Should Cutler be paid half as much as Cassel?

I’m all for the Broncos giving Cutler a new contract as long as one of the conditions is that he finds a new agent (don’t know if they can do that but worth a shot).

Just because Cassel got tagged and will be overpaid this season (assuming no new deal is worked out) doesn’t mean we should overpay Jay Cutler, or renegotiate a new deal while he still has 3 years left on this one. Jay Cutler can still earn a heck of a lot of money over the next 3 years.

as long as it is heavily driven by incentives. Nothing like making money the old fashioned way… Earn it, baby!

If we go 13-3 (and we will =D)
If we win the Superbowl (and we will =D)
Yes, I’m a La La Land Looneytune

Then that’s money well spent.

If that is what it takes. He wil have to earn every bodys respect from then on. And let us never again draft or other wise acquire a player represented by Bus Cook.

ka-chow!

When he has one year left on his contract. He needs to play for his big payday.

His salary, including performance bonuses, is around $6,497,500 million. And that may not include some performance bonuses.

Jay Cutler Quarterback 7/27/2006: Signed a six-year, $47.86 million contract. The deal contains $11 million guaranteed. 2008: $647,500, 2009: $1.035 million, 2010: $1.4225 million, 2011: $1.81 million, 2012: Free Agent. 45% of the deal’s max value is performance incentives. Among them is a $1.95 million escalator for any year of 2006-2010 that he finishes in the top five in any of the NFL’s major passing categories, as well as a $4 million bonus for taking 60% of the snaps in any of 2006-2008 or 70% in 2009. There also is a $500,000 bonus available 2006-2010 for taking 70% of the snaps and either taking 70% of the snaps in a Super Bowl or winning a Super Bowl.

Here’s Cassel’s salary numbers up to being franchised.

Year—-Team—Base Salary—-Sign Bonus—Other Bonus—Total Salary—Cap Value

2008 Patriots $ 520,000 - $ 54,000 - $ 5,640 - $ 525,640 – $ 539,140
2007 Patriots $ 435,000 --$ 54,000 - $ 5,640 -—-$ 440,640 -—$ 454,140
2006 Patriots $ 350,000 --$ 0 -——$ 5,280 -——-$ 355,280——-$ 368,780
2005 Patriots $ 230,000 --$ 54,000 -—-$ 0——— $ 284,000 -——$ 243,500

Cassel was franchised by New England in order to protect their rights to him, and this allowed them to trade his rights and get something in return. Franchising a player gives him a salary based on averages of the highest paid players in the NFL at his position, so Cassel’s one year bonanza will pay him far more than his salary for his entire career up to date.

To put it in perspective, Cutler made much more in his first half season than Cassel has for entire career.