SWelker

The deal, negotiated by agent Drew Rosenhaus, who concluded a frenetic week in free agency by constructing a contract that met the needs of all parties, can be as short as one year or as long as six seasons. But for the Patriots to retain Stallworth beyond the 2007 season, a year in which he will make $3.6 million in bonuses and salary, New England will have to make a significant investment.

Stallworth will receive an initial signing bonus of $1 million, a roster bonus of $1.6 million and a $300,000 workout bonus, to go along with his 2007 base salary of $700,000. That totals $3.6 million for the coming season.

It's after the 2007 season, however, when the really big money kicks in.

For the Patriots to retain Stallworth for the 2008 season, they must pay him an option bonus of $6 million by Feb. 25, 2008. There is a subsequent roster bonus of $2 million due on March 1, a second roster bonus of $1.6 million based on playing time, a base salary of $1 million and a $400,000 workout bonus. That totals an exorbitant $11 million for 2008, or a two-year total of $14.6 million.

To keep Stallworth for 2009, the Patriots would have to pay another option bonus, this one of $2 million, by Feb. 25 of that year. In terms of bonuses and base salary, the 2009 season would be worth $5 million to Stallworth, for a three-year total of $19.6 million.

The final three seasons of the contract all include workout bonuses of $500,000 each and base salaries of $4 million each. The maximum value of the contract, if the Patriots were to keep Stallworth for all six years, is $33.1 million.

The rationale behind the structure: Stallworth has the opportunity to register a huge season in 2007, playing with quarterback Tom Brady, and on a team that figures to be a Super Bowl contender. And after the 2007 campaign, the Patriots will have to dig deep to retain him, dramatically rework his contract, or allow him to go back into the free agent market. It was a creative concept developed by Rosenhaus, one accepted by several of the teams bidding for Stallworth, to maximize his client's earning potential. At the same time, it provides New England a big-play threat for at least one season, with the capacity to retain Stallworth beyond that, if desired.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2794615

MrBigglesWorth

looks like a good contract with both sides being covered.

__________________
"There are two categories of superbowl participants that nobody remembers:

The team that lost the game and the team that only won one." Dwight White- Steelers

Crazy Patriot Guy

Nice, we aren't in deep in it doesn't work out for some reason.

ClevTrev

If that report is accurate, I like this deal even more.

patfanken

That's good news, thanks for the info. Given the structure, I would think that if Stallworth DOES have a great year, they would have to go back and restructure the deal, not so much to lower the dollars given to Stallworth but to even out the cap consequences in the second year.

Patriot Missile

Interesting read. Do both employer and employee have an option to back out?

bradmahn

Let's hope he stays here to at least see year two.

patfanken

duplicate, delete

patchick

Makes sense, but as for "creative" it looks a lot like other deals for high-risk, high-upside players...like Drew Brees last year.

Ghost of Ben Dreith

Now that is a deal I can get behind 100%. Fair to the player and the Pats. I feel great about this signing now versus very iffy before. I just hope he doesn't start whining and upsetting the apple cart because he isn't getting enough receptions. We all know how the Pats offense works.