More details are available about Jamaal Charles‘ Broncos contract, courtesy of 9News’ Mike Klis. The former two-time All-Pro running back signed a one-year deal worth $1MM base value, with the pact including several incentives, as Klis reported Sunday. More specifically, the former Chiefs starter has escalators tied to his performance and the Broncos’, with that portion of the contract totaling $1.25MM if all are achieved.
Should the running back gain 500 all-purpose yards, he will earn $100K. For surpassing the 750-yard barrier, it’s a $300K bump. For going over 1,000 yards from scrimmage, the 30-year-old Charles will see $500K. If Charles manages to turn back the clock and overcome a string of knee issues, Kansas City’s all-time leading rusher stands to earn $1MM in incentives by exceeding 1,400 yards from scrimmage. Charles has finished with 1,300-plus yards from scrimmage five times, but the last came in 2014. Charles hitting these incentives and the Broncos making the playoffs would continually bring bigger bonuses. The 1,000-yard playoffs bonus is $650K, for example.
The Broncos took out waivers on both of Charles’ knees, Klis reports. Each was operated on last year due to problems in each of the back’s menisci. This came after Charles underwent reconstructive knee surgery in 2015.
Here’s the latest from some of the league’s westernmost franchises.
- Perry Riley received steady playing time despite being picked up during the season, and the Raiders attempted to gauge what it would take to bring back the middle linebacker, Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle reports (on Twitter). It sounds like the negotiations progressed well, with numbers being exchanged, but Tafur reports the sides couldn’t agree on a figure that would bring Riley back for a second Raiders year. Reggie McKenzie said earlier this month the door isn’t closed on that prospect, but Tafur said the team will attempt to see what it has on its defensive second level before revisiting a Riley reunion. The former Redskins starter will be going into his age-29 season. The Raiders did not use a high draft pick on a linebacker and have several uncertain cogs vying for time in the middle alongside Bruce Irvin and UFA addition Jelani Jenkins.
- The Rams‘ cap situation won’t serve as an impediment to what would surely be a landmark extension for Aaron Donald, Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com reports (via Twitter). This is interesting because the Rams are just $2.142MM under the cap, according to OverTheCap. Gonzalez offers that a Trumaine Johnson extension would help free up space, with the cornerback tethered to a $16.74MM cap figure, but Les Snead said the team won’t hold extension talks with Johnson until after OTAs conclude. Gonzalez also posits that Donald could look to compromise on a deal, with the Rams agreeing to raise his salary before an extension kicks in after the 2018 season. That said, it would likely have to be a considerable bump for such a sacrifice to be a consideration for Donald’s camp considering how high the two-time All-Pro’s value is presently.
- The Broncos handed out a $20K guarantee to UDFA safety Jamal Carter, and Klis reports that agreement — split up into a $10K signing bonus and $10K base guarantee — is the most the team has promised a UDFA rookie in years. Carter attended Miami and was viewed as a possible Day 3 pick. The Broncos also gave a $12,500K signing bonus to fellow UDFA safety Orion Stewart (Baylor), which is the largest bonus the team has authorized to a post-draft signee since return man Isaiah Burse received that $12.5K amount in 2014. Denver spent two draft choices on safeties last year, in Justin Simmons and Will Parks, and has Darian Stewart signed long-term. T.J. Ward is entering a contract year. Denver also gave defensive tackle Tyrique Jarrett (Pitt) $10K to sign, per Klis.