The Panthers cut quarterback Jake Delhomme, despite owing him $12.7 million in guaranteed money in 2010.
Thanks to Browns owner Randy Lerner, Carolina owner Jerry Richardson suddenly owes Delhomme a lot less.
Per multiple reports, Cleveland will pay Delhomme $7 million in 2010, the first year of his brand-new contract.
It doesn’t necessarily mean that Delhomme will get only $5.7 million from the Panthers this year. Given that signing bonuses apply evenly to the various years of a contract (even without a salary cap in place), the Panthers might only get credit for the portion of the signing bonus that applies to the 2010 season. (Delhomme reportedly has signed a two-year deal.)
Either way, Carolina’s debt to Delhomme undoubtedly has been reduced by more than a few bucks. We’ll try to get the info necessary to figure out the specific numbers.
Meanwhile, the investment in Delhomme means that he’ll have more than a leg up in the competition with Seneca Wallace to be the starter, even though Wallace recently said thinks he’ll be the starter.
UPDATE: We’re currently researching this situation. Apparently, there’s a school of thought that the money is fully guaranteed. But it’s our understanding that it’s standard practice for guaranteed base salaries to be offset by future earnings, without the inclusion of specific language to that effect. So stay tuned. If it turns out that Delhomme gets to keep the $7 million from the Browns and the $12.7 million from the Panthers, Carolina G.M. Marty Hurney should be fired and shot, not necessarily in that order.
Florio do some research before you report things like this.
It has already been reported multiple times since Delhomme was cut that his contract doesnt have a clause in it that off sets how much he makes with a new team from what the panthers owe him.
The Panthers owe him all of it no matter what other contract he recieves.
What is the damage if he’s cut before the first game of the season? How does this work without a salary cap? Do they just pay the signing bonus and walk away? What if there is no signing bonus and just a roster bonus?
Ummm, isn’t Lerner Jewish?? A ham is probably inappropriate……..
Florio is gay.
Howard the Duck would have more success quarterbacking in Cleve-land.
Andrew Brandt at NFP has already written–days ago–that Delhomme’s contract lacks an offset clause. The Panthers were going to pay him regardless if his next move…the Browns gave him a fair market value contract for a guy with marginal starting skills and solid experience, and that money is separate from the Carolina contract.
Florio can be a little slow, sometimes.
I thought only coaches had offset in their contracts.
Either way The Panthers Org. are dumbassss’for offering the contract to JD in the first place.
Unbelievable the money that’s being wasted in the NFL by bad contract. Year after year after year.
This misreporting about Jake’s contract has reached new levels. The reason he had no off-set clause is because the Panthers owed him that money. His orignal contract called for him to get a 10 million dollar bonus in his last year, 2009, hence, a 10 million cap hit. The Panthers needed the cap room to place the 16 million dollar franchise tag on Peppers. The team asked Jake to extend his contract, pushing most of his 10 million, money he was owed, into future years. He agreed to the extension, as long as there was no off-set clause. Jake did the club a favor. This money everyone has so much heart burn about…he was contracturally owed that money. Had the Panthers defaulted on the agreement, no player would have ever trusted them again.
So the best thing for a good QB to do is to suck for a year or two and take the guaranteed money and then get a huge sign on with another team.
Delhomme’s contract numbers aren’t fully out in public matter yet. While Florio and other dumbasses are reporting 7 mil, some are reporting 900k with up to 6.1 million in incentives. Therefore, Delhomme would have to hit all incentive targets to make that 7 mil, not a guaranteed salary sirs.
PS, while most stand on a ledge, go ahead and give me TO, Walker, Sharper, and Joey Porter. TO, Sharper, Porter all still productive. Walker produced in WCO and hasn’t seen that offense since departing GB. I think he can revive himself for a few years in a WCO under Holmgren/Haskell style O. Pay him league minimum for a year. Wouldn’t hurt.
I’m only a 2L in lawschool and I know absolutely nothing about NFL law, but in general, a contract doesn’t need a offset clause. If you sue for breach of contract and have been able to “mitigate” the damages, the damages awarded by the court will be reduced by the amount of mitigation. That’s just a general principle of contract law.
I have been a Browns fan for 50+ years. With the signing of Delhomme, I now realize the Browns are just a supercilious attempt at football with no intention of becoming a winning team. It breaks my heart, but I have to say goodby to the team I have always loved.
Davio says:
March 14, 2010 1:59 AM
I have been a Browns fan for 50+ years. With the signing of Delhomme, I now realize the Browns are just a supercilious attempt at football with no intention of becoming a winning team. It breaks my heart, but I have to say goodby to the team I have always loved.
————–
In all honesty what better option was out their to compete immediately (which prettymuch crosses off all potential incoming rookies) for the starting QB job. He’s just a temporary fix…if you’ve truely watched football for 50+ years you would realize its pretty common for teams in transition.
Pantherfan10,
Great point. Could not agree with you more.
Richardson won’t shoot the GM because he is too cheap to buy the bullet to do it. He may beat him to death with a former Delhomme or Peppers contract though.
Not to worry Davio, with the signing of Ben Watson you now have an offensive player that can chase down a DB after Delhomme throws his picks. (remember Denver playoff game)
Browns fans should be happy, they got a quarterback with more wins than their entire franchise.
Que Ralph Gre Nader:
The ham was taken from Rex Ryan’s gut……………
honeybaked would be appropriate.
i won a honeybaked ham many years ago at a work christmas party.
i mentioned it to our jewish materials engineer. he emphatically and seriously replied that that was his favorite kind.
i wouldnt suggest one to a muslim, however.
is there such a thing as a kosher ham?
Panther GM Marty Hurney makes a basic error in contract law that gives Delhomme this kind of money makes the news after Panther ticket owners were just given the news that ticket prices are getting hiked again this year. Anyone here think we ticket owners are footing the bill for Hurney’s mistake?
Davio,
Boo hoo. Such an emotional outpouring.
What exactly are you asking the Browns to to? They just picked up a QB and gave up nothing but salary. No draft picks, no players in trade.
Do you want to give up our 1st rounder for McNabb? Or two 1st roundes for Kolb?
And are you such a fool to actually think it matters who the QB is this year? Like all of a sudden the team will be competing for the Super Bowl and this is the one move that holds us back. Get real.
The team will be built step by step. Bringing in a veteran with west coast offense experience and years of pro experience, including a super bowl, is one of those steps. Another step will be when they find the young QB of the future to watch and learn behind a veteran. It’s one way of getting it done. One that I vastly prefer vs mortgaging the future for McNabb or Kolb. I certainly am not fine with the status quo (Quinn).
I had a ham sandwich for lunch one day last week.
The closest I ever came to being hijacked was with a load of hams from Chicago to Memphis. It got really scarey once I crossed the Tenn state line. Weird, huh?