Uncapped year to mean lost income for performing players
If I'm a second-tier player, I'm not happy about the NFL going to an uncapped season, and I'll tell you why: Not only do the rules governing free agency change, but one of the league's best-kept secrets -- its performance-based-pay system -- evaporates.
That may mean nothing to you, but it does to Indianapolis left tackle Charlie Johnson. He was the team's highest-paid recipient of performance-based money in 2008, and with the end of the system goes a substantial paycheck for Johnson -- as well as for a lot of others.
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| The Colts' Charlie Johnson was a sixth-round draft pick in 2006. (US Presswire) |
So what is performance-based pay? The term refers to a system that was created in the 2002 collective-bargaining extension and distributes additional money to players based on a comparison of playing time to salary.
Essentially, it's a means for players not earning Peyton Manning or Julius Peppers money to pick up additional cash -- and lots of it. The Colts' Johnson was one of those guys, pocketing a team-high $201,309 in 2008.
Johnson was a 2006 sixth-round draft pick who started 10 games the following season because of injuries to tackles Tony Ugoh and Ryan Diem. A year later, he started every game -- 12 at left tackle, four at left guard -- before settling in at left tackle this season to replace Ugoh.
He is not a household name, but he is one of the most valued members of an offensive line that allowed a league-low 13 sacks this season. Johnson doesn't make a fortune, but his income is supplemented by a system that, until now, rewarded deserving players with hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional income.
The league this season will pay out $3.5 million in performance-based pay to each of its 32 clubs and in 2008 awarded approximately $105 million to teams -- with San Diego tackle Jeromey Clary making an extra $405,859 in performance-based pay.
"It's a good deal," said Johnson, "almost like a reward for working your way [up] and being able to play a lot instead of [receiving] a big signing bonus when you get drafted high. It's kind of a counterbalance when you end up playing a lot. You get this bonus, and it's like the league recognizes how you came along."
Only now it won't, and while Johnson said he understands that an uncapped season will cost him and his teammates additional salaries he conceded, "I never really thought about it," and admitted he didn't think his teammates did, either.
Well, in a couple of weeks they can because it will be gone.
"That would be a shame," he said. "Hopefully they [the NFL and NFL Players Association] can get something done. If not, maybe it's just a one-year deal. But it's a bad deal if that goes away."
Not if, Charlie. When.
