Priority free agents and signing bonuses and the potential impact

[LinvilleGorge]

In NFL contracts, signing bonuses are paid out immediately. Actually, I think it's put into escrow, but whatever. A check gets written by the team owner at the time of signing. There in lies the potential problem for us this year. The franchise is for sale. Why would Jerry Richardson come out of pocket with potentially tens of millions of his own dollars to write checks to fund the signing bonuses of players who will be playing for a franchise he will no longer own?

I have no idea if it's a justified concern or not and I don't know how these situations have been handled in the past or if there's even a way to "handle" them, but it's definitely something that's crossed my mind. Especially after we've started talking about possibilities with guys like Allen Robinson poised to likely hit free agency.

Trying to look into past situations, I found this...

Bills (sold in 2014) comment on 2014 free agency: "For a second year in a row, the Buffalo Bills avoided making a big splash in free agency." They also let safety Jarius Byrd walk that off-season who signed with the Saints for 6 years/$56M. Not good.

Browns (sold in 2012): They did add Frostee Rucker to a sizable contract at the time ($20M+ with $8M guaranteed) and didn't lose anyone who signed big money deals elsewhere, so that's an encouraging precedent.

I was too lazy to look further.

Like I said, no clue if it's a justified concern or not, just something that had crossed my mind.

Discuss...

[Jangler]

wait, don't the Carolina Panthers and Jerry Richardson have two different bank accounts?

[Moo Daeng]

Deferred signing bonuses are typical when the numbers are high. See Andrew Luck.

[Moo Daeng]

More about Lucks deferred bonus.

https://coltswire.usatoday.com/2017/04/01/indianapolis-colts-andrew-luck-received-14-million-deferred-signing-bonus/

 

Also Brady

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2017/03/31/tom-brady-due-14-million-deferred-signing-bonus-on-friday/

[Cpt slay a ho]

Like I said in another thread, I think out the gate we should go get tier b fa, while teams fight over big name guys. Only guys I’d even entertain are Robinson and Joyner. 

 

[Moo Daeng]

So I assume this money will go to the player no matter what...but it will be payed in a future installment.

[LinvilleGorge]

1 minute ago, Moo Daeng said:

More about Lucks deferred bonus.

https://coltswire.usatoday.com/2017/04/01/indianapolis-colts-andrew-luck-received-14-million-deferred-signing-bonus/

 

Also Brady

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2017/03/31/tom-brady-due-14-million-deferred-signing-bonus-on-friday/

One thing to note about both of those players is that they were re-signing with their current teams and never hit the open market. I have to think that's a little different situation. If I'm a free agent on the open market and one team is offering me a contract of $X with $X guaranteed and another team is offering me the same contract by half of that signing bonus is deferred to the following year, all other factors being equal I'm going with the contract that pays me NOW. Several million dollars earning interest over the course of a year is a decent chunk of change.

[Moo Daeng]

2 minutes ago, LinvilleGorge said:

One thing to note about both of those players is that they were re-signing with their current teams and never hit the open market. I have to think that's a little different situation. If I'm a free agent on the open market and one team is offering me a contract of $X with $X guaranteed and another team is offering me the same contract by half of that signing bonus is deferred to the following year, all other factors being equal I'm going with the contract that pays me NOW. Several million dollars earning interest over the course of a year is a decent chunk of change.

yes. true. But the deferred method can facilitate a higher number.  I'm not suggesting it's the answer but a possible way to approach this situation.

[JARROD]

I think Hurney will want to make a feel good splash to pump up the fan base. We should have over 30 million to spend so emulating Phili with a couple of FA receivers like Wallace and Watkins would set up Turner in our offense.

we can then draft a Safety and running back, and another guard and then hopefully our late rounds and UDFA more Oline, Tightends and corners.

Norv was coaxed to come to Carolina so I’m sure it was under the promise to give him the tools to help his offense scream.

[Ace_Aladdin]

Hurney better not waste my precious money on fuging Gano.