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Over the weekend, former Seawhawks star Richard Sherman, who is currently acting as his own agent, signed a highly incentivized 3-year contract that could be worth up to $39 millionwith Niners
The details of Sherman’s contract are pretty insane and most if is tied to his health and performance through the next three years.
Via CBS Sports
Sherman has $4 million tied to his health in the form of his game day roster bonuses ($2 million) and his bonus for passing a physical on the first day of training camp ($2 million).
Sherman also a $1 million playing-time incentive tied into his contract. If he’s on the field for at least 90 percent of the 49ers defensive plays in 2018, then he’ll earn the bonus.
Sherman can also make another $3 million if he earns any postseason accolades. If Sherman gets voted to the Pro Bowl in 2018, he’ll get an extra $1 million. If he’s named an All-Pro, which is slightly more difficult then getting voted to the Pro Bowl, then Sherman will earn another $2 million.
If you’re scoring at home, that means Sherman could make as much as $13 million during the first year of his deal ($3 million signing bonus, $2 million base salary, $2 million bonus for passing his physical at training camp, $2 million active roster bonus, $1 million playing time bonus and $3 million Pro Bowl/All-Pro bonus).
That last bonus is the one you want to keep an eye on, because if Sherman hits that it will basically tie him to the 49ers until 2020. According to NFL.com, if Sherman is voted to the Pro Bowl in 2018, a total of $16 million in base salary for 2019 and 2020 seasons will become fully guaranteed. Sherman would get $8 million in base salary for each season, with one catch: The money doesn’t become fully guaranteed until the third day of the league year in March 2019.
For all intents and purposes, this means the 49ers could get out of the contract after just one season without taking a substantial cap hit. If Sherman doesn’t go to the Pro Bowl in 2018, then his base salary for 2019 and 2020 will be a non-guaranteed $7 million in each season.
After details of Sherman’s contract were made public, Browns lineman Joe Thomas took to Twitter to criticize the former Seahawk for negotiating a bad deal.
You really feel bad for Richard Sherman, but this is clearly a case of ego getting in the way of his pocket book. He got absolutely crushed on this contract while working as his own agent… https://t.co/TrVBQxuReG
— Joe Thomas (@joethomas73) March 12, 2018
Betting on yourself would be taking a 1 year contract, making pro bowl, then hitting free agency next year. This deal is bad because if he performs poorly, he gets cut and doesn’t make his worth this year; but worst of all, if he plays lights out, the 49ers have’em cheap in ‘19 https://t.co/ukq3KURlOo
— Joe Thomas (@joethomas73) March 12, 2018
Sherman instantly fired back at Thomas on Twitter.
It’s actually a case of believing in who I am as a player while also coming of a major injury. But I appreciate ya input
— Richard Sherman (@RSherman_25) March 12, 2018
Sherman is in a tough place but a one-year deal would have probably given him more leverage in the long-term if he were truly betting on himself next season.