The deal isn’t done yet. When it is, and barring a dramatic, last-minute change, Stafford will earn $27.5 million with the stroke of a pen.
That’s the signing bonus he’ll receive on his three-year extension, per a source with knowledge of the terms.
Stafford also will receive a base salary of $4 million this year, pushing his total payout for 2013 to $31.5 million.
The cap savings for the next two years (total) will be in the range of $7 million. That’s money that can be used to re-sign tight end Brandon Pettigrew or defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.
Stafford’s $15.3 million average puts him well below the top of the market for quarterbacks. But with the money he’s already earned and $43 million in guarantees, he’ll be closing in on $100 million in career earnings -- and he turned 25 in February.