Clarett Signs Big Incentive Contract
In a risky, but gutsy move, Maurice Clarett has turned down $410K in guaranteed contract money with the Broncos in favor of an incentive-driven deal that could yield him as much as $7 million.
“This deal struck gives Maurice the opportunity to be paid like the first-round draft choice he was born to be,” Feldman said.
Specifics of the contract are sketchy, but it works something like this. If Clarett gains 1,000 yards, he could hit an escalator worth more than $1 million, almost three times what he would have made in a signing bonus given to him by the Broncos.
The more he rushes for, the more he makes. He can max out at around $7 million.
This was Clarett’s gamble. He has the confidence he can gain the yards and hit the $7 million figure. Rollovers give him a chance to make the big bumps in salary if he doesn’t do it as a rookie.
You have to like the commitment from this guy.
To further show his commitment, he accepted no guarantees. The $410,000 the Broncos were willing to give him Thursday was put into workout bonuses in 2006, 2007 and 2008.