Pouncey’s Contract
Although it’s been reported as the new market deal for NFL centers, Pouncey’s deal really is team friendly. I hope the Steelers do more deals like this one going forward and fewer like Woodley’s, which married him to the team for at least three years. Alex Mack gets $26M guaranteed (all paid in the first three years), Pouncey gets $14M guaranteed, but will earn $26.5M in the first three years, if he performs well and the team keeps him. Pouncey is betting on himself.
Basically, the Steelers exchanged a higher average salary and a potential for greater money in the first three years of the deal, compared to Mack’s deal, in exchange for numbers that can be managed in the team’s favor. The team can convert his 2015 or 2016 roster bonuses to signing bonuses, if they need cap space; or if they need to, they can release him as soon as next season and face a manageable cap penalty by utilizing the post-June 1 designation.
