There was no glitch. No last-minute curveball. No monkey wrench in the gears.
The Broncos and quarterback Peyton Manning have agreed to terms on a five-year, $96 million contract, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Missing from Schefter’s report is the all-important “G” word.
There’s no mention of guaranteed money, which makes it impossible for now to determine the real value of the deal. And, let’s face it, if there was significant guaranteed money in the deal, whoever leaked the info to Schefter would have included that fact.
In the end, it could be another one-year “prove it” deal, with a modest base salary, incentives based on playing time or other factors, and a mammoth balloon payment due in 2013. The deal also could have a ridiculously high fifth-year base salary that he’ll never earn.
Eventually, the true numbers will come out. For now, it’s safe to say the Broncos ultimately won’t be paying Peyton $96 million over five years.