If Aqib Talib’s stay in Denver doesn’t work out as planned, his six-year, $57 million contract could end up being a one-year, $12 million pact.
Just $11.5 million of Talib’s contract is fully guaranteed and he’ll get all of it in 2014, according to salary data obtained Thursday by USA TODAY Sports.
The rest of the guaranteed money includes base salaries of $5.5 million in 2015 and $8.5 million in 2016 that are guaranteed for injury only until the first day of those respective league years, when they’d become guaranteed for skill and cap as well if Talib’s still on the roster.
In other words, barring a career-ending injury, the Broncos could cut Talib after this season, not pay him another dime, take a $4 million cap hit and move on. That’s an important “out” given Talib’s off-field and legal issues dating to college.
More than half the total value of Talib’s contract is tied up in non-guaranteed base salaries of $11 million in 2017 and 2018 and $8 million in 2019.