Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Details on Clifton, Collins, Pickett, and Tauscher Contracts

Chad Clifton, Nick Collins, Ryan Pickett, and Mark Tauscher recently signed big contracts with the Green Bay Packers so I thought I would give the details of each contract along with my thoughts.

Chad Clifton signed a three-year, $19.4 million contract:
2010: $7.5 million = $6.4 million roster bonus, $855,000 base salary, and $250,000 workout bonus

2011: $6.2 million = $200,000 roster bonus, $5.75 million base salary, and $250,000 workout bonus

2012: $5.7 million = $200,000 roster bonus, $5.25 million base salary, and $250,000 workout bonus

Paying Clifton a large amount of up front guaranteed money means that if the salary cap is reinstated, the Packers can cut Clifton after the 2010 season without any salary cap charges. If the Packers draft a left tackle of the future in the 2010 NFL Draft, 2010 might be Clifton's last season in Green Bay despite just signing a three-year extension.


Nick Collins signed a three-year, $23.4 million extension:
2010: $14 million in compensation

2011 - 2013: $12.7 million in compensation for an average of $4.23 million a year

Nick Collins played nice by signing his tender instead of holding out for a long-term deal and the Packers rewards Collins' loyalty in a big way. The specific details of Collins' extension were much harder to find but I will do my best to break it down.

The basics of the deal are that this extension will keep Collins under contract in Green Bay through 2013. Collins restricted free agent tender which would have paid him $3.3 million this season and then Collins would have become and unrestricted free agent after the 2010 season. As a result, the $23.4 million extensions was added to the $3.3 million tender, which pushes the total value of the deal to four-years, $26.7 million.

This is a great deal for both sides. Collins is one of the best safeties in the NFL and now he is getting paid like that. Since Collins signed only a four-year deal, he can still become a free agent at age 30 and sign another mega-deal unless he re-ups before the end of 2013.


Ryan Pickett signed a four-year, $24.925 million contract:
2010: $9.9 million = $6.4 million roster bonus, $2 million signing bonus, $1.2 million base salary, $200,000 workout bonus, and $100,000 likely to be earned incentives

2011: $3.3 million = $2.7 million base salary, $200,000 workout bonus, and $400,000 likely to be earned incentives

2012: $4.8 million = $4.5 million base salary, $200,000 workout bonus, and $100,000 likely to be earned incentives

2013: $5.7 million = $5.4 million base salary, $200,000 workout bonus, and $100,000 likely to be earned incentives

The Pickett family is getting paid in 2010. As a point of reference, the Packers placed the franchise tag on Pickett earlier this offseason, which would have been a one-year, $7.03 million fully guaranteed deal had Pickett and the Packers not reached the aforementioned four-year accord. With all that up front money in 2010 and a relatively low salary for 2011, Pickett will play for the Packers at least through 2011. The development of Raji, the resolution to Jolly's legal troubles, and what the Packers do in the next few drafts will determine if Pickett plays out the entire four years of his new deal. If you check my math I have $1.225 million unaccounted for in Pickett's extension. If I get more details on Pickett's deal I will pass that information along.


Mark Tauscher signed a two-year, $8.28 million deal:
2010: $3.7 million = $1.4 million base salary, $2.1 million roster bonus, and $200,000 workout bonus

2011: $4.58 million = $4.1 million base salary, $280,000 roster bonus, and $200,000 workout bonus

Mark Tauscher's deal is similar to Clifton's deal in the sense that if the salary cap is re-instated in 2011 the Packers can cut Tauscher before the 2011 season without any salary cap ramifications. Whether Tauscher plays for the Packers in 2011 depends on the development of T.J. Lang, Breno Giacomini, and Allen Barbre (and to a lesser extent whether the Packers draft a right tackle in the 2010 or 2011 NFL Draft).


The Packers committed $79 million to four players, $35.1 million of which will be paid out in 2010. I like that Ted Thompson is trying to capitalize on the uncapped year, but I wonder whether Collins or Pickett might ask for more money towards the end of their deals despite how much money they were paid up front.

These extensions show that Thompson is not afraid to spend money. Some have quested why Thompson doesn't spend more money in free agency but as the Washington Redskins show every year, NFL teams can't be built solely via free agency.

Congrats to Chad Clifton, Nick Collins, Ryan Pickett, and Mark Tauscher for getting paid...now go earn your money fellas!

No comments:

Post a Comment