Now that the dust has settled on the first wave of free agency and the second wave has commenced, it’s time to start taking a look at some of the contracts that were negotiated. We’ve already broken down several of the most interesting ones, from Olivier Vernon to Alex Mack to Brock Osweiler to Chase Daniel to Coby Fleener. Throughout the weekend, I’ll be sprinkling in items with contractual details among the more click-baity blog posts.
Let’s start with the guy who would have gotten $5.6 million in 2016 if the Buccaneers had picked up his fifth-year option. They didn’t, but to their credit they didn’t compound a mistake from 2015 by making another one in 2016.
Martin’s five-year, $35.75 million contract falls short of last year’s five-year, $40 million deal signed by running back DeMarco Murray. Still, amid the general league-wide concerns that running backs follow great contract years with bad performances once they get paid, it was a significant haul for Martin.
He gets a $4 million roster bonus early next week and a $4 million fully-guaranteed base salary in 2016. Next year’s base salary of $7 million also is fully guaranteed, giving him $15 million fully guaranteed at signing.
Thereafter, it’s a simple, year-to-year proposition: $6.75 million, $7 million, and $7 million in 2018, 2019, and 2020, respectively.
He also have incentives and escalators based on rushing yards, playing time, playoffs, and Pro Bowl appearances.
The base deal has an average of $7.15 million per year, and after 2017 he’ll have to earn it one year at a time. Which means that, as soon as two years from now, Martin may no longer be with the Buccaneers.