Williams gets big guaranteed payday from Browns
It's not hard to see why Tramon Williams left the Green Bay Packers for the Cleveland Browns this week.
The 32-year-old cornerback's three-year, $21 million contract includes $10 million in guaranteed money, which is a large guarantee for a player his age and an amount the Packers likely weren't near matching. The deal also will pay him $14 million in the first two years combined.
The Packers were believed to be offering Williams a two-year deal that averaged in the range of $4 million to $5 million a season. It's unclear how much of a guarantee the Packers offered, though it likely wasn't close to the $10 million Williams is receiving from Cleveland.
Williams will make more than $7 million in the first year of the deal, according to a source with access to NFL salary information. That includes $7.2 million in salary and bonuses that are guaranteed. He also can make up $300,000 more in weekly bonuses for being on the active game-day roster.
Here's a breakdown of the deal:
2015
- Cash value: $7.5 million
- Cap number: $6.5 million
- Signing bonus: $1.5 million
- Base salary: $3.7 million (guaranteed)
- Roster bonus: $2 million (guaranteed, due March 20)
- Roster bonus: Up to $300,000 ($18,750 per game active)
2016
- Cash value: $6.5 million
- Cap number: $7 million
- Base salary: $6.2 million ($2.8 million guaranteed)
- Roster bonus: Up to $300,000 ($18,750 per game active)
2017
- Cash value: $7 million
- Cap number: $7.5 million
- Base salary: $5.7 million
- Roster bonus: $1 million (due third day of league year)
- Roster bonus: Up to $300,000 ($18,750 per game active)