 1.72% $3,700,000 $8,300,000 $4,800,000
2025 29 $4,700,000 1.72% $4,000,000 $12,300,000 $2,100,000
2026 30
Void
UFA
 $700,000 0.24% - $12,300,000 $1,400,000
2027
Void
 $700,000 0.22% - $12,300,000 -
2028
Void
 - - - $12,300,000 -
Year Age Status Base P5 Salary Signing Proration Roster Bonus Roster/Gm Bonus Cap Hit Cap % League Cap Dead Cap
2023 27 $1,100,000 $700,000 - - $1,800,000 0.80% $4,600,000
POTENTIAL OUT: 2024, 1 YR, $4,600,000; $4,800,000 DEAD CAP
2024 28 $3,100,000 $700,000 $300,000 $300,000 $4,400,000 1.72% $4,800,000
2025 29 $3,400,000 $700,000 $300,000 $300,000 $4,700,000 1.72% $2,100,000
2026 30
Void
UFA
 - $700,000 - - $700,000 0.24% $1,400,000
2027
Void
 - $700,000 - - $700,000 0.22% -
2028
Void
 - - - - - - -
Year Age Status Base P5 Salary Signing Bonus Roster Bonus Cash Total Cash Cumulative Cash Remaining
2023 27 $1,100,000 $3,500,000 - $4,600,000 $4,600,000 $12,300,000
POTENTIAL OUT: 2024, 1 YR, $4,600,000; $4,800,000 DEAD CAP
2024 28 $3,100,000 - $300,000 $3,700,000 $8,300,000 $7,700,000
2025 29 $3,400,000 - $300,000 $4,000,000 $12,300,000 $4,000,000
2026 30
Void
 - - - - $12,300,000 -
2027 31
Void
 - - - - $12,300,000 -
2028 32
Void
 - - - - $12,300,000 -
Contract Notes
  • $4.6M guaranteed at signing (signing bonus + 2023 salary)
  • $2M of 2024 salary fully guarantees 3/16/2024 (injury guaranteed at signing)
  • 2025 Roster Bonus: $300,000 (5th league day of 2025)
  • 2026-2028 years automatically void
  • 2025 Escalator
    55% Snaps in 2023-2024: $700,000
  • Performance Incentives (cumulative)
    40% Snaps + 3 Sacks: $250,000
    50% Snaps + 5 Sacks: $500,000
Source: NFL contract specifics generally collected from verified reports.

2019-2022 Rookie

Khalen Saunders signed a 4 year , $3,673,180 contract with the Kansas City Chiefs, including $915,180 signing bonus, $915,180 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $918,295.
Contract Terms:
4 yr(s) / $3,673,180
Average Salary:
$918,295
Signing Bonus:
$915,180
GTD at Sign:
$915,180
Total GTD:
$915,180
Free Agent:
2023 / UFA
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Seasons

5 Years

Career Earnings thru 2024

$12,072,728

Earnings w/ Different Teams

2 teams

Earnings Per Year

Year Age Team(s) Status Cash Total Cash Cumulative Awards
2019 23
Active
$1,410,180
$1,410,180
 Champion
2020 24
Active
$497,548
$1,907,728
2021 25
Active
$875,000
$2,782,728
2022 26
Active
$990,000
$3,772,728
 Champion
2023 27
Active
$4,600,000
$8,372,728
2024 28
Active
$3,700,000
$12,072,728
Total      
$12,072,728
$12,072,728
2025 29
Active
$4,000,000
Total
$16,072,728

Earnings Per Team

Years Team Base Signing Roster Restructure Option Incentives Cash Cumulative
4 $2,749,706 $915,180 - - $75,000 $32,842 $3,772,728
2 $4,200,000 $3,500,000 $300,000 - - - $8,300,000
Year Team(s) Age Base Signing Roster Restructure Option Workout Incentives Cash Total Cash Cumulative
2019
23
$495,000
$915,180
$1,410,180
$1,410,180
2020
24
$439,706
$25,000
$32,842
$497,548
$1,907,728
2021
25
$850,000
$25,000
$875,000
$2,782,728
2022
26
$965,000
$25,000
$990,000
$3,772,728
2023
27
$1,100,000
$3,500,000
$4,600,000
$8,372,728
2024
28
$3,100,000
$300,000
$3,700,000
$12,072,728
Total
$6,949,706
$4,415,180
$300,000
$75,000
$32,842
$12,072,728
$12,072,728
2025
29
$3,400,000
$300,000
$4,000,000
Total
$10,349,706
$4,415,180
$600,000
$75,000
$32,842
$16,072,728

Earnings Per Team

Years Team Base Signing Roster Restructure Option Incentives Cash Cumulative
4 $2,749,706 $915,180 - - $75,000 $32,842 $3,772,728
2 $4,200,000 $3,500,000 $300,000 - - - $8,300,000

Injuries

Year Weeks Reason
2021 KC 13 - 18 Knee
2020 KC 2 - 6 Elbow
  • Mar 15, 2023 Signed a 3 year $12.3 million contract with New Orleans (NO)
  • Jun 03, 2019 Signed a 4 year $3.67 million contract with Kansas City (KC)
  • Apr 26, 2019 Drafted by Kansas City (KC): Round 3 (#84 overall)
Year Team GP GS Snaps Snaps% Sack Tackles Total Tackles Solo Tackles Assisted FFum Int
2024 NO 12 8 382 36.90 2 43 18 25 0 1
2023 NO 17 17 523 47.20 0 57 24 33 0 0
2022 KC 16 0 421 36.70 4 48 22 26 0 0
2021 KC 7 0 144 20.50 0 8 2 6 0 0
2020 KC 3 1 74 10.20 0 3 3 0 0 0
2019 KC 12 4 305 27.20 1 22 13 9 0 0

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TRANSACTIONS

Mar 15, 2023
Signed a 3 year $12.3 million contract with New Orleans (NO)
Jun 03, 2019
Signed a 4 year $3.67 million contract with Kansas City (KC)
Apr 26, 2019
Drafted by Kansas City (KC): Round 3 (#84 overall)

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