Cushing & Texans agree to Contract Extension

[nunusguy]

The Texans have reached a long-term contract extension with linebacker Brian Cushing, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Cushing’s new deal would be for six years.

Cushing recently said he hoped to work out a long-term deal with the Texans, despite having missed much of the 2012 season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
http://tracking.si.com/2013/09/03/br...ans-extension/
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So far no specifics on the numbers.

[Nconroe]

Great news for sure.

Wonder if any more contract updates coming and where Texans are on cap space right now?

[WMH]

6 years, ~$55MM, ~$21MM gtd.

I'm OK with that.

[Nconroe]

It was nice of Andre Johnson to redo his deal so Texans would have cap space to redo Cushings deal.

[WMH]

Originally Posted by Nconroe

It was nice of Andre Johnson to redo his deal so Texans would have cap space to redo Cushings deal.

Nice? I'm guessing you're being sarcastic. Instead of getting $5MM over 3 years, he got a $5MM check.

If that's being nice, I would LOVE to figure out a way to be nice.

[cadams]

Originally Posted by Nconroe

It was nice of Andre Johnson to redo his deal so Texans would have cap space to redo Cushings deal.

this is not meant to take away from andre in anyway, but i don't know that it is "nice". i think it is spun that way a lot when a player restructures because it makes for a good story. i may be wrong, as i don't claim to know how the nfl contracts work, but from what i understand, a restructure like the one andre just did basically took money from his salary this year and accellerated a portion of it.

andre was set to makd 10.5 million this season. he agreed to restructure, meaning he will get a 5.5 million dollar lump sum now, and have a 5 million dollar base salary this year. so he didn't take less money, and he got over half of this year's salary immediately. seems like a pretty good deal to me.


if anyone knows anything about nfl contracts and can correct me if i am wrong please do.

[cadams]

Originally Posted by WMH

Nice? I'm guessing you're being sarcastic. Instead of getting $5MM over 3 years, he got a $5MM check.

If that's being nice, I would LOVE to figure out a way to be nice.

we both had the same idea

[barrett]

Edited...

I said the same thing a 3rd time.

[Nconroe]

True, good for Andre, but also good for Texans and Cushing because the bonus is allocated over several years to cap space, so, cap space was increased for this year. I think that is how it works.

[WMH]

Interesting......
I continue to be impressed with Smith.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/writer/...as-1-year-122m


Jason La Canfora
CBS Sports NFL Insider
Texans' cost for Cushing extension could be as low as 1 year, $12.2M
September 6, 2013 12:10 pm ET

The Texans built ample protection into their six-year extension with linebacker Brian Cushing, which while it has a max value of around $56 million, could end up being far less.

Cushing, who has been suspended for violating the NFL's policy on performance enhancing drugs in the past and who is coming off season-ending surgery, will make $10.149 million this season, including a $9 million signing bonus, and his $2 million salary for 2014 is guaranteed for skill, injury and cap purposes.

Beyond that, however, the Texans have the option to basically bring him along year by year, and they can get out of the deal without significant drawbacks for purposes of skill or cap. Cushing's $6 million option bonus in 2014 is not guaranteed and if the Texans do not exercise it, then a future year of his deal becomes guaranteed for $6 million -- but for injury only, so the team still has the ability to let him go for other reasons if need be.

Rather than franchise Cushing and then perhaps lose him after this season, the last year remaining on Cushing's rookie deal, the team controls his rights throughout his prime, and does so on an average-per-year basis well below what the franchise figure is for linebackers. From Cushing's standpoint, he gets $10 million in his pocket this season -- given that he missed most of last season due to injury, that's obviously important -- and if he stays clean and continues to produce, there is every chance he can earn $20 million in the first two years of the deal.

However, beyond 2014 base salaries are guaranteed for injury only, and he gets a $78,125 bonus for each game he is active (which he would be as long as he is healthy and not suspended).