Kansas City Chiefs: Jamaal Charles Contract Breakdown Released

We have the breakdown.

Joel Corry, a former sports agent turned salary cap expert who writes for CBS and Football Post, tweeted out the details to Jamaal Charles’ contract extension. As expected, the numbers are very intriguing.

2014: $4.1 million base salary, $1 million roster bonus, $2.95 million roster bonus, $1 million reporting bonus (aka showing up to camp on time), and $250,000 workout bonus

2015: $4.45 million base salary, $1 million roster bonus, $1 million reporting bonus, $250,000 workout bonus

2016: $2.7 million base salary, $1 million roster bonus, $2 million reporting bonus, $250,000 workout bonus

2017: $3.75 million base salary, $1 million roster bonus, $2 million reporting bonus, $250,000 workout bonus

Corry notes Charles’ 2014 roster bonus isn’t fully guaranteed so it won’t be a prorated bonus. Since the bonus isn’t prorated that gives the Chiefs more cap flexibility in 2015 through 2017. It should also be noted Charles cheapest year will be in 2016, a year that would see heavy increases in salary for Justin Houston, Alex Smith, and potentially Eric Berry and Dontari Poe.

Then there is this:

Before the contract extension Charles cap number was around $5,233,333. At maximum the Chiefs have spent $4.4 million extra cap space in 2014 on Charles’ extension. Without any cuts to the roster (Chase Daniel, Ryan Succop, etc.), the Chiefs still have about $5 million in cap space to eat some extra cash on Alex Smith and Justin Houston contract extensions.

Further, depending on the designation of his roster bonus, Charles will be cheaper against the cap in 2015 than he was before the extension by about small margin. What the Chiefs have done is give Charles a significant pay raise in 2014, added one more year to his contract, and added something of an option year in 2017 for if Charles is still a viable running back.

Consider how great Charles is and how much he could of commanded, and now consider this:

If Charles isn’t already your favorite Chiefs player then he should become so immediately. There is no other superstar I can think of who is constantly this much of a good soldier for his football team. Feel free to go ahead and put him on the Ring of Honor, Chiefs.