ESPN.com released details of Steelers linebacker James Harrison's $51.175-million contract today.
According to the report, Harrison's deal includes a $10-million signing bonus, $2.55-million roster bonus and a base salary of $800,000 for 2009.
Harrison is due a reporting bonus of $2.8 million in 2010, a $3.66 million base salary as well as a $900,000 roster bonus in 2011.
In the final three years of the six-year pact, Harrison is due base salaries of $5.315 million in 2012, $6.32 million in 2013 and $7.325 million in 2013.
So, in effect, the contract could actually be considered a two or three-year deal, which is more in line with what a 31-year-old player – his birthday was this week – even one who doesn't have a lot of mileage on his tires, should get.
19 comments:
Dale, do you know how a Roster bonus is worked for the cap. Is it like a signing bonus that is allocated over the life of the contract or is it all allocated to the current year?
Off topic, but Howard Mudd and Tom Moore just announced their plans to retire. Not because they want to, but because they feel they're forced to because of a backdoor change to the coaches pension plan by the owners recently. This impacts Dick LeBeau in the same way (and John Mitchell is just one year away). In light of this, do you know if Dick LeBeau is reconsidering his present and future with the team?
This is being reported everywhere BUT IT ONLY ADDS UP TO $40.43 million dollars???!!!
Where's the rest of the contract? And how the heck (add any numbers up you want) do you get $20 million guaranteed out of it?
Even if all the money reported over the first three seasons is guaranteed, that's $21.5 million.
Come on Dave... someone do some reporting instead of running with the same inaccurate piece released by ESPN or Rotoworld (whoever reported it first).
This contract has to be seen as a win for the Steelers. We signed him to a good deal and Harrison was classy about the whole contract process. Alot of players would have moaned and bitched about not getting more money but Harrison is very grateful for this. It makes me like him alot more. I also like how Troy didn't make the Steelers break the bank either.
For the first poster, signing bonuses are allocated over the length of the contract or over the first five years, whichever is less. Roster, reporting, and workout bonuses all count only against the year that they're given.
I'm really starting to think that contract numbers are mostly about egos and bragging rights. He'll never see a good chunk of that $50mil, but he can say he has a $50mil contract and enjoy the status as the highest paid Steeler defender.
Dale,
I've seen a couple of reports where ILB Napoleon Harris is supposed to meet with the Steelers today on the South Side.
Any truth to this and what type of addition do you think the 29-year-old Harris would be as a backup to Timmons and Farrior on the inside? Remember, he started for Tomlin at MLB for the Vikings that year their D was no. 1 against the run (and I think next to last against the pass).
Thoughts?
Harris was a guy I looked at last year when he was a free agent. Yes, he'd be the backup inside guy.
As for the contract figures, there are probably some other roster bonuses and workout bonuses in there as well.
It's interesting to note on this deal how the Steelers appear to have gotten round the 30% salary increase rule that's in effect this year. The rule effectively means that any player who signs a contract this year cannot have salary increases over 30% of his 2009 salary. The key's in the 2009 roster bonus. I'm assuming it's a guaranteed roster bonus?
There is wording in the CBA to the effect that a Guaranteed roster bonus is to be treated as a signing bonus BUT ONLY for the means of working out a player's salary cap hit. SO for the 30% rule it's treated as salary, meaning that by effectively taking some of his signing bonus and calling it a guaranteed roster bonus we can still give him a contract that looks like an old style backloaded one.
so rather than his cap hit for 2009 being $5.35m it should actually only be $3.31m
As for Lebeau's situation, it will not effect the Steelers' coaches in any way because they are one of the 15 or so teams that is not changing their insurance plans. Only a handful of teams have announced they are, and quite a few are "undecided". Most of the changing teams are money-grubbing teams like Indi, New England, and Dallas. Buffalo is on that list, as well.
Dale,
Did Frank the Tank run out of any wildcat sets in mini-camp? You might not be able to tell us this because it isn't the playoffs.
Ravens scout
Careful Anonymous your troll is showing.
"As for Lebeau's situation, it will not effect the Steelers' coaches in any way because they are one of the 15 or so teams that is not changing their insurance plans."
For this year anyways. They're not committed beyond 2009. And Indy isn't one of the teams opting out, yet Moore and Mudd both feel compelled to cash out now. I'd still like someone to get a response from LeBeau and Mitchell on this. The teams opting out are either high debt big market teams or low revenue small market teams. Pittsburgh fits in the small market, but are always middle of the road in terms of revenue. So I could see them as one of the teams on the fence. Deadline is May 15th.
The contract does follow the 30% rule. Because Roster Bonuses are considered part of that equation.
The contract has "salaries" (roster bonus + base pay):
$3.355M
$3.555M
$4.560M
$5.315M
$6.332M
$7.325M
That's also why there aren't "other roster bonuses" in there as well Dave. And why no one can find numbers to add up to the $20 million "guaranteed".
Something is amiss with the original report. The numbers don't even work with the reported salary cap figure by Rotoworld for the 2009 season ($6.2M while the numbers above would be $5.7M).
My only guess is the singing bonuses aren't correct. Either the $10 million reported this year or they missed an additional signing bonus (part of the guaranteed amount) next year as well.
The difference is over $10 million. That's just too much to sweep under the rug as "other stuff".
If this IS the deal the Steelers got, it's a downright bargain (6-years, $40 million after Hayneworth got 4-years, $48 million is crazy good).
del,
why not through in another signing bonus the second year say 4-5 mil and consider the rest performance bonuses. Wouldn't that tie everything together?
If they run the Tank in the wildcat in training camp, I'll report it as permitted by our agreement with the team.
Why continue to complain about something you have no knowledge about - ie. the agreement between the media and team about reporting?
The Steelers have rarely approached me or any other writer about any details reported at practice. Bill Cowher had some problems when we reported who was practicing in place of injured players.
But nobody ever said two words to me about any wildcat information. So please, let's put that silliness to rest/
As for the pension program, as somebody stated already, the Steelers are going to continue to work under the old system - at least for now.
Yes, they may be in the middle of the pack in revenue, but they also do not have the same number of non-football employees other teams have. Some teams have as many as 200 to 250 employees. The Steelers have less than half that. Many teams had layoffs at the end of last season and still had more employees than the Steelers.
And the last time I checked, my name is Dale.
I was writing to deljzc. sorry.
As long as everyone follows the rules, what's the harm. the coaches can use the media to confise opponents as much as the media tips things off.
Bill didn't want us reporting who the player was working in an injured player's spot. He felt it gave a competitive advantage.
He instead wanted us to report who that player's backup was listed as. Sometimes it was the player who was replacing the injured player, sometimes, it was not.
In 1993 when they moved Woodson to WR for some plays, we all agreed not to report it - until game day. By then, it was too late for the Falcons to do anything about.
He was referring to me.
I've gotten his name wrong twice. Doh! My bad Dale.
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