Did he really cash in?
It's time to put to bed the myth that players leave the Patriots and cash in, because it's not true in Ty Law's and Damien Woody's case. They both would have made better money had they stayed.
Woody is out 4.6 million salary this year, and he's not going to sign for anywhere near that anywhere else. He's a Vet Min type player at this point. So you have to reduce that contract he signed by that amount, and also the last two years of the contract.
He made $9 million signing bonus plus $4 million salary in 3 years. Good for you damien, but anyone in the league--including the Patriots--would have paid you $3 million per season back in 2004. In fact, that's what the Patriots offered, and if he'd sgned for that with an average of $3 per, he'd be collecting today.
Instead, if he only signs for the Vet Min for the next couple years, he will have made $14.5 over 6 years, much less than he would have made had he not priced himself out the market.
Tedy Bruschi understands the principle. Take less money, don't take a backloaded contract, don't give them incentive to cut you. When you take a backloaded inflated contract, you're just never going to see the money. You're practically asking them to kick you to the curb.
Unfortunately, the players all have agents whispering in their ears, and for the agents the incentive is certainly in getting as much money up front as possible, even if it means much less money over the player's career. Of course, Tedy didn't have an agent.
