The Bengals don't tend to spend much on their safeties, even though they've gotten great production at that position in recent years.
Since becoming the full-time starting free safety in 2011, Reggie Nelson has played at a high level while annually being the team's highest-paid player at the position, though he's typically been paid a cap-friendly number. That will be the case again in 2015 when he makes just $4.7 million on the final year of his contract.
Here's a salary breakdown in 2015 for the Bengals' safeties:
| BASE SALARY | SIGNING BONUS | WORKOUT BONUS | DEAD CAP | CAP HIT | |
| Reggie Nelson | $4,100,000 | $625,000 | $50,000 | ($625,000) | $4,775,000 |
| George Iloka | $1,542,000 | $40,075 | - | ($40,075) | $1,582,075 |
| Shawn Williams | $600,000 | $138,986 | - | ($277,972) | $738,986 |
| Shiloh Keo | $745,000 | - | - | - | $585,000 |
| Derron Smith | $435,000 | $29,658 | - | ($118,632) | $464,658$29,658 |
| Floyd Raven | $435,000 | $1,833 | - | ($5,500) | $436,833$1,833 |
After Nelson, George Iloka is the only other safety making more than $1 million.