So far I only found details on Fant and Lewis, but more will become available, which I will add. Contracts are the most misleading aspect to the NFL, as teams and agents intentionally misrepresent the actual values. This often works to their advantage, in that players get to be “the highest paid at their position” however this is often not the case at all. Yearly averages are the dumbest possible way to actually understand what a contract value is, which is why you will never see me rate a signing until I get to see the true details. George Fant: 3 Years, $27.3mm. George Fant’s contract is in fact a 1 year tryout. His contract is laid out such that the Jets can cut him after one year with a grand total of $9.25 million invested, should they see fit. If he is not what they expect, he was a 1 year placeholder. If he develops as they hope, he is a left tackle being paid far below his value in 2021. If they do want to cut him after 1 year, the caveat is simply that they must cut him before March 22, 2021. There is only $2 million in investment of prorated money outside of 2020. **This is an excellent contract structure. It leaves room to keep him, cut him, or restructure/extend him. He is paid for 1 year as a top 20 LT, which is questionable however the risk is minimal. Alex Lewis: 3 Years, $18.6mm. Alex Lewis’ contract has slightly more overall investment, and although the cap hits are a tad lower than Fant’s they represent a slightly higher positional investment, as guards command less than LT’s especially left guards. His contract is structured in such a way that he can easily be a 1 year, $6 million dollar rental. **This is also excellent contract structure. Let’s take Trumaine Johnson as an example. While his contract at signing was represented at $14.5 million per year, he ended up walking away after 2 years at $17 million per year.
Marqui Christian 1-year, $1.2 million with incentives that could take it up to $2 million. Hewitt 1-year, $2 million.
With the details of Greg Van Roten now available, we have another nicely structured deal in the books. The contract pays $3,353,750 in the first year including a $2mm roster bonus. A roster bonus can be set to any date the club and player agree to when the contract is written, even the day the contract is signed. This way, the player gets cash instantly as if it were a signing bonus, but it is not required to be prorated over future years. Van Roten has $250,000 in guaranteed salary for next year, which is basically nothing. Another no-commitment type of contract.
Pierre Desir’s contract goes through, 1 year $4,000,000, so a pretty low cost for a guy who almost certainly will start. Not going to be a pro-bowler, but not a total liability. Good deal. Burgess at 1 year $875,000.
Connor McGovern is signed to a 3 year deal averaging $9mm per season. They have fully committed to him for 2 seasons, and they can get out after that for no penalty. It’s not some wildly innovative contract, although the value is pretty good. The signing bonus is only $4mm, but there is also a year 1 $1mm roster bonus. This means McGovern gets $5mm immediately, and then over the first two years he has all of his salary guaranteed which totals $13mm. Overall a decent value for a good player at a position of need, with 2 years committed.
Breshad Perriman signed a 1 year deal worth $6,437,500. There were reported incentives when the terms were agreed to, but there is no indication of that here. If there are escalators, they will be reflected on the 2021 cap anyway. The deal is high for Perriman’s career production, but coming off of a very good season makes it look reasonable. I am very happy with the deal, as I do feel that Perriman is likely a stop gap type of player as the receiving corps is rebuilt.
That's not strictly true is it? It depends on the nature of the bonus as I understand it - assuming that this hasn't changed recently - and whether it is likely or unlikely to be achieved. A 1m bonus for breaking 1,000 yards might well go in to next year as he's never managed that so it would be classed as unlikely. A 500k bonus for 500 yards would go on this year's cap as he's likely to achieve that based on last year.
You’re correct, but if it’s already included this year and he does not achieve it, it will be credited next year. Either way it would not effect this year’s cap number.
