Mr. Laz
03-07-2007, 10:42 AM
FINAL YEAR OF CLEMENTS DEAL IS PHONY
Howard Balzer of the Sports Xchange explains that the eight-year, $80 million deal given by the 49ers to cornerback Nate Clements contains a phony final year, which automatically will be voided when a $10 million option bonus is paid to the player in 2008.
So either the option bonus won't be paid, and it'll be just a one-year deal -- or the option bonus will be paid, and the contract will be worth $64.02 million over seven years.
This is far different from a puffed up back end; it's a complete fabrication of the final year.
They could have picked any number for that final year. Instead of eight years, $80 million, the contract could have been eight years, $100 million. Or eight years, $800 million. Or eight years, infinity.
So why did they plop $15.98 million into the eighth year that will disappear a year from now? It was, in our view, a favor to the agent, who'll now be able to trumpet to recruits the fact that he negotiated an "eight-year, $80 million" contract.
He didn't. It's seven years, $64.02 million. Still impressive, but not as catchy.
Howard Balzer of the Sports Xchange explains that the eight-year, $80 million deal given by the 49ers to cornerback Nate Clements contains a phony final year, which automatically will be voided when a $10 million option bonus is paid to the player in 2008.
So either the option bonus won't be paid, and it'll be just a one-year deal -- or the option bonus will be paid, and the contract will be worth $64.02 million over seven years.
This is far different from a puffed up back end; it's a complete fabrication of the final year.
They could have picked any number for that final year. Instead of eight years, $80 million, the contract could have been eight years, $100 million. Or eight years, $800 million. Or eight years, infinity.
So why did they plop $15.98 million into the eighth year that will disappear a year from now? It was, in our view, a favor to the agent, who'll now be able to trumpet to recruits the fact that he negotiated an "eight-year, $80 million" contract.
He didn't. It's seven years, $64.02 million. Still impressive, but not as catchy.