Agents have a habit of circulating in the wake of a new contract a set of numbers that doesn’t always mesh with reality.
Last week, that dynamic became very clear in the case of Jets left tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson, whose $34.8 million in guaranteed money ended up being $5.3225 million. On a smaller scale, the same thing happened last week in connection with veteran offensive lineman Keydrick Vincent, who signed with the Buccaneers.
Reported initially as a two-year, $4.5 million contract, the base value of the deal is actually two years and $2 million, per a league source with access to the numbers. Specifically, Vincent gets $1 million in non-guaranteed base salary in 2010 and 2011.
He’s also eligible for up to $1.25 million in incentives each year. Unless the triggers can be achieved via merely showing up for work, it would be unrealistic to assume that he definitely will be earning the money.