Incentives.

In the Brunnel thread I read that incentives don't count against the cap. If this is true why don't we pay players in silly incentives that they're nearly bound to make? Are there rules stopping this, would the NFLPA have a fit? I'd think teams would lace contracts with easily obtainable goals for their starting players and be able to cut out some salary/signing bonus. Maybe someone can shed a little light on this for me!

I'm not exactly sure how it works, but I believe there are 2 classifications of incentives: Ones that are likely to happen and ones that aren't. I don't know how they decide how they are classified. However, I believe that the ones that are likely to happen count against the cap and ones that are not likely to happen do not.

Check this site out: http://www.afl.atfreeweb.com/AFL/NFL%20Salary%20Cap%20101.htm

Just did a quick search and found it. Although fairly old, it seems to have the basics as to bonuses and incentives in it.

Yeah if they did it last year it is likely to be earned and counted against the cap. I mentioned in the other thread that Brunell would almost certainly not get his incentives but it matters not whether he does becasue either way they don't count on the cap. I hope he doesn't though becasue if he does it'd mean he is playing. That is if the incentives are individually based. I know at least one is based on team performance offensively so I hope he gets that one.

That would be funny to pay someone completely based in incentives. "Upon the circumstance that ____insert name here____ plays in at least one play, the Washington Redskins owe him 2.1 million dollars."

Signing bonus = 0.0 million
Over 7 years = 0.0 million
Money in incentives = 12.1 million :)

I like it, where do I sign.

Interesting article, old though:

About Ricky Williams' incentive-laden rookie deal (http://www.sportslawnews.com/archive/Mark's%20View/Thought7.html)

Its actually based on a players perfomance incentive. So if Brunnel was to lead them to the 29 best offense then he would recieve the bonus and this might be considered a LTB. But here is the catch, IF THE TEAM is a better offense then 30th then he will get the bonus and it will not count against the cap. This is because only personal performance is counted agianst the cap while a team performance is not. I believe if I am reading right this is how they are getting around such an issue. Sly, but it totally sounds like Dan Snyder, playing all the angles.

Snyder is like a Soprano.

Hey - he's a smart man and we should base contracts heavily upon this till the NFL wises up and totally fucks our cap up!