Richard Sherman remains one of the most effective cornerbacks in all of football. His contract pays him that way only if he proves it, each and every this.
This year, Sherman’s placement on injured reserve -- knocking him out of the lineup for at least three weeks -- will take a major chunk out of his compensation.
First, it wipes out his ability to earn a $1 million incentive for participating in at least 90 percent of the team’s defensive snaps.
Second, he’ll lose $62,500 for each game he doesn’t play, due to per-game roster bonuses that total $1 million.
Third, a $1 million incentive for making the Pro Bowl team and a $2 million incentive for being named first- or second-team All-Pro.
Sherman otherwise has a base salary of $8 million in 2020. That puts him out of the top 10 for all cornerbacks, even though he’s still clearly a top-10 cornerback.