http://espn.go.com/nfl/columns/pasquarelli_len/1507454.html Boselli, 30, was scheduled to earn a $4.5 million base salary for 2003. That will be reduced to just $650,000, the minimum salary for a player with his league tenure. If he is healthy and able to be a starter again, though, Boselli will earn back most or all of the difference. Should he play 20 percent of the snaps, Boselli will collect of bonus of $500,000. The bonus structure will pay him additional $500,000 increments for every 10 percent more he plays. So if Boselli logs about 80 percent of the snaps, he will have made back the base salary he surrendered. He is due a $2 million roster bonus on March 1. Mills reiterated his client will receive the roster bonus. Before the restructuring, Boselli had a $9.549 million salary cap number for 2003, prohibitive under any circumstances but especially difficult given the uncertainty surrounding his career. Great deal for both sides, wonder how this affects the offseason FA plans?
I'm glad this happened for two reasons. Firstly, because it frees up some maneuvering room for the Texans and allows them to do more in the offseason, and also because it makes me think that Boselli, at least, is confident that his injury problems can and will be overcome, and we will have the kickass OL Tony Boselli back and functioning come next season's start.
ehhhhh...... boselli's guaranteed a $2M roster bonus next month and is still owed $9.15M of his signing bonus, meaning he's guaranteed $11.15M if he retires anytime after march 1. i don't question his desire to get back, but this contract really doesn't do anything in terms of providing extra incentive.
So how much of what changed is now incentive based? Meaning, how much is he actually risking now that he restructured?
his base salary for 2003 was $4.5M. he's owed an additional $2M if he's on the roster march 1 (which he will be) and $3.05M (his prorated signing bonus). all told, boselli was set to count $9.55M against this year's cap. the texans reduced his base salary to $650K, with built-in playing incentives. his roster bonus and prorated signing bonus still count, so he's costing $5.7M. by restructuring, the texans have saved nearly $4M this year. he can earn $500K if he participates in 20% of houston's snaps this year. for every 10% above that, he earns another $500K. if he participates in just over 80% of the snaps, he will have earned back the difference (roughly $3.5M in bonuses). his base salaries for 2004 and 2005 remanined unchanged.
Maybe I'm greedy, but even if I knew I was just "stealing" money for doing nothing, upwards of $4 million dollars is still upwards of $4 million dollars. At teh very least, you've got to assume Boselli is confident he will at least reach one fo the incentive thresholds. I don't think just because he believes he will, it will actually happen, though.
Here is to hoping he can come back! Last season, I remember seeing Boselli talking to Pitts on the sideline and Boselli just towers over him. He looked much bigger and stronger even though Pitts was in full pads..
