Fair? Ex- NFL agent say Justin Houston's new contract should be:

[Frankenchief]

PROPOSED JUSTIN HOUSTON CONTRACT
YEAR	BASE SALARY	WORKOUT BONUS	SIGNING BONUS PRORATION	SALARY CAP NUMBER	CASH FLOW	% OF DEAL EARNED
2015	$1,000,000		$4,000,000	$5,000,000	$13,500,000	25.85%
2016	$14,750,000	$250,000	$4,000,000	$19,000,000	$36,000,000	44.31%
2017	$15,750,000	$250,000	$4,000,000	$20,000,000	$52,000,000	64%
2018	$14,000,000	$250,000	$4,000,000	$18,250,000	$66,000,000	81.23%
2019	$14,750,000	$250,000	$4,000,000	$19,000,000	$81,250,000	100%

2015: Guaranteed for skill, injury & salary cap
2016: $14.75 million guaranteed for injury; $7.375 million skill and salary cap at signing; $7.375 million skill and salary cap on 5th day of 2016 league year
2017: $12.25 million guaranteed for injury; skill & salary cap on 5th day of 2016 league year

What do you think?

(Link: http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-...ton-and-chiefs)

[ctchiefsfan]

I worry about him staying motivated if we pay him what he wants

Absolutely. Especially given how he played the previous 3 years. No doubt he did well--VERY WELL--those 3 years, but nothing in those 3 years justifies anywhere near the money he is looking for now. Either he thinks the entire contract should be based on last years production or as Justin5772002 suggested he trying to get paid extra for his first 4 years. Which I think may be the case. I've heard many times that he feels he got screwed by being drafted #70 in the 3rd round because he tested positive for weed at the combine. That dropped him from a projected first round pick to the 3rd round. And that was his own damned fault.

I'd have NO PROBLEM AT ALL paying him the $18 or $19 million he seems to be looking for IF the contract included base pay and bonuses of say $13-$14 million with the opportunity to earn an extra $4 - $5 million in performance-based bonuses. A deal like that would be fair to Houston and fair to the Chiefs. If he consistently played like he did last year I'd have no problem with him making $18 or $19 million per year.

Make it like this....Base pay and signing bonuses etc...$14 million. 16 sacks gets him an extra million. 17 sacks gets him ANOTHER million. Now he is at $16 million. 18 sacks gets him ANOTHER million. Now he's made $17 million. If he hits 20 sacks or more then he gets an additional $2 million and makes $19 million for the year. Make it a 4 year contract with say $30-$40 million guaranteed.

A contract like that would give him a realistic chance to make top tier QB money.

[Frankenchief]

This is the concern I have with Houston, not necessarily having the same fallout that LJ did, just the performance drop-off.

Houston was a 1st round talent who was drafted in the 3rd because of some baggage. Maybe not of the nature that will make him go lazy after a big contract (ala LJ) but still a personality baggage. That makes me a bit cautious. I hope I will be shown wrong about this.

[Frankenchief]

Would you like to see someone else spend that money and watch him continue to be near the top of league in sacks? I think he is worth it. I don't feel like he is going to drop off when he gets the money, I have a felling he is going to be another DT.

As long as it has cost them a couple of 1st rounders (one a high one). There was some talk of him maybe signed and traded at draft time. As awestruck as I am with Houston's 2014 performance, I didn't think I'd commit harakiri if he were traded that way.

[Frankenchief]

If he goes to another team it'd come at a double price - They'd be paying his hefty salary, and they'd be giving us their next two first round draft picks. I hope the team does figure a way to work it out, but the front office can't spend what it doesn't have.

Heh, genius minds think the same way. ;)

[JPPT1974]

Not just indeed walk the walk rather than just talk the talk.

[ctchiefsfan]

Houston was a 1st round talent who was drafted in the 3rd because of some baggage. Maybe not of the nature that will make him go lazy after a big contract (ala LJ) but still a personality baggage. That makes me a bit cautious. I hope I will be shown wrong about this.

Exactly why I suggested a contract that was heavy on incentive-based bonuses.

[ctchiefsfan]

As long as it has cost them a couple of 1st rounders (one a high one). There was some talk of him maybe signed and traded at draft time. As awestruck as I am with Houston's 2014 performance, I didn't think I'd commit harakiri if he were traded that way.

Makes 2 of us.