They have injury guarantees. Sorry if someone pointed this out already.
Injury guarantees are a very common, often standard, component in NFL contracts, acting as a protection for players who cannot perform due to football-related activities.
- Prevalence: Injury guarantees are the most common type of guarantee, often included in contracts to protect players if they are released while unable to perform duties due to team-related injuries.
- What it Covers: If a player is released but is injured during team activities (practice/games), they are entitled to the money protected under this clause.
- Distinction from "Fully Guaranteed": A "fully guaranteed" contract (which covers skill, cap, and injury) is rare, with only a small minority of players receiving them (e.g., 112 out of nearly 2,000 players in 2022).
- Limitations: Injury guarantees often only apply to the current year or specific future years, and they do not protect against injuries that occur outside of team activities (e.g., in the off-season).
- "Injury Settlement": If a player is waived with an injury, they may sign an injury settlement, which is a common way teams handle these contracts to avoid keeping the player on the Injured Reserve (IR) for the entire season