Buccaneers make Gerald McCoy highest paid DT in NFL history

There aren't many defensive tackles who are the face of their franchise, but Gerald McCoy probably is the face of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. At very least, he's paid like it now.

McCoy signed a contract extension through the 2021 season, giving him a seven-year deal that's worth up to $98 million. That includes more than $51 million in guaranteed money, USA Today's Tom Pelissero reported. The average of more than $14 million per season is the most in NFL history for a defensive tackle.

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Somewhere, Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh perked up. He'll be a free agent after this season and it's a good bet he'll get a contract somewhere in McCoy's range.

McCoy has earned his deal. Pro Football Focus graded him as the fourth-best player in all of the NFL last season, right behind Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt, St. Louis Rams defensive end Robert Quinn and Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning.

Defensive tackles don't always get a ton of attention, but the sheer volume of McCoy's contract will put him in a different spotlight.

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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdowncorner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab