Gute/Ball Do It Again - A Fabulous Extension For DeVondre Campbell

The Packers continue to assemble a very talented football team by retaining DeVondre Campbell.

The Packers have agreed to a five year, $50 million dollar contract with DeVondre Campbell on what I would deem very favorable terms for the team.  Here are the details per multiple sources including Ken Ingalls' beautiful tweet:

 

YR Base SB Roster GA WO Cap Cash Dead Save
'22 1.05M 3M   .15M .05M 4.24M 16.25M    
'23 1.45M 3M 3M .40M .40M 8.25M 5.25M 12M (3.75M)
2 year out at $21.5 million with $4.75M in cap savings
'24 6.95M 3M 2.9M .5M .4M 13.75M 10.75M 9M 4.75M
'25 7.775M 3M   .7M .4M 11.875M 8.875M 6M 5.875M
'26 7.775M 3M   .7M .4M 11.875M 8.875M 3M 8.875M

Campbell missed a game so his game active bonus would be $141,176 instead of $150,000 for cap purposes.  For tracking compliance with the salary cap, Campbell's signing will displace a player making $705,000 from the top 51-highest paid players, so the net cost to the salary cap would be $4.24M minus $705K, or $3.536M.  I estimated Campbell's first year cap hit at $3.0M in my  "Solving The Puzzle" article.

After one year, the Packers would have paid Campbell $16.25M if he played in all of the games.  They would be looking at a dead money hit of $12M but with only $3.75M in lost cap space (assuming that he were released prior to the payment of that $3M roster bonus on March 20, 2023).  That would be steep but the Packers could extricate themselves from the contract without massive pain after a single year. 

The two year out is shown above.  With $21.5M paid, his AAV would be $10.775M and the Packers would gain $4.75M in cap space while swallowing $9M in dead money.  That is very doable.  The three year out is $32.25M paid ($10.75M AAV) with $6M dead and $5.875M in cap savings.

Campbell had shown flashes and even sustained superior play over multiple games without ever quite putting a full season together.  He played so well in Green Bay last year that the only concern was that he might be a bit of a one-year-wonder.  This contract in my opinion does a nice job of paying Campbell a fair price while providing some safeguards for the Packers. 

There are reports that the Packers might well sign Rasul Douglas.  The same concerns apply to his career.  Let us hope that the two sides can reach a similar contract with Douglas.

Including the ERFAs, Campbell, and with Lazard tendered at the second round level, the Packers are roughly $26M over the salary cap.  The team should get some cap relief from Jaire Alexander, Randall Cobb, possibly from Lowry, Amos, Crosby and Lewis, and of course, from Aaron Rodgers. 

There is still work to be done.

 

 

 

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2 points
 

Comments (14)

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Thegreatreynoldo's picture

March 15, 2022 at 05:22 am

I think this is a very fair contract that gives Campbell a nice payday while allowing the Packers to extricate themselves from it without massive pain. The AAV is not too far off from PFF's estimate of $9M AAV and considerably less than Agent/sportswriter Joel Cory's suggested number of $13.5M (IIRC). Spotrac estimated his value considerably higher, if my memory serves.

I thought the contract with Preston Smith was excellent. I worried that he might throw a wrench in the works. I thought the Packers would squeeze $8M in cap relief out of his deal (they got $8.26M) but his AAV was millions less than I anticipated. The numbers came out a few hours after legal tampering commenced so perhaps Mr. Smith was able to assess his market.

It seems more reasonable to suppose that the Packers are holding Aaron Rodgers' contract in reserve while they decide how much they need. I would expect they could squeeze $26M out of Cobb, Jaire, Amos, Lowry, Lewis and Crosby. That would be tight as to meeting the cap without cap relief from Rodgers and they need $11M for a piggy bank, draft picks, 52nd/53rd and something for Douglas and/or any other additions. I'd just take the max from Rodgers but then I don't even like spending other people's money.

6 points
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LLCHESTY's picture

March 15, 2022 at 05:38 am

I asked in your other article but do you know if Preston's roster bonuses were guaranteed? Ball seems like he's shied away from that most of the time but that option might not be available anymore. If they're giving Campbell $32.5 million in the next two years his roster spot seems pretty safe for three years. I wonder if he took less for that security. Seems like a Cobb waiver or restructure might be next.
EDIT
***After looking at Ingalls' tweet I guess that $32.5 million over the 1st two years was wrong. Somebody tweeted that earlier today.

I forgot to ask you today if you got my email.

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Thegreatreynoldo's picture

March 15, 2022 at 05:38 am

I got your email. The iron might be hot right now to approach Jersey Al. LOL.

I see nothing that suggests Preston Smith got any guaranteed money other than a signing bonus.

So far they haven't done any option bonuses which is a close approximation to giving a guaranteed roster bonus in year two of a contract.

It isn't $32.5M over two years, it is $21.5M per OTC, Spotrac and Ken Ingalls. Big difference.

Much better title on this article. So far, it has not been scrapped, but it is early yet.

2 points
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LLCHESTY's picture

March 15, 2022 at 05:43 am

And it has a Steely Dan vibe to it! Not sure if I'll go back and look to see who posted the wrong number on Campbell's deal but I should.

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Thegreatreynoldo's picture

March 15, 2022 at 05:45 am

Max Busby?
Papago442?

Max just had a couple of bad days. Not usually so far off like that, so just kidding him.

1 points
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LLCHESTY's picture

March 15, 2022 at 05:52 am

No, it was actually a tweet I saw shortly after his signing was announced.

Judging from today I seem to be in the minority of people that think Nijman could handle being the starter at RT. I think later in the year, once he settled into the position, he was pretty aggressive. Getting that kick step down with his right foot worries me a little but if he practices there during the offseason I think he'd be fine. They'd still need a backup swing guy but at least it wouldn't be an emergency requiring a big signing or high draft pick.

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Johnblood27's picture

March 15, 2022 at 07:49 am

There is no such thing as a factual tweet.

At best tweets are educated guesses, I would hesitate to base any statements with personal accountability on tweeted information.

Social media is pretty far from the encyclopedia Britannica.

2 points
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rstain99's picture

March 15, 2022 at 05:37 am

He was a great addition to the squad last season no question the game has gotten faster so a player like Campbell certainly was welcomed. Sorry to see Z Smith leave he gave his all to them for few seasons. Business i guess he will be missed.

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LLCHESTY's picture

March 15, 2022 at 05:45 am

There is a lot of responsibility that goes with that green stickered helmet. Leaving it to a rookie is a pretty scary proposition, besides the needs at other positions.

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Thegreatreynoldo's picture

March 15, 2022 at 06:07 am

Ball is pretty formulaic in his contracts. I've written that you can take the total value ($50M), multiply by 30% to get the signing bonus ($15M), insert the minimum for a base, put something in for workout and game active (Ball does lately concede to cap realities in year one on WO and GA bonuses. Year two is a little trickier, but there generally is an non-guaranteed roster bonus and the cash flow in year two is lower because the cash in year one is generally high due to the signing bonus. Other teams don't give as much in signing bonuses but often guarantee a decent roster bonus and sometimes a base salary in year two. Good and bad: other teams guarantee more but the year two guaranteed money tends to come off the contract in year two, leaving less dead money (unless they convert the roster bonus to a signing bonus).

Preston didn't get 30% signing bonus. That could be because his contract had a hangover of $7.5M in an old signing bonus proration. His workout bonus was just $150K in year one, but grows to $500K and his GA grows to $1M. But he got the minimum base and a much larger roster bonus in year two to keep the cash flow going. Still, he ends up with $24.6M after two years, not good when his AAV is $13M each year: he should be around $27M to $29M. Good deal for GB overall.

2 points
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marpag1's picture

March 15, 2022 at 06:12 am

Very pleasantly surprised by this. TGR, I think you hit it on the head when you wrote: "He played so well in Green Bay last year that the only concern was that he might be a bit of a one-year-wonder." I rather strongly suspect that his market was/would have been weaker than we might have thought because of this. But that's OK. Up to Campbell to prove 'em wrong.

4 points
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Irish_Cheesehead's picture

March 15, 2022 at 12:36 pm

Great news, along with the Lazard tender! I like their moves so far!

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BirdDogUni's picture

March 15, 2022 at 01:53 pm

"D" Campbell in the middle of our defense, in his 2nd year in the system could even make a jump and play at an even higher level. Hard to beat All-Pro production, but he was a huge upgrade to defense, and it isn't hard to envision his leadership resulting in a better overall defense this year. Add a decent iDL and depth off the Edge this could be the best defense the Packers have seen in decades.

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dobber's picture

March 15, 2022 at 02:52 pm

I'll be happy if he plays in the same ballpark as 2021...especially if the Packers can upgrade the DL.

I think any ascendancy in his play will come as a result of the guys playing around him, not anything he does himself.

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