Bonus vs Salary for re-signings?

[thekodinator]

It's year 3 of my CC and its time to re-sign Aaron Rodgers. He wants 6 years, 22 mil per year (OUCH).

I know I'm going to keep him until he retires, so do I just load up the bonuses and save cap space? Or is that not really how it works? I don't know how much to put in each.

Any help would be great- thanks.

[scoonie05]

People in my online CCM got alot of free agent's by giving out HEAVY bonuses....

[thekodinator]

If I'm not planning on ever cutting or trading the player, is there any downside to giving a huge bonus?

[Muteki]

It really depends how close you think a player is to retirement. I usually sign 32+ year olds to large salary contracts with little bonus because I anticipate them retiring in a few years. Not only does it give me more cap room in the years prior to their retirement, it leaves me the option of releasing them without a heavy penalty if they regress too much (Champ Bailey had ~ 80 speed in my CCM in his final year).

If someone is young, and I KNOW there isn't a chance I'll release him, I'll give him a large bonus.

[thekodinator]

Do you have to pay cap penalties if a player retires mid contract with a bonus? I'm trying to find out reasons why I shouldn't just give Rodgers a big contract with nearly all of it as a bonus

[Pandetta]

Quote: Originally Posted by thekodinator

Do you have to pay cap penalties if a player retires mid contract with a bonus? I'm trying to find out reasons why I shouldn't just give Rodgers a big contract with nearly all of it as a bonus

If you are never trading the player, there is no drawback to a bonus whatsoever.

If the player retires you still have to pay the remaining bonus as a cap penalty.

[Woody19]

Sorry for asking this dumb question, but I thought that contract bonuses also counted against my yearly salary cap ...
E.g., if I sign a player to a five year deal with 4m anual salary and a signing bonus of 10m, I thought I'd have to pay 4m salary and 2m bonus per year (= 6m against my cap), or am I wrong?
If so, when is the bonus calculated into my cap? Or does it only really matter if I release/trade the player before his contract is due?

[rootofalleli]

Quote: Originally Posted by Muteki

It really depends how close you think a player is to retirement. I usually sign 32+ year olds to large salary contracts with little bonus because I anticipate them retiring in a few years. Not only does it give me more cap room in the years prior to their retirement, it leaves me the option of releasing them without a heavy penalty if they regress too much (Champ Bailey had ~ 80 speed in my CCM in his final year). If someone is young, and I KNOW there isn't a chance I'll release him, I'll give him a large bonus.

Just make him a safety! Oh, wait...