The Broncos and Cowboys gave receivers Demaryius Thomas and Dez Bryant, respectively, five-year, $70 million contracts in the final moments of the expiration of the deadline for signing franchise-tagged players to long-term deals.
Colts receiver T.Y. Hilton has gotten a similar contract a full season before application of the franchise tag.
Per a league source, Hilton’s contract is a five-year extension, with a total value of $65 million. Also, $39 million is guaranteed. (The amount fully guaranteed at signing is not yet known.)
He was due to earn $1.542 million in 2015, which makes it a six-year, $66.542 million dollar deal.
Still, unlikely Thomas and Bryant, Hilton was given a chance to swap out the injury risk arising from a final season -- along with a possible dip in his numbers thanks to the presence of Andre Johnson, Donte Moncrief, and Phillip Dorsett -- in exchange for something similar to what the receivers who had finished five years of service received last month. Hilton has played only three years.
The early details suggest that it’s a win-win, like the Russell Wilson contract. Hilton could have gotten more by waiting until February -- and he also could have gotten a lot less.
Technically, the deal isn’t yet done. Although the Colts have announced it, they’ve specifically said he simply has “agreed to terms.” Per a league source with knowledge of the situation, nothing has been signed yet.
Still, with the Colts announcing the deal, it boxes both sides in to finishing the job. Look for a photo of Hilton with pen to paper to come sooner than later.