The #49ers and star weapon Deebo Samuel worked for months and get it done. He lands a huge deal — 3 year extension worth $73.5M max and $71.55M total. The guarantee is $58.1M. He’ll be 29 years old entering the last year of his deal with the potential for another massive one.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 31, 2022

So it's looking like the wide receiver market has created a few categories now.

The elite veterans, like Kupp, Adams and Hill, are making between 26M and 30M AAV.
The 2nd contract stars, like Brown, Metcalf, McLaurin and Samuel are making between 22M and 25M AAV.
And then there's everyone else. Players like Moore, Godwin, Williams, Kirk, Cooper and Cooks who are good but not elite who are making between 18M and 20M AAV.

I think we have a pretty good idea of what Higgins will cost now that all the high profile second contracts have been signed. It'll likely take about 25M AAV to sign him, maybe more if the cap raises significantly in 2023.

(08-01-2022, 09:03 AM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: So it's looking like the wide receiver market has created a few categories now.

The elite veterans, like Kupp, Adams and Hill, are making between 26M and 30M AAV.
The 2nd contract stars, like Brown, Metcalf, McLaurin and Samuel are making between 22M and 25M AAV.
And then there's everyone else. Players like Moore, Godwin, Williams, Kirk, Cooper and Cooks who are good but not elite who are making between 18M and 20M AAV.

I think we have a pretty good idea of what Higgins will cost now that all the high profile second contracts have been signed. It'll likely take about 25M AAV to sign him, maybe more if the cap raises significantly in 2023.

Just like with Bates, it will be the guarantee money that is likely to be disputed. Don’t forget they have the same agent

(08-01-2022, 09:05 AM)pally Wrote: Just like with Bates, it will be the guarantee money that is likely to be disputed. Don’t forget they have the same agent

Hopefully, the stadium naming rights deal goes through, which will give the Bengals enough liquid money to more readily put those guarantees in escrow, because the guaranteed money thing is going to kill us as these players' contracts come due. Burrow and Chase are going to expect some guarantees and I hope the front office doesn't screw this up because of their old fashioned bargaining techniques.

Alternatively, I hope that the next CBA no longer requires so much of the guarantees be put down on the day the contract is signed.

(08-01-2022, 09:03 AM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: So it's looking like the wide receiver market has created a few categories now.

The elite veterans, like Kupp, Adams and Hill, are making between 26M and 30M AAV.
The 2nd contract stars, like Brown, Metcalf, McLaurin and Samuel are making between 22M and 25M AAV.
And then there's everyone else. Players like Moore, Godwin, Williams, Kirk, Cooper and Cooks who are good but not elite who are making between 18M and 20M AAV.

I think we have a pretty good idea of what Higgins will cost now that all the high profile second contracts have been signed. It'll likely take about 25M AAV to sign him, maybe more if the cap raises significantly in 2023.

How does the guaranteed money work with the salary cap, should a player have a career ending injury or something?  Is the team still held to account for that money versus the cap, or does it somehow magically get voided?  This trend of high percentage guaranteed in recent contracts seems a bit risky for teams that may have to factor that money in, without the benefit of that star player's services available to their respective team.

(08-01-2022, 10:32 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: How does the guaranteed money work with the salary cap, should a player have a career ending injury or something?  Is the team still held to account for that money versus the cap, or does it somehow magically get voided?  This trend of high percentage guaranteed in recent contracts seems a bit risky for teams that may have to factor that money in, without the benefit of that star player's services available to their respective team.

Yes, they are held to that money. It is why players want guaranteed money so badly. If they get hurt and can't play, they are still owed that money. 

(08-02-2022, 09:46 AM)KillerGoose Wrote: Yes, they are held to that money. It is why players want guaranteed money so badly. If they get hurt and can't play, they are still owed that money. 

I completely understand why players want guaranteed contracts, I'm just saying that it seems to be a huge risk for teams to possibly have 20% of their salary allotment tied up in a single player, who may not be able to perform as expected, for several years.  It's almost taking things backward, to the days before the rookie contract wage scale days, when teams would get stuck paying huge amounts to players that sometimes had crippling injuries or were flat out busts.

(08-02-2022, 10:07 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I completely understand why players want guaranteed contracts, I'm just saying that it seems to be a huge risk for teams to possibly have 20% of their salary allotment tied up in a single player, who may not be able to perform as expected, for several years.  It's almost taking things backward, to the days before the rookie contract wage scale days, when teams would get stuck paying huge amounts to players that sometimes had crippling injuries or were flat out busts.

I hear you. I agree, just think about someone like Watson getting hurt and ownership being on the hook for all $230MM. It would sink the franchise. I know that given the circumstances, very few people would be upset but it is a dangerous game to play, financially. 

(08-01-2022, 09:03 AM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: So it's looking like the wide receiver market has created a few categories now.

The elite veterans, like Kupp, Adams and Hill, are making between 26M and 30M AAV.
The 2nd contract stars, like Brown, Metcalf, McLaurin and Samuel are making between 22M and 25M AAV.
And then there's everyone else. Players like Moore, Godwin, Williams, Kirk, Cooper and Cooks who are good but not elite who are making between 18M and 20M AAV.

I think we have a pretty good idea of what Higgins will cost now that all the high profile second contracts have been signed. It'll likely take about 25M AAV to sign him, maybe more if the cap raises significantly in 2023.

Keep in mind that the Deebo and McLaurin deals are extensions.  Deebo's AAV is actually a little over $18 mil when you factor in that he is playing out the last year of his rookie deal with a $965k salary.  

Also keep in mind that Deebo was Top 3 in the NFL in yards/scrimmage last year and had over 1400 receiving yards.  Higgins is nowhere close to Deebo money at this point in time.