Tag: contract extension

Jonathon Cooper’s contract is even better than initially reported

Jonathon Cooper’s contract is worth an average of $13.5 million per season, even better than the initially-reported $15M per year.

When news broke earlier this week that pass rusher Jonathon Cooper signed a contract extension with the Denver Broncos, it was reported as a four-year, $60 million deal. That would average out to about $15 million per season, a very reasonable price for a productive edge defender.

It turns out that the deal was even better than initially reported (agents have a tendency to leak the “max value” of their clients’ deals). Cooper’s four-year extension is worth $54 million, giving him an average yearly salary of $13.5 million. He could earn an additional $6 million through incentives.

Cooper probably could have waited until the spring and earned more in free agency, but he wanted to stay in Denver.

“The process was pretty quick, easy and simple,” Cooper said of negotiating his second contract in the NFL. “I have really good agents and the people across the team, they like them. The process went really smooth, and I felt like I didn’t need to take it any further than what it was because I love this program. I love this team. I love the organization, and I just felt like I didn’t need to go any further and signing it there in the hotel, it just worked out as well as it could.”

Cooper received a $6,025,168 signing bonus that will be prorated as $1,225,168 cap hits in each of the next five seasons, according to OverTheCap.com. He also has a $4 million roster bonus due next spring and $510,000 game-day bonuses in each of the next four seasons.

Here’s a look at Cooper’s base salaries and cap hits from 2025-2028, courtesy of OTC:

2025: $5,635,000 / $11,345,000
2026: $11,490,000 / $13,200,000
2027: $12,990,000 / $14,700,000
2028: $12,990,000 / $14,700,000

Cooper gets a well-deserved raise with more than $16.7 million guaranteed and the Broncos got a team-friendly deal by getting the extension done before free agency. It worked out well for both sides.

“I’m very proud of ‘Coop’” cornerback Pat Surtain said this week. “When you talk about a guy who came in with the right approach, right work ethic and everything along the lines of becoming a great player, that’s him. Him being a seventh-round pick and going through the roster this and that — for him to be able to secure that contract is huge to him. I’m very proud of him.”

Cooper, 26, is tied with Nik Bonitto for the team lead in sacks over the last two seasons (14). After leading the club with 8.5 sacks last fall, Cooper is now on pace for the first double-digit sack season of his career in 2024. He deserves of penny of the new deal.

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Jonathon Cooper thankful, humble after getting new deal from Broncos

Jonathon Cooper fell to the seventh round of the 2021 draft before landing with the Broncos. “It all worked out the way it was supposed to.”

Jonathon Cooper had his NFL draft stock fall in 2021 after a pre-draft EKG revealed a heart irregularity. Cooper had known since high school that he had a Wolff-Parkinson-White heart condition, and that likely explained — at least in part — why he fell all the way to the seventh round in the NFL draft four years ago.

After being picked by the Broncos — who were aware of the condition — Cooper underwent surgery to help correct the irregularity. Fifty-six games in the NFL later, Cooper now has 38 quarterback hits and 18.5 sacks on his resume.

Denver rewarded Cooper’s production with a four-year, $60 million contract extension over the weekend. The humble pass rusher addressed the media for the first time after the news of his new deal broke earlier this week.

“I just want to start off by saying thank you to God,” Cooper said at his press conference on Wednesday. “Thank you to this organization, to Greg [Penner] and Carrie [Walton Penner], George [Paton], all of my coaches, head coach Sean Payton, everybody here that contributed [and] to the Broncos for believing in me. [I] just wanted to state that first and foremost, how thankful I am.”

Cooper’s heart condition likely cost him a few rounds during the 2021 draft, but he believes it all worked out the way it was supposed to.

“It was a tough process with the draft process and everything like that,” Cooper said. “I’m sure without that medical flag, I probably would have went a little bit higher. Honestly, it all worked out the way it was supposed to.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity than to come here and to get that call from George [Paton]. It was just awesome. Even looking back at that, it all worked out the way it was supposed to, so [I’m] really not upset or mad about it. Just know that it’s time to get back to work.”

Payton was pleased to see the pass rusher get a new deal that will keep him with the team through the 2028 season.

“I’m excited for him,” Payton said. “He’s tough, he’s competitive. I think he’s a really good teammate. We have a lot of these guys that are. You know exactly the physicality you’re getting with a player. Well, you guys know him, so he certainly deserved it.”

Up next for Cooper and Co. is a tough road game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. Cooper has 2.5 sacks in six career games against the Chiefs, but just one win against them. He’ll aim to build on both of those totals this weekend.

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Broncos’ 2021 draft class is paying off big time

The Broncos picked Pat Surtain, Quinn Meinerz and Jonathon Cooper in the 2021 NFL draft. They’re now all signed through at least 2028.

The Denver Broncos made 10 picks in the 2021 NFL draft. Half of those players started for the team this season, and at least three of them will remain core players for the foreseeable future.

The Broncos used their first-round pick that year to select cornerback Pat Surtain, who received a four-year, $96 million contract extension in September. The team’s second-round pick was running back Javonte Williams, who remains Denver’s starting RB.

In the third round, the Broncos picked guard Quinn Meinerz, who signed a four-year, $80 million deal in August. In the final round of that draft, Denver picked pass rusher Jonathon Cooper. He received a four-year, $60 million extension earlier this week.

That’s three players at three key positions — cornerback, pass rusher and offensive line — who are now signed through at least the 2028 season. Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix also has a fifth-year option in his contract for 2028.

Building through the draft is the most sustainable way to build a winning roster in the NFL and three years later, Denver’s 2021 class is paying off.

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Breaking down the details of the David Montgomery contract extension

Breaking down the details of the David Montgomery contract extension with the Lions

The Detroit Lions and running back David Montgomery agreed to a contract extension late last week. The financial details of the extension are now available, and it alters a little of the prevailing narrative about the money and obligations involved.

Per Over The Cap, the extension is indeed as advertised on the surface: two years, $18.25 million. Of that, $10.49 million is guaranteed, including a $3.25 million signing bonus. The extension runs through the 2027 season, though the Lions did add on a void year in 2028 to help amortize the cap hit over an extra year.

One detail that wasn’t initially reported is that there are now per-game roster bonuses for Montgomery through the end of the contract. Montgomery will get $30,000 for each game he is active, adding up to $510,000 in roster bonuses for a 17-game season.

The cap hit for 2026 is $8.37 million with a salary of $5.49 million. Those numbers jump to $10.245 million and $$7.49 million in 2027, a year that also includes a $1 million roster bonus.

As Over The Cap notes,

The extension lowered his cap number in 2024 by about $1.7 million. His 2025 cap number will increase by about $1.25 million as a result of the extension.

The way the cap setup is structured here, don’t expect Montgomery to play on this contract as it exists right now in 2027. There is considerable room, and time, for a restructure down the road.

Alim McNeill agrees to a 4-year contract extension with the Lions

Detroit DT Alim McNeill agrees to a 4-year contract extension with the Lions

The Detroit Lions have locked up another significant building block. Per his agent, Mike McCartney, Alim McNeill and the Lions have agreed to a four-year contract extension.

McCartney did not provide the monetary details, though reports from other sources indicate it’s a four-year deal worth $97 million. It’s a significant signing for the Lions in keeping the talented young defensive tackle in Detroit. McNeill was set to become a free agent at the end of the 2024 season.

A third-round pick out of North Carolina State in GM Brad Holmes’ first draft class back in 2021, McNeill has emerged as one of the NFL’s better interior pass rushers. He has 2.5 sacks in five games in 2024 after netting a career-high five sacks a year ago.

McNeill is the latest key Lions player to get a contract extension, joining Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jared Goff, Taylor Decker and David Montgomery, who agreed to a new extension just last week.

David Montgomery agrees to contract extension with the Lions

The Detroit Lions and RB David Montgomery have agreed to a new contract extension

Get used to David Montgomery in Detroit. The talented Lions running back has agreed to a new contract extension that will keep Montgomery in the Honolulu blue and silver through the 2027 season.

Montgomery joined the Lions before the 2023 season, signing a 3-year, $18 million contract that also included a void year. The new deal adds two more seasons in Detroit for Montgomery, now 27.

Dan Miller, the radio voice of the Lions, first reported the news:

 

No word yet on the new money involved for Montgomery, who has 271 yards on 63 carries in the first four games in 2024, scoring four TDs. The contract has yet to be signed but the terms have been agreed upon, per other sources.

Chiefs TE Noah Gray talks mindset after contract extension: ‘Whatever they need me to do’

Kansas City #Chiefs TE Noah Gray talks mindset after contract extension: ‘Whatever they need me to do’ | @EdEastonJr

The depth at various positions is essential for a team seeking a deep championship run in the NFL, and the Kansas City Chiefs have consistently shown their appreciation for their roster.

Chiefs tight end Noah Gray earned a contract extension shortly before the start of the Week 1 victory over the Baltimore Ravens. He spoke to reporters on Friday after practice about being happy to stay in Kansas City and his mindset moving forward.

“I’m extremely grateful; I can’t thank God enough, I can’t thank Clark Hunt and the Hunt family enough, this organization, front office, coaches, teammates, just really everybody I’ve been fortunate enough to be in contact with these past three years (and) play with,” said Gray. “It’s just an absolute blessing. Just super grateful that I’m back here for the foreseeable future.”

The former fifth-round draft pick out of Duke in 2021 has 63 catches for 640 yards and four touchdowns in three seasons in Kansas City. He has garnered plenty of respect for his versatility and reliability on special teams.

“I mean, I’m just out here having fun with my boys; whatever my coaches need me to do, I’m willing to do it,” said Gray. “I give huge credit to Coach (Dave) Toub over the past three years, putting me in positions to be successful, Coach Tom (Melvin), and all the other coaches we have. Whatever they need me to do is what I do, and I have a ton of fun doing it.”

Gray’s three-year contract extension is another example of general manager Brett Veach showing his commitment to his draft selections continuing to develop over time.

Chiefs Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes comment on Noah Gray’s contract extension

Kansas City #Chiefs Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes comment on Noah Gray’s contract extension | @EdEastonJr

The 53-man roster comprises players with unique value to not only their specified position groups but also the value of the team. The Kansas City Chiefs kept several players and secured them long-term with the franchise.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes addressed the media on Wednesday, discussing tight end Noah Gray’s recent contract extension.

“He’s (Noah Gray) a good football player and he does a lot for us. He’s one of those guys that doesn’t get a whole lot of credit for all that he does but (he’s a) big time special teams player, great tight end. We do a bunch of double tight stuff plus he’s able to go in and spot (Travis) Kelce.” said Reid. “He comes out of games with quite a few snaps because of the special teams. You know, he’s a four-phase guy there, can do anything (Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator) Dave (Toub) needs him to do there and is willing and he loves being here so – and a great guy on top of all that.”

Gray agreed to a three-year contract extension with the Chiefs before the Week 1 game against the Baltimore Ravens. The former fifth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft has made an impression on his franchise quarterback during his tenure.

He’s (Noah Gray) just a smart player. (He’s an) extremely smart player that does a lot of physical stuff that we need in this offense. He’s able to get himself open. He makes the catches whenever he’s asked to do it, but (he’s) a guy that can just do it all.” said Mahomes. “You need those guys in order to win football games, and he’s one of those guys that he can come in for Travis (Kelce) in spots, and I have full confidence that he can go out there and make plays happen as well. He’s learned a ton behind Trav (Travis Kelce), and you can see him getting better and better each and every year. I was happy for him because he’s one of those guys that does it the right way and deserves the contract that he got.”

Gray has 63 catches for 640 yards and four touchdowns in three seasons in Kansas City. The new contract allows him to add and continue doing more for the franchise.

Reports: Cowboys, Prescott ‘still working’ on Hail Mary deal before Sunday’s kickoff

From @ToddBrock24f7: With just hours to go before their season begins, the Cowboys are apparently trying to swing a last-minute deal with their starting QB.

The clock is ticking. But we’re coming down to the final seconds, and the Cowboys are out of timeouts.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler has reported that, according to his sources, “the Cowboys are trying” to get a contract extension finalized with quarterback Dak Prescott before Sunday’s late-afternoon kickoff versus the Browns.

The Cowboys front office and Prescott’s representatives are “working away at this,” per the network’s senior NFL reporter, to get a deal in place before the team takes the field in Cleveland, but Fowler concedes that “there is a gap here, certainly, that they would have to bridge.”

Owner Jerry Jones and executive vice president Stephen Jones have both said that an extension for last season’s runner-up to the league’s MVP award was a priority, but nothing has happened on that front in the seven months and change since their 2023 playoff run ended with a brutal home loss to Green Bay. Prescott is expected to become, perhaps, the highest-paid player in NFL history with his next contract, possibly topping $60 million in average annual salary.

But whether those checks will come from the Cowboys or another team remains to be seen. Prescott is currently set to play out 2024 in Dallas on the final year of his contract- he’s been a full participant all offseason- but without an extension in place, he would hit free agency the moment the Cowboys are finished this season.

There’s a “small chance it gets done” before Sunday’s season opener, according to ProFootballTalk.

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Technically speaking, there is no reason the two sides cannot come to an agreement at any point during the season. Prescott himself has expressed a desire to remain with the Cowboys and has said that Sunday’s Week 1 matchup is not a deadline for establishing a new working arrangement.

But the preference for all sides would be to have a new deal in place before play begins. The team will be embarking on a make-or-break year in which head coach Mike McCarthy and the entire Cowboys coaching staff are also working without contracts for 2025. Wideout CeeDee Lamb just inked his extension in recent days, and defensive superstar Micah Parsons will be among those expected to sign new deals in the very near future.

Going into such a campaign with every member of the organization facing nonstop questions about the long-term employment status of the face of the franchise after every single game- win or lose- would obviously not help the team stay “rooted” in their focus on their stated goals for this season.

Of course, the same could have been said about the entire 2024 offseason, training camp, and preseason.

And it all goes away with a handshake and the stroke of a pen.

“We still got time,” a source told longtime Cowboys reporter Clarence Hill Jr. of DLLS on Saturday night. “We are still working on it.”

But the Joneses had better have a fantastic last-ditch play drawn up in the dirt, because it’s suddenly Hail Mary time in Dallas.

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Pat Surtain’s record-breaking contract has already been topped

Just two days after the Broncos gave Pat Surtain an average of $24M per year, the Dolphins gave Jalen Ramsey a deal worth $24.1M per year.

Pat Surtain’s reign as the highest cornerback in NFL history only lasted about 48 hours.

Two days after the Denver Broncos gave Surtain a four-year, $96 million contract extension that averaged $24 million per season, the Miami Dolphins gave Jalen Ramsey a three-year, $72.3 million deal that averages $24.1 million per season.

Similar to the quarterback market, the highest-paid cornerback is often the most-recently paid cornerback.

Surtain’s contract already looked like a bargain because he had two years left on his existing deal. That essentially made PS2’s contract a six-year, $119 million deal worth an average of just under $20 million per season.

As the NFL’s salary cap continues to go up each year, Surtain’s contract will age well. Sauce Gardner is still playing on his rookie contract. When it comes time for an extension, Gardner’s agent will want to top the Ramsey contract, dropping PS2’s average even lower in the highest-paid rankings.

When it comes to big extensions for star players, getting a deal done sooner than later is always cheaper, as has been demonstrated with Surtain.

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