The Arizona Cardinals announced a three-year contract extension for left tackle D.J. Humphries earlier in the week and the details of the deal were reported on Thursday.
Initially, it looked like a fantastic deal for the Cardinals and a solid deal for Humphries.
It isn’t as team-friendly as initially believed, according to the Arizona Republic’s Kent Somers.
He only counts roughly $12.8 million against the salary cap in 2020 and, if he were to play poorly, they could cut him after only one season and only carry $1.6 million in dead money in 2021.
Initially, it was reported that his 2021 salary of $15.1 million was only guaranteed for injury and would fully guarantee in March of 2021.
Somers reports something different.
OK, big update on Humphries deal. Source says his second year salary of $15 mil becomes guaranteed this year, 3/21/20. So not a team friendly deal. Good deal for DJ.
— Kent Somers (@kentsomers) February 20, 2020
According to his source, the second year of Humphries’ deal becomes fully guaranteed next month. So, essentially, Humphries’ first two years are fully guaranteed.
This contract structure matches the one given to running back David Johnson. The first two years of the deal were basically locked in. And it makes sense, the same agents to put together Johnson’s deal also constructed Humphries’.
This isn’t to say the deal is bad for the Cardinals. It just means they are tied to Humphries for two years no matter what. In 2022, if things are not working out with him for whatever reason, they can unload him with only $800,000 in dead money against the cap.
It is good for Humphries. He gets two years of money guaranteed. He can potentially hit free agency again at age 29 and cash in once more.
The Cardinals take a lower cap hit than using one of the tags this offseason and aren’t committed to him for too long, should injuries become a problem again.
It is still a good deal. It just isn’t as good for the Cardinals as initially believed.
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Ep. 258
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Ep. 257
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