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Redskins, Portis Agree on 8-Year, $50.5 Million Deal

By Nunyo Demasio
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, March 1, 2004; 3:05 PM

Denver Broncos running back Clinton Portis, who is expected to be traded to the Washington Redskins on Wednesday, agreed with the Redskins today to an eight-year, $50.5 million contract, according to a source familiar with the deal. The contract, one of the highest for a running back in NFL history, includes a $17 million combined bonus.

Portis is expected to sign the contract Wednesday, the start of free agency, when the trade under which the Redskins will send Pro Bowl cornerback Champ Bailey and a second-round pick in April's NFL draft to Denver can be officially announced.

"He hasn't signed the contract yet," Drew Rosenhaus, Portis's agent, said in a telephone interview.

According to an NFL source, Portis initially requested a signing bonus of $20 million, causing the Redskins to put contract talks on the back burner. Last week, the Redskins said they planned to sign Portis to a new deal after next season. But talks picked up again over the weekend, leading to today's agreement.

Redskins officials at Redskins Park at Ashburn refused to comment on the Portis deal.

Portis, a two-year veteran, became available after hinting at the Pro Bowl last month that he would hold out without a new contract. Portis had two years remaining on his rookie deal -- $380,000 in 2004 and $455,000 in 2005. Denver coach Mike Shanahan, who has a policy against renegotiating contracts with more than one year left, subsequently put Portis on the trading block, with an initial asking price of a first-round and second-round pick.

Meanwhile, Bailey's agent, Jack Reale, is still going over details of a new contract with Denver and hopes to complete an agreement by tonight.

Rosenhaus is also the agent for Tennessee Titans defensive end Jevon Kearse, an unrestricted free agent who the Redskins are pursuing. According to a source familiar with the situation, the Redskins are a leading candidate to sign Kearse, who is seeking a signing bonus of at least $18 million.

skinsfaninroanoke wrote:Yes - the bonus is prorated over the length of the contract and it does count against the cap.

It is probably two or three tiered bonus wise - in other words a roster bonus - if CP is on the team at the time the date rolls around he gets that part of the bonus, if I am right. Plus they may be talking incentives too, some of which will and some of which won't count against the cap.

I don't know that that offers any breaks against the cap having the bonus split like that.

Figure right now that this contract will be backloaded guys - before anyone panics there will probably be 3-4 years where his contracted salary will be 10 mil a year. His contract salary cap hit will probably be very low over the next few years - the bonus is what these guys want, the length of contract to prorate that bonus is what the Skins want, and the agents want the big figure for figuring their commission.

Portis gets 17 mil up front - the Skins only pay 2 and some change each year he is here.

He could care less if he only gets vets minimum now - he hit the big score He might only cost us 3-4 million this next season.

Don't panic - these guys are experts at tweaking the cap.

superman51 wrote: how many days til training camp?

glad to be aboard. wheres the monk hall of fame guy? i can barely talk about that w/out getting my blood pressure way up. before rice there was monk. man i live for redskins football.

Its definetly prorated, but I'm pretty sure that it doesn't count against the cap. Only salary counts against the cap.