Jaylon Johnson could have made $19.8 million, fully guaranteed, for 2024. He has instead traded it in for, reportedly, a $76 million, four-year deal, with $54 million guaranteed.
It will be impossible to know the truth about the deal without the full details, since (as we know) the initial reports have a tendency to be exaggerated.
Even with what we know, it’s a little alarming — and multiple league insiders are buzzing about it. The deal averages $19 million. Johnson could have made $19.8 million this year and, if tagged again in 2025, $23.76 million.
That’s $43.56 million over two years. The convention when it comes to turning a franchise tag into a long-term deal is to ensure that the first two years of the tag are fully-guaranteed at signing.
Maybe it is. Maybe the deal is front loaded. For now, however, there are real questions about whether Johnson got fair value for trading in the $19.8 million tag for 2024, and the availability of a 20-percent raise if tagged again.
