Packers are $19.6M under cap after Crosby deal

The Green Bay Packers are around $19.6 million under the 2016 salary cap after agreeing with Mason Crosby on a new four-year, $16.1 million contract this week that makes him one of the NFL’s highest-paid kickers.

Crosby, who received a $5 million signing bonus, counts only $2.4 million against next year’s cap and will make $6.15 million in the first year of the deal, according to a league source with access to the NFLPA salary database. That’s actually lower than his $2.95 million cap hit in 2015.

Crosby then carries cap charges of $3.6 million in 2017, $5.25 million in 2018 and $4.85 million in 2019 His base salary is a modest $900,000 in 2016 and $1 million in 2017 before shooting up to $3.15 million in 2018 and $3.2 million in 2019.

'No-brainer' for Crosby to return to Packers

The 10th-year kicker is scheduled to receive $1.05 million and $500,000 roster bonuses in the first two years of the contract on top of annual $150,000 offseason workout bonuses.

Crosby’s contract also calls for gradually increasing roster bonuses paid out on a per-game basis. He can make up to an addition $100,000 in 2016, $150,000 in 2017, $200,000 in 2018 and $250,000 in 2019 if he doesn’t miss a game over the next four seasons.

So far, Crosby has played in all 144 regular-season games since the Packers drafted him in the sixth round out of Colorado in 2007.

The Packers still have plenty of cap room to work with after locking up Crosby. Green Bay general manager Ted Thompson and chief negotiator Russ Ball have $19,638,854 remaining in salary cap space to address their 16 pending free agents and any outside acquisitions they’d like to entertain.

Crosby’s deal

2016

Cash value: $6.15 million

Salary-cap charge: $2.4 million

Base salary: $900,000

Signing bonus: $5 million

Workout bonus: $150,000

Roster bonus (per game): Up to $100,000 ($6,250 per game active)

2017

Cash value: $2.35 million

Salary-cap charge: $3.6 million

Base salary: $1 million

Roster bonus: $1.05 million

Workout bonus: $150,000

Roster bonus (per game): Up to $150,000 ($9,375 per game active)

2018

Cash value: $4 million

Salary-cap charge: $5.25 million

Base salary: $3.15 million

Roster bonus: $500,000

Workout bonus: $150,000

Roster bonus (per game): Up to $200,000 ($12,500 per game active)

2019

Cash value: $3.6 million

Salary-cap charge: $4.85 million

Base salary: $3.2 million

Workout bonus: $150,000

Roster bonus (per game): Up to $250,000 ($15,625 per game active)