contract question / proposition

[tvooz]

let's say that after all the free agents and draft picks are signed and with the release of some veteran contracts, the cowboys have over $15M left. could they do this on a six year contract with a certain player who is currently on the active roster ... a player like roy williams perhaps?

roster bonus = $8M
signing bonus = $6M / $1M per year prorated

2006 salary = $1M ( $10M )
2007 salary = $1M ( $2M )
2008 salary = $2M ( $3M )
2009 salary = $3M ( $4M )
2010 salary = $4M ( $5M )
2011 salary = $5M ( $6M )

the number in parenthesis is the actual cap charge. so the deal would be a 6 year $30M contract. the first year compensation would be $15M.

 

[Anguillidae]

Yes. Minnesota did something like that when they signed Antoine Winfield. Though I think the new CBA states that in 2006 a signing bonus can only be prorated five years.

 

[tvooz]

i thought i read that 1st round rookies in the top 16 could sign up for a 6 year deal. if this is indeed true, then how could you preclude veterans?

in either case, the scenario of front loading contracts seems like a win-win propositon.

 

[Anguillidae]

i thought i read that 1st round rookies in the top 16 could sign up for a 6 year deal. if this is indeed true, then how could you preclude veterans?

in either case, the scenario of front loading contracts seems like a win-win propositon.

Yes, players can sign contracts longer then five years, but teams can't prorate the signing bonus longer then five years.

From ESPN:

9. The five-year proration of contracts in 2006 -- it was four years without a CBA extension -- will allow rookies selected at the top of the draft to continue to make big money. Signing bonuses or guarantees have increased as much as $24 million for a top pick, particularly for quarterbacks. With four-year proration, the biggest signing bonus a top draft pick such as Reggie Bush would have received would be about $15 million. Now, he or Matt Leinart can go for the $20-plus million gold with five-year proration in 2006. There will be six-year proration in 2007.