Last week I took a look at Patrick Willis' contract that was signed last summer. Now I want to take a look at a more recent one signed this offseason. Arizona Cardinals WR, Larry Fitzgerald. This feature is going to include non-49ers contracts because those players deals impact the rest of the league. The 49ers don't have a "$100-million" receiver, but such deals can impact other positions in negotiations.
Fitzgerald signed what was a reported $120M deal, which in fact is actually a 8yr/$128.5M deal. The deal included $50M in guarantees. These guarantees included an initial $10 million signing bonus prorated over 5 years, which will prorate at $2 million per year from 2011 to 2015. He also received an initial $8 million roster bonus in 2011. The other guarantees aren't really "guaranteed" as he must have several roster and option bonuses picked up.
He is set for a $6 million roster bonus due on March 31, 2012 and then a $10 million option bonus due on March 15, 2013. It is unknown if the option bonus is prorated, as he is scheduled for a $8 million roster bonus in the 2015 off-season.
If all of the options/roster bonuses are picked, along with his initial signing and roster bonuses, he will have seen $42 million in guarantees. Where the $8 million difference in "guaranteed" is unknown, he is also eligible for $250,000 workout bonuses in year two through eight.
His base salaries are set at:
2011: $2M
2012: $5M
2013: $5M
2014: $12.75M
2015: $8M
2016: $15M
2017: $14.75M
2018: $14.75M
So if he does see the first 5 years of his deal, without restructuring, which isn't guaranteed to happen, he would have seen $75.75M of the $128.5M. I assume the final 3 years could be dummy years, to make it look like his deal was even bigger than any deal given, similar to what the 49ers did with Nate Clements in 2007.
If he is on the team the entire 8 seasons, his salaries will be:
2011: $12M
2012: $13.25M
2013: $15.25M
2014: $15M
2015: $18.25M
2016: $15.25M
2017: $15M
2018: $15M
When added up, the total is a whopping $119 million. That includes the reported $250,000 workout bonuses in years two through eight.
Big time credit to Rotoworld for great contract information.