Matthew Stafford's Season Triggers $1 Million Salary Escalator

by Sean Yuille on Jan 13, 2012 9:18 PM EST in Detroit Lions News

In 2011, Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide receiver Calvin Johnson had franchise-best seasons, statistically speaking. Each player put up some ridiculous numbers, and each player also triggered contract bonuses as a result.

We already knew about Johnson's $4.5 million contract bonus, which was achieved because he finished at the top of several receiving categories. It turns out Stafford got a bonus of his own after triggering a salary escalator worth $1 million by finishing in the top five of some passing categories. From Mac's Football Blog (via the Free Press):

From 2010-13, Stafford has $1 million in base salary escalation available if he makes certain Pro Bowl/All-NFL teams, or is named league MVP, or if ranks in the Top 5 in either passing yards, passing touchdowns or passing rating. In his first full season in the NFL, Stafford ranked in the Top 5 in all three of those categories, which will increase his base salary to $11.5 million and cap number to just over $17 million.

Part of the reason Stafford's cap number is so high is because he restructured his deal this past season to free up some cap space. Brian McIntyre speculates that Ndamukong Suh could free up $6.5 million of cap space if he restructures his deal this year, so that will be something to keep an eye on, as will if Stafford's deal is once again restructured.

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I'm kinda clueless..

but isn’t there a better way to give him bonuses than on base salaries? Because of the way he will be paid, doesn’t it affect our salary cap, and wouldn’t it have been more beneficial to throw him some kind of bonus in another way? I don’t know. lol.

@mgazzy
"Football isn't a contact sport, it's a collision sport. Dancing is a contact sport."
--Duffy Daugherty

by GhostManOnThird on Jan 13, 2012 9:33 PM EST reply actions

there's two kinds of bonuses.

“Likely to be earned” takes a cap hit this year (and cap reduction next if they fail to achieve it)

“Not likely to be earned” takes a cap hit the next year if they succeed at it.

It’s actually an effective number shuffling system to push back bonuses or to front pad cap when you have space.

"You've got to respect your opponent, no matter who it is. You respect him best by going out there and beating him up." - Calvin Johnson

by Mavyrk on Jan 13, 2012 11:06 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

Cap Space

The Lions and the Ford family know how to shuffle numbers. Stafford, Johnson, and Suhs numbers can be juggled without them losing a dime to get a shutdown corner as a free agent as well as be able to keep their own free agents.

by LarryLive on Jan 15, 2012 9:20 AM EST reply actions