Curtis Lofton's deal...
 

Newly-minted New Orleans Saints linebacker Curtis Lofton's five-year contract is worth up to $33.5 million and includes a $5 million signing bonus, according to a league source.

During the first three years of the deal, the base salaries are fully guaranteed. That includes $700,000 in 2012, $1.1 million in 2013 and $1 million in 2014.

He's also due roster bonuses of $5 million in 2013, $2.2 million in 2014 and $4.5 million in 2015.

He's also due base salaries of $2.4 million in 2015, $5.4 million in 2015 and $6 million in 2016, which is a voidable year under the terms of the contract.

The deal includes escalator clauses.

Lofton, 25, is an athletic, productive player who recorded 147 tackles, one sack, a forced fumble and two interceptions last season.

In four NFL seasons, the former University of Oklahoma standout has piled up 492 tackles, four sacks, three interceptions and seven forced fumbles.

Scout.com: Curtis Lofton Profile


The #Saints' reported five-year, $33.5M deal for LB Curtis Lofton is extremely cap-friendly. Only a $1.7M cap figure for 2012.

Little bit more than I would've liked to have seen, but I guess a $6.7M/yr average isn't that bad for a starting MLB, but that does increase the questions surrounding Vilma's future going past the 2012 season.

Vilma's and Lofton's 2012 cap hit would be then around $8.3M, which isn't horrible.

Thats incredible.

Loomis is like the Rainman of the NFL Cap...LOL

I like it: TRY BEFORE YOU BUY!

Great deal. If he turns out to not fit the system, we can cut ties and there wouldn't be a big cap hit.

Sounds great to me! Vilma ain't going to be around forever folks... even if we keep him next season. Chances are he's going to be suspended and how long is he around from there?? I love Vilma like everybody else, but I love that we're investing in the future.

and don't forget the cap goes up to 140.6 million next year I believe...

Isn't it in 2014 with the new TV deal revenue added to the overall revenue pool?

My understanding is that the 2013 salary cap should be around the same cap figure as this coming season's cap with maybe a slight increase.

Thats what I've heard also.

Its probably why the Brees deal isn't done yet. Mickey probably wants the deal structured so that we take smaller hits in 2012 and 1013 and jump in 2014. Condon probably want the big money as front loaded as possible.

Loomis is a freakin cap genius

where's that falcon troll who was certain we overpaid for Lofton? :mrgreen:

Well, I had a quick look-see on their boards and majority of them are saying that the price the Saints payed for Lofton's services was more than they would've thought that it was worth.

It's strange that they also seem to think that Tatupu was the Saints' #1 choice for a MLB, but that they were able to get him signed before the Saints were. That scenario doesn't seem that realistic because there was quite a bit of time between him visiting the Saints and then the Failclowns having him over and signing him. I would think that if the Saints really wanted him, they would've gotten him to sign a contract within that timespan between the two visits.

The funny thing is that they keep referring to Lofton's knees becoming an issue, but they were happy to sign Tatupu who missed an entire season because of his knees.

Lofton has only missed 1 game in his 4 years... :mrgreen:

Yeah, that's what is so crazy about it.

He didn't miss any time after his knee surgeries last off-season, and to my knowledge he doesn't have any underlying conditions which could hurt his chances of staying healthy in the future - like Vilma has.

Just look at it this way; the Falcons tried to resign him so it's not like they didn't want him.

That's how it should be; if you're working, producing - you get paid...

If not, minimal damage to the rest of the team...

That's what I hate about Baseball; paying a pitcher 12 million while he's out a year with Tommy John Sx is incredible...

I just want to know the number on his back not his paycheck.

If you're truly curious I believe Lofton said that he will be #50.
If you're being facetious, I believe Lofton said that he will be #50.

“Worst deal in the history of sports� suddenly looks pretty good | ProFootballTalk

The past three weeks have entailed plenty of talk about the salary cap as calculated in the new CBA, and whether and to what extent those numbers will spike when the new TV contracts kick in.

The NFLPA reportedly has told players it will. Patriots owner Robert Kraft has said that it won’t.

Now, Texans owner Bob McNair, who chairs the league’s finance committee, agrees with Kraft.

“It is staying pretty flat for several years,” McNair told Daniel Kaplan of SportsBusiness Journal while departing last week’s league meetings. McNair added that, after 2014, the cap will “gradually” increase.

Kaplan’s report also confirms that the union borrowed against future years in order to pump the cap in 2012 from as low as $113 million per team to $120.6 million per team, not much more than the $120.375 million per team in 2011. The same thing will happen in 2013, which means that gains to be realized in 2014 and beyond will have already been, to a certain extent, consumed by the players in order to drive up the numbers in 2012 and 2013.

The end result, per Kaplan, will be a total of $142.4 million per team in salary and benefits for each of the first three years of the new CBA, with modest annual increases thereafter.

Kaplan points out that, last March, the players walked away from a proposal that would have guaranteed $146 million per team in 2012, $150 million per team in 2013, and $161 million per team in 2014. (Actually, the document created by the owners in March 2011, a copy of which PFT has obtained, showed a minimum of $148 million in 2012 and $155 million in 2013.) NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith called that offer the “worst deal in the history of sports,” in part because of the gross reduction in the players’ take and in part because the formula included no portion of the league’s financial upside.

So, instead, the players eventually traded a proposal with a high floor and a low ceiling for a deal with a low floor and a high ceiling. And for now the numbers are congregating at the floor.

Well the league is going to hell in a hand basket under Roger's watch. They better get what they can now or learn to play hockey. :-)

It's hard to not think that the cap has to increase in 2014 even with these borrowed supplements to the 2012 and 2013 caps, because the new TV deal is going to bring in an additional 3 billion dollars to the TV revenue which is directly calculated into the format approved in the new CBA which designates the salary budgets and, furthermore, that in turn designates the salary cap floor and ceiling.

Even if the rise would not happen in 2014 because of the previous borrowed supplements, those should be payed off within that first year if the cap stays as it is right now, and so the increase hike would then happen in 2015.

At least that is how I understand the situation according to the limited knowledge I have about the circumstances involved.