How can we structure Rodgers deal?

[Big Gilly]

I am hoping to gain some insight as to the options for structuring Rodgers contract.

I think we can assume he is going to get paid in the range of 20 mil per. The way I see it, they could structure one of two ways:

1. Front load the contract to take a big hit to our cap number today to provide more flexibilty in the future

2. Structure the deal to give the Pack more financial freedom in the shorter term

Knowing Thompson, I can assume #1, but I'd like to hear your input. What I am really curious about is how would they be able to structure the deal to allow the ability to reup Matthews and Raji - without crippling the team long term.

Thoughts?

[blankman0021]

[rbens06]

Contracts, especially in the NFL (aside from rookie contracts, which are more cookie cutter now with the wage scale) are and can be very complex. In the short there are three main options for guys. Front load, back load, and average. Each obviously has its own advantage and usually are utilized depending on where a player is in his career. Rodgers situation is a little unique because he still has a deal with two years in place, which the more I think about it works to the Packers advantage. Something that needs to be kept in mind is the guaranteed money. Bree's set the mark at $60 million and Flacco just followed that up with $52 million. Percentage wise I think Rodgers will exceed both.

Something I was thinking about is if we give Rodgers a big signing bonus, lets say $48 million (I know this seems huge). Signing bonuses are spread over the life of the contact, so adding 4 years $100 million (mentioned by another poster in a different thread) would spread the $48 million over 6 years (I believe it can be spread over the existing years, but am not 100% on that) would be $8 million a year moving this years and next years cap numbers to about $18 million. That would leave a salary of $52 million over 4 years, which is $13 million a year and a $21 million cap hit a year after you add the $8 million signing bonus allocation in. Over the life of the contract each year would be palpable and not hinder any one cap. For comparison, Flacco has a year 4 cap number of $29 million, which is believed by some he will never see because that is way too disproportionate. Also he had a signing bonus of $29 million for cap hit of $5.8 million a year and his salary in year 1 is only $1 million.

Personally, I would like to see him take a smaller jump now, giving us the cap freedom now while the cap is relatively flat and have bigger numbers setup for when the TV money is suppose to kick in.

[McThreadski]

Can't we just give him a "second job" at Uncle Mike's All Night Sweater Barn for 20 million per year and then pay him 2 million against the cap and spend the rest on top flight talent to surround him with? Why am I the only guy that thinks this is a dandy idea?

[blankman0021]

[McThreadski]

[dijatool]

[gizmo2012]

Rumors are Rodgers will get upwards to 25 million per year and that seems about right to me - Mathews 12 million per year or so - Raji next year 8 million if they intend to resign him, so a lot of money needs to be committed this year and next year. If Rodgers and Mathews get restructured this year which I expect, then the Packers can certainly defer some of that money to later years when the salary cap is larger. It makes sense on why TT is holding so much in cash reserves right now.

[mightybk]

If you want to get around the signing bonus proration issue, just guarantee the base salaries in the first 3 years.....He still gets his guaranteed money (just not in one lump sum) and the team doesn't have to worry about the big cap hit in later years
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[gizmo2012]

[JBURGE25]

[svp]

We should give him a piece of paper that says he is part owner of the team.
That way he is psycho-logically invested and that is better than money sometimes.
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[incognito_man]

The 4 yr, $100million extension is solid.

Comes out to about $20mil/yr over the next 6 then.

[rbens06]

[rbens06]