When Detroit Lions negotiated for Michael Brockers, they inherited a contract with a $ 8 million limit reached in 2021 and a $ 10 million team option reached in 2022. From a value standpoint, this agreement was aligned with Brockers talent, but with the current final situation, it made sense for them to explore options to reduce the impact this season.
While Brockers was happy with the value of his contract – he was not willing to downgrade it to the Los Angeles Rams without a lid – after switching to Detroit, he had only minimal guarantees on the deal.
With Lions seeking limit relief and Brockers seeking contract stability without diminishing its value, the two sides agreed to a new three-year $ 24 million contract that provided positive results for both.
Let’s take a closer look at the new agreement.
Observation: details via Dave Birkett of Detroit Free Press
2021
Base Salary: $ 1,075M (all guaranteed)
Sign-up bonus: $ 1,975 million
Maximum limit: $ 3.05 million
2022
Base Salary: $ 7M ($ 4M guaranteed)
Sign-up bonus: $ 1,975 million
Cap hit: $ 8,975M
2023
Base Salary: $ 10M
Sign-up bonus: $ 1,975 million
Cap hit: $ 11,975M
With this new structure, Lions earn almost $ 5 million in cap space in 2021, reducing the threshold reached from $ 8 million to $ 3.05 million, while Brockers receives $ 11 million in guarantees, with $ 5.925 million paid to him immediately. as a subscription bonus.
In 2022, Lions once again get relief from the cap, this time just over $ 1 million, while Brockers enters the year with almost $ 8 million remaining in guarantees, mostly guaranteeing he will be in Detroit this season as well.
2023 produces the biggest limit hit for Lions, but at this point, Brockers will have only $ 1,975 million remaining in guaranteed money, giving Lions the potential to terminate the contract with a minimum threshold reached and freeing up $ 10 million of limit space.
In the end, as with the Romeo Okwara contract, the Lions found a way to create a viable number in a difficult year, while providing the player with two years of stability and sufficient guarantees to show that they are valued.