Balzer: Jake Long Contract Details

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Tackle Jake Long has the opportunity to make a lot of money if he plays all the seasons on his four-year contract with the Rams. However, the team also has some safeguards in the contract in the event injuries continue and his performance suffers, as it did the last two seasons in Miami. Long missed a total of six games the last two seasons, including four in 2012.

As originally advertised, Long’s deal is worth $34 million in base terms over four years. However, while $20 million could end up being guaranteed, as of now only $12 million is fully guaranteed. In reality, this is a two-year, $16 million contract. Long received a signing bonus of $5 million and his $3 million base salary for 2013 is fully guaranteed. With the bonus prorated over four years, his salary-cap charge for this year is $4.25 million.

The remainder of his salaries are $8 million in 2014, $9.25 million in 2015 and $8.75 million in 2016. The $8 million salary in 2014 is guaranteed for skill only, but only $4 million is currently guaranteed for injury. That $4 million becomes guaranteed if he is on the Rams’ roster on the final day of the 2013 league year, which would be next March.

Another $4 million of his 2015 salary will be guaranteed if he is on the roster on the fifth day of the 2015 league year.

Long can also earn another $2.5 million over the life of the contract in incentives and escalators. There are $375,000 in unlikely to be earned incentives each year for play-time, playoffs and Pro Bowls. In addition, there are escalators up to $400,000 in 2015 and $600,000 in 2016 based on playing time.

Even assuming Long receives the additional $4 million guaranteed in 2014, if his play isn’t what the Rams expect during the next two seasons, they could terminate the contract in March, 2015, having paid him $16 million and responsible for only $2.5 million of signing bonus money that would accelerate onto that year’s cap.
 

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Jake Long’s contract with St. Louis Rams actually more complex than originally believed

by Ben Volin
<a class="postlink" href="http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/thedailydolphin/2013/03/25/jake-longs-contract-with-st-louis-rams-actually-more-complex-than-originally-believed/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/thedaily ... -believed/</a>

Earlier today, we broke down Jake Long’s new four-year deal with the Rams and told you how the Rams are betting that Long is going to be healthy and productive over the next three seasons.

It’s true, the Rams are making that bet. But upon further review, they built plenty of protection into the contract in case Long, who has suffered a multitude of injuries over his five-year career, doesn’t last.

The contract is much more complex than originally believed, because of a clerical error. Jeff Ireland called Long’s negotiation with the Dolphins “tricky,” and now we see why.

Here is the real breakdown. It’s complicated, so try to hang with us:

Years: 4
Total value: $34 million
Total guarantee: $16 million
Signing bonus: $5 million
Workout bonus: None
Not Likely To Be Earned Incentives: $375,000 each year based on playing time and playoffs, and Pro Bowl.
2013 base salary: $3 million (fully guaranteed).
2014 base salary: $8 million (100% skill/cap guarantee at time of signing and $4m guaranteed for injury at time of signing; 100% injury guarantee if on roster last day of 2013 league year).
2015 base salary: $9.25 million ($4 million fully guaranteed if on roster fifth day of 2015 league year), plus up to $400,000 in playing time escalators.
2016 base salary: $8.75 million (no guarantee) plus up to $600,000 in playing time escalators.
2013 salary cap number: $4.25 million
2014 salary cap number: $9.25 million
2015 salary cap number: $10.5 million
2016 salary cap number: $10 million

COMMENT This certainly is a lot more complex than what we had before. Basically, it’s a two-year deal for Long — and really, only Long’s 2013 season is fully guaranteed, for a total of $12 million ($5 million signing bonus, $3 million 2013 base salary and $4 million guarantee for 2014).

To get the other half of his $8 million salary in 2014, it appears he has to be on the active 53-man roster on the last day of the 2013 season — which means he can’t be on Injured Reserve. That’s a big distinction for Long, who has ended each of the last two seasons on IR.

The Rams could still keep Long for 2014 even if he does get hurt in 2013, though, and since they’re already paying him $4 million for that season, they probably will. But that’s the first “out” for the Rams.

The second “out” is a big one, and that’s before the 2015 season. The Rams can escape from the contract after just two years if they decide to cut him before the fifth day of the 2015 league year (sometime in early March).

If he’s still on the roster then, he gets $4 million guaranteed. If he makes the team that season, he gets the other $5.25 million. But the Rams could also ask him to restructure his contract before that fifth day of the league year (it essentially will work as a roster bonus). And the 2016 season has no guarantee whatsoever. The Rams also built in several incentives and salary escalators for Long based on playing time markers (of which we do not know), playoff appearances and Pro Bowl visits.

So in summation, Long will receive a nice paycheck if he can stay healthy for two years. But the Rams certainly built in plenty of protection in case Long breaks down.