PromoTheRobot Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 I don't understand everything about NFL contracts, but it sure seems these days like if you sign a fat contract, all your money is back-loaded. So when the fat money year roles around, your team wants you to "restructure" so your money gets back-loaded again! Do today's ever really see all their money? Is the signing bonus the only REAL money they can count on? The Eric Moulds situation has me wondering. PTR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheRocks Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 if its signing bonus money you get all of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ACor58 Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 I don't understand everything about NFL contracts, but it sure seems these days like if you sign a fat contract, all your money is back-loaded. So when the fat money year roles around, your team wants you to "restructure" so your money gets back-loaded again! Do today's ever really see all their money? Is the signing bonus the only REAL money they can count on? The Eric Moulds situation has me wondering. PTR 605022[/snapback] You raise a good question promo and a lot of it comes down to egos. Remember the $100 Million contract that Bledsoe signed in NE a few years ago? Both sides knew that that deal would never be completed, with ridiculous clauses like $7 Million roster bonuses. The agents have a big stake in this too. Even though they only get a cut of the signing bonus and any money earned in subsequent years, a guy like Drew Rosenhaus will go bragging to other potential clients on the size of the contracts he negotiated, even though none of it is gauranteed except for the sb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eSJayDee Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 I tend to think it's good to have that back loaded contract for a couple of reasons (relative to more 'fair' values) from the player's perspective. 1) You don't know how much salaries are going to escalate, so the last thing you want to be is locked in at under market values. and 2) When it comes time that your contract/pay levels become prohibitive (i.e. your salary is for more than you're worth), it forms a starting point and gives you leverage in the renegotiation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2003Contenders Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 The players know fully well when they sign the contract that they are unlikely to ever see the final big dollar years. However, the large up-front signing bonus makes that situation much more desirable for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rubes Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Gregg Easterbrook talks about this occasionally on his TMQ column (during the season, of course). He always brings up how NFL players typically only see a fraction of what they sign for. Usually, a big deal is made about how large a contract a player signs, but the reality is that contracts for the more expensive players rarely get beyond the first few years, after which most of the money is loaded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drnykterstein Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Gregg Easterbrook talks about this occasionally on his TMQ column (during the season, of course). He always brings up how NFL players typically only see a fraction of what they sign for. Usually, a big deal is made about how large a contract a player signs, but the reality is that contracts for the more expensive players rarely get beyond the first few years, after which most of the money is loaded. 605089[/snapback] He also mentioned how some of it is done just to make the agent look good and then a regular contract is renogtiated out of the public eye. He cited brunells contract at an example of this. Teams do a favor for the agent, then the agent does a favor for the team... the player gets screwed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 I tend to think it's good to have that back loaded contract for a couple of reasons (relative to more 'fair' values) from the player's perspective.1) You don't know how much salaries are going to escalate, so the last thing you want to be is locked in at under market values. and 2) When it comes time that your contract/pay levels become prohibitive (i.e. your salary is for more than you're worth), it forms a starting point and gives you leverage in the renegotiation. 605072[/snapback] A lot of times, it just gets you cut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramius Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 I don't understand everything about NFL contracts, but it sure seems these days like if you sign a fat contract, all your money is back-loaded. So when the fat money year roles around, your team wants you to "restructure" so your money gets back-loaded again! Do today's ever really see all their money? Is the signing bonus the only REAL money they can count on? The Eric Moulds situation has me wondering. PTR 605022[/snapback] You've got a bit of misunderstanding about restructuring. When a contract is restructured, salary is converted to bonus money for that season, allowing the team to pro-rate the larger bonus over the remaining years of the contract. Restructuring pushes back the CAP HIT for a contract to the following years, not the real dollar bills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KurtGodel77 Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 You've got a bit of misunderstanding about restructuring. When a contract is restructured, salary is converted to bonus money for that season, allowing the team to pro-rate the larger bonus over the remaining years of the contract. Restructuring pushes back the CAP HIT for a contract to the following years, not the real dollar bills. 605158[/snapback] Good point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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