Clear the Air

Everybody in town is talking about how Julius Jones is going to make 5.5 million dollars for 2008 and this just crazy.

I have been waiting until the contract was submitted to the league to talk about this because it seems to me this whole thing has been misinterpreted. Adam Schefter originally wrote...

"The contract includes $4 million guaranteed, and $5.5 million in the first year of the deal"

This was then conveyed several places, including Profootballtalk.com and now the Seattle papers as Julius Jones is making 5.5 this year.

Guess what, He is. TJ Duckett is making 4.6 million this year. They get their signing bonuses up front. That counts towards this years compensation. They are not paying Jones 5.5 in salary.

When Schefter says, what was probably relayed from the agent, 4 million guaranteed and 5.5 in the first year, he is saying that there is a 4 million dollar signing bonus and he is being payed 1.5 of salary in the first year. 4 million is exactly what they gave TJ Duckett in signing bonus money too. When the contract becomes official this will be verified, but until then, please don't pull your hair out thinking the Hawks just gave Julius Jones the most ridiculous first year salary ever. That is not how it is going down, I can almost positively assure you.

Once the contract is official, I will break down exactly how the money is being payed to all the running backs. As best as I have followed so far, Jones and Duckett's deals together have equaled about what the team owed Shaun over the next three years, which they will now not be paying. Because of signing bonuses, they will still save money under the cap too. End of Post