Any type of big-money negotiations is tough. Neither side wants to budge, and neither wants to leave money on the table. A little give here, a concession here, until the deal is done – or both sides step away. Cleveland Browns fans have seen it play out time and time again.
For the most part, NFL contracts are handled by attorneys who are called sports agents. And they should be. Each NFL club has a lawyer who draws up the agreements, so it's only fitting that on the other side, a licensed, fully-schooled law school graduate should be looking it over for his client.
RELATED: DT DEPTH CHART AND EXPECTATIONS
Back in the day, Green Bay Packers head coach Vince Lombardi traded anybody away who had an agent. He dealt with all contracts and wanted it one-on-one. Even though Lombardi wasn't the owner of the Packers, he acted like it and was the team's GM. Former Cleveland Browns Paul Brown was the same way. He always owned a small percentage of the Browns, but in every aspect, it was his decisions.
There is a little trick that sports agents do these days, called "back loading." What this is, the agent will get his client signed for, say, $60 million on a four-year deal. There is a signing bonus, workout incentives, plus other bonuses, and of course, the obligatory guarantee. The athlete gets paid $9 million the first year, $12 million in the second season, $14 million in Year 3, and then $25 million in the final year.
#neither
For the most part, NFL contracts are handled by attorneys who are called sports agents. And they should be. Each NFL club has a lawyer who draws up the agreements, so it's only fitting that on the other side, a licensed, fully-schooled law school graduate should be looking it over for his client.
RELATED: DT DEPTH CHART AND EXPECTATIONS
Back in the day, Green Bay Packers head coach Vince Lombardi traded anybody away who had an agent. He dealt with all contracts and wanted it one-on-one. Even though Lombardi wasn't the owner of the Packers, he acted like it and was the team's GM. Former Cleveland Browns Paul Brown was the same way. He always owned a small percentage of the Browns, but in every aspect, it was his decisions.
There is a little trick that sports agents do these days, called "back loading." What this is, the agent will get his client signed for, say, $60 million on a four-year deal. There is a signing bonus, workout incentives, plus other bonuses, and of course, the obligatory guarantee. The athlete gets paid $9 million the first year, $12 million in the second season, $14 million in Year 3, and then $25 million in the final year.
#neither
8 hours ago
