What contract do you take?

[malk]

I've brought this up a couple of times but I'm wondering what the general thought is so...

Scenario 1

Imagine you're coming a off a 4 year rookie deal with gross earnings around $4-8 million. You've shown some flashes but as a part time player, perhaps due to injury, perhaps lack of opportunity, and there isn't much of a market for you at a good starter level contract. Do you take a vet min level deal for a year to try and show you're worth a higher level multi year deal or would you be tempted by three years with decent guarantees, say $10m over the three with $5-8m guaranteed. I'm thinking of someone like Cruikshank here.

Scenario 2.

Similar to the above but at a higher level of performance/desirability. Say Byron Pringle level. Do you take the $6m ($4m guaranteed) one year deal or would you accept 3 years for $20-25m with $10-15m guaranteed?

Pick two options please, one from each scenario.

Obviously it isn't easy to say when you, or at least I (lol), are looking at around 15-25 or whatever years to earn the lowest amount here, but given the high risk of injury or other bad luck in the NFL, I think I'd be tempted to take some guaranteed income at that stage of my career. And perhaps further, getting three years at a reasonable amount might make you more likely to stick around long enough to get a proper opportunity to earn that big payday...

[UOK]

Guaranteed money, always.

[thunderspirit]

Guaranteed money, always.

Pretty much.

Bird in the hand, and all that.

[Grizzled]

Highest guaranteed money. Preferable if it's in the Deshaun Watson range, though.

[Moriarty]

Unless you're a R1 or 2 pick, coming off your rookie contract (assuming you didn't get performance escalators, since you aren't an established starter), you've probably only grossed 4M and banked 2.

At that point, I really want the guarantees. Get me another 6(3) guaranteed and now working after the NFL is mostly optional.

[malk]

I agree with taking the guaranteed, I wonder why teams/players don't go for the smaller guarantee options more often? Everything is boom or bust in the NFL!

[dplank]

I took a chance on scenario 2, figuring a 1 yr 5M deal meant I was a pretty good player and needed to boost my chances for a big deal next off season - presuming I’m in a spot where I’m a starter

[WagonForce]

Desk worker me -> takes the guaranteed money.

Fictional version of me who is a hyper competitive athlete who has battled successfully all the way into the national football league -> bets on myself and shoots for the stars.