This is a thread dedicated to discussing the Aaron Hernandez cap hit.
Let me preface this by saying I'm no expert on this, and I'm hearing conflicting reports. In a fair world, it seems like the NEP ought to be able to take no hit at all for releasing a dude who ends up being a murderer. As Odin Lloyd can attest, however, this is no fair world.
First of all, here's Barnwell's take from Grantland: http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/print?id=66991
And this from Reiss (http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4744681/revisiting-details-of-hernandez-contract):
This would all seem to be bad news. However, this bit of language from the same Reiss article gives me some hope:
And this from the NFL's Personal Conduct Policy:
OK, I made that last bit up (I did look up the policy, and violence is specifically mentioned). Point is, is there a possibility the Pats can avoid any cap hit whatsoever?
Let me preface this by saying I'm no expert on this, and I'm hearing conflicting reports. In a fair world, it seems like the NEP ought to be able to take no hit at all for releasing a dude who ends up being a murderer. As Odin Lloyd can attest, however, this is no fair world.
First of all, here's Barnwell's take from Grantland: http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/print?id=66991
Financially, the ramifications of the move are even murkier. In the short term, the Patriots will have just more than $10 million in dead money hit their cap as a result of cutting Hernandez. Because they released him a mere season after signing him to an extension, $10 million of his $12.5 million signing bonus, which was spread over the seven years in his extension, accelerates into the present. Since Hernandez was released after June 1, the cap hit is spread over two seasons, but combined with guaranteed base salaries for 2013 and 2014, the financial impact is noticeable. The Patriots will have $4.1 million in dead money for Hernandez on their cap this season, with a more painful $8.6 million coming next year.
The Patriots can try to recoup some of the money owed to Hernandez, but it's unlikely to prevent the deal from hitting their salary cap. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport noted that Hernandez's contract does not contain any "failure to perform" clauses that would allow the Patriots to skip out on paying him the remaining $3.25 million due from his signing bonus or his guaranteed base salaries in 2013 ($1.32 million) and 2014 ($1.14 million). According to Rapoport, most Patriots contracts contain such a clause, but Hernandez's deal only holds that to be the case in terms of his workout bonuses, which should save the Patriots a mere $82,000 in 2013 and $500,000 in 2014. The only way the Patriots could save more money would be if another team signed Hernandez, with their payments offsetting some or all of the money the Patriots were otherwise due to pay him.
And this from Reiss (http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4744681/revisiting-details-of-hernandez-contract):
For those asking what the salary cap charge would be in the event the Patriots ever decided to terminate the contract, the charge would be the acceleration of the $12.5 million signing bonus. If that happened in 2013, Hernandez would count $2.55 million against the salary cap, and then in 2014 would carry a cap charge of $7.5 million from the remaining proration on the signing bonus.
This would all seem to be bad news. However, this bit of language from the same Reiss article gives me some hope:
One other factor to consider: A club can recover bonus money and avoid a cap hit if a player violates one of the league's personal conduct policies or defaults on contract language.
And this from the NFL's Personal Conduct Policy:
Players shall not murder motherfuckers in spectacularly stupid fashion.
OK, I made that last bit up (I did look up the policy, and violence is specifically mentioned). Point is, is there a possibility the Pats can avoid any cap hit whatsoever?