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NFL Salary Cap Contract Breakdown: Patrick Willis

I want to introduce a new segment here, where I will breakdown a contract signed in the NFL. Sometimes it will involve the 49ers and other times it will involve a prominent signing from around the NFL. We will start with 49ers ILB Patrick Willis.

It was reported, last summer that Willis had agreed to a 6-year contract worth $50M, with $29M in guarantees. It was a tricky contract due to issues with the 30% rule, which is a tricky rule that sometimes gets confusing.

When Willis signed the reported $50 million deal, he received a $15.5 million signing bonus. And in addition, he received a $4.8 million "supersede bonus" this year. The supersede bonus is treated like an option bonus. On some occasions players who receive option bonuses have them prorated over a certain period of years.

In addition, he will receive $1.25 million in workout bonuses each year from 2012 through 2016. He also had an easily reachable escalator in his contract. The amount was just under $10.1 million. He triggered it with playing time last season. Thus his base salaries increased in years 2014 through 2016.

For more please check after the jump.

Technically Willis was under contract thru 2017, but that final year is voided.

The basic breakdown is this, in 2011 when he triggered the escalators, it raised his base salaries from $2.9M in 2014 up to $5.735M(An increase of $2.385M). In 2015 his base went from $3.398M up to $7.065M(An increase of $3.667M), and finally in 2016, his base goes from $3.896M up to $7.395M(An increase of $4.039M).

As for his 2017 season, his base was due at $4 million, but was voided, thus he is under contract till 2016 now.

Due to the 30% rule, his YOY, otherwise known as Year-Over-Year increase is $498,000. That means his total salary is not supposed to go over that amount each year. The 2014-2016 seasons are different due to the escalators.

Due to hitting playing time triggers, some years are over the Y.O.Y increase.

Below is a chart showing his complete breakdown.

Patrick Willis 2010 Extension Breakdown

Year

Cap Figure

Base

Workout

Roster/Opt

Signing

2009

$1,660,000

$500,000

$0

$1,160,000

$0

2010

$2,158,000

$1,098,000

$0

$1,060,000

$0

2011

$7,184,333

$2,046,000

$0


$5,138,333

2012

$6,254,000

$1,904,000

$1,250,000

$0

$3,100,000

2013

$6,752,000

$2,402,000

$1,250,000

$0

$3,100,000

2014

$9,635,000

$5,285,000

$1,250,000

$0

$3,100,000

2015

$8,315,000

$7,065,000

$1,250,000

$0

$0

2016

$9,185,000

$7,935,000

$1,250,000

$0

$0

2017

$4,000,000

$4,000,000

$0

$0

$0

As you can see his deal was complex, and also a tricky one for the 49ers to complete.

Please check back next week for another breakdown of another complex contract.

Sources: I would like to give props to FootballOutsiders.com's JI Halsell for great breakdowns.

As well as the NFLPlayers.com player search for base salaries.

Other sources I have been able to contact and such I would rather keep to myself.

And always I want to thank everyone who has helped me become sorta a go to guy for detailed cap information. If it wasn't for you guys, I wouldn't have a place to share my knowledge.