Congratulations Jake Browning-AFC Offensive Player of the Week

[George Cantstandya]

(12-07-2023, 04:03 PM)depthchart Wrote: From what I am finding, Browning makes $750,000 in 2023 which is the league minimum.

As a player accrues seasons by being on a Team's Roster 6 or more games in a season the minimum increases 

to $870,000 in year 2 and $940,000 in year 3.

*I just did an Internet Search for this information, so others on this Board may know more or differently. 
  If so, please clarify.

Say Browning does very well and gets offered $870,000 as an exclusive rights free agent.  

If I were him that would be insulting to me given how valuable Quarterbacks are in the NFL.

Holdout for more money ?  -or-  Am I looking at this the wrong way or with wrong information ?

I suppose I should have said the least the Bengals would need to do to keep him would be to offer him the minimum.  They could always offer him more and for more than 1 season should he perform well the rest of this season.   He doesn't have a whole lot of leverage here.  If they offered him a longer and or more valuable deal the Bengals could basically say, "We think this is fair.  Take it or we'll just tender you for the minimum this year."   Then he'll have a decision to make, take more money and probably a longer contract or gamble that he thinks can earn more from another team in 2025 and play on the tender in 2024.

Of course he could sit out if tendered but in his situation having not earned a lot even the minimum pay for his experience level is still a lot of money.  Also he would not accrue another season, more experience, and really wouldn't be doing himself any favors in my opinion.  I suppose if he felt he could earn more down the road to make up for that lost year of pay it might be worth it.  Now if he wins a Super Bowl as the Bengals QB this year at least he'll probably have a lot of sponsorship offers to offset his low salary.   

We are talking a lot of what-ifs now.  Let's wait to see how the rest of his season plays out before we start worrying about what kind of house and car he'll be able to afford next year.  :)