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The Pats have to take a cap hit for cutting the murder accomplice?!
Maybe that's why the Ravens stuck with Ray Lewis through thick and thin. 
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/patriots-release-aaron-hernandez-significant-salary-cap-financial-154044125.html
Remaining above reproach in the eyes of the community is important to the Patriots, so releasing a player who was somehow involved in a serious crime does not come as a surprise. However, less than a year ago, Hernandez was signed a five-year, $37.5 million contract extension and his release today — Hernandez is actually subject to waivers as he has less than four accrued season to his credit — comes with serious financial and salary cap ramifications.
From a salary cap perspective, Hernandez was scheduled to count $4.073 million against the Patriots' salary cap this season. That figure was comprised of a $1.323 million in fully guaranteed base salary, up to $118,000 in "per game" roster bonuses, an $82,000 workout bonus and $2.55 million in signing bonus proration. The "per game" roster bonuses are non-guaranteed and long gone, which leaves signing bonus proration ($2.5 million from last year's signing bonus plus $50,000 from his 2010 signing bonus) and the workout bonus. There have been conflicting media reports about the level of protections the Patriots received regarding the $2.46 million in fully guaranteed base salary that Hernandez was due over the 2013 and 2014 seasons. An arrest might void those guarantees, but Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported last week that the clauses doing so are not present....
Hernandez received a $12.5 million signing bonus from the Patriots last August. $6 million of that was paid out immediately, $3.25 million was paid on March 31, 2013 and the remaining $3.25 million was scheduled to be paid on March 31, 2014. $2.5 million of that bonus applied to the team's 2012 salary cap, so $10 million is the most the Patriots could recover from last summer's signing bonus....
NFL signing bonuses, roster bonuses and option bonuses are subject to forfeiture. And, according to Article, 4, Section 9 of the 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement, a player who is "unavailable to the team due to conduct by him that results in his incarceration" has committed a "forfeitable breach" and may be required to forfeit the signing bonus (or roster bonus, option bonus, reporting bonus) for each year that a breach occurs. If Hernandez is convicted of a crime and serves time, and had the Patriots retained his rights for the duration of his incarceration, the Patriots would have a much clearer path to recoup the $10.05 million in bonus money.
From a salary cap perspective, Hernandez was scheduled to count $4.073 million against the Patriots' salary cap this season. That figure was comprised of a $1.323 million in fully guaranteed base salary, up to $118,000 in "per game" roster bonuses, an $82,000 workout bonus and $2.55 million in signing bonus proration. The "per game" roster bonuses are non-guaranteed and long gone, which leaves signing bonus proration ($2.5 million from last year's signing bonus plus $50,000 from his 2010 signing bonus) and the workout bonus. There have been conflicting media reports about the level of protections the Patriots received regarding the $2.46 million in fully guaranteed base salary that Hernandez was due over the 2013 and 2014 seasons. An arrest might void those guarantees, but Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported last week that the clauses doing so are not present....
Hernandez received a $12.5 million signing bonus from the Patriots last August. $6 million of that was paid out immediately, $3.25 million was paid on March 31, 2013 and the remaining $3.25 million was scheduled to be paid on March 31, 2014. $2.5 million of that bonus applied to the team's 2012 salary cap, so $10 million is the most the Patriots could recover from last summer's signing bonus....
NFL signing bonuses, roster bonuses and option bonuses are subject to forfeiture. And, according to Article, 4, Section 9 of the 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement, a player who is "unavailable to the team due to conduct by him that results in his incarceration" has committed a "forfeitable breach" and may be required to forfeit the signing bonus (or roster bonus, option bonus, reporting bonus) for each year that a breach occurs. If Hernandez is convicted of a crime and serves time, and had the Patriots retained his rights for the duration of his incarceration, the Patriots would have a much clearer path to recoup the $10.05 million in bonus money.
8 replies
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= new reply since forum marked as read
More than likely for further shenanigans relating to the bonus money.
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/06/26/in-theory-another-team-could-now-claim-hernandez-on-waivers/
Because Hernandez has not yet completed four years of service, he’ll be subject to waivers, with teams getting dibs in reverse order of how they finished in 2012.
For 2013, the financial risk is fairly minimal. His salary is $1.323 million.
Of course, claiming Hernandez would mean bringing the NFL’s latest multi-ring circus to town, only weeks before training camp opens. With the NFL quite possibly prepared to suspend Hernandez indefinitely after he is officially charged, adding Hernandez now may not mean actually putting him on the field this year, or ever.
The guaranteed nature of Hernandez’s base salaries for 2013 and 2014 also could deter a team from claiming his contract. That said, acquiring his contract also would give the team standing to attack signing bonus money that the Patriots already have paid. (That’s precisely what the Buccaneers did after trading several years ago for quarterback Jake Plummer, who abruptly retired.)
For 2013, the financial risk is fairly minimal. His salary is $1.323 million.
Of course, claiming Hernandez would mean bringing the NFL’s latest multi-ring circus to town, only weeks before training camp opens. With the NFL quite possibly prepared to suspend Hernandez indefinitely after he is officially charged, adding Hernandez now may not mean actually putting him on the field this year, or ever.
The guaranteed nature of Hernandez’s base salaries for 2013 and 2014 also could deter a team from claiming his contract. That said, acquiring his contract also would give the team standing to attack signing bonus money that the Patriots already have paid. (That’s precisely what the Buccaneers did after trading several years ago for quarterback Jake Plummer, who abruptly retired.)
May I suggest the Dallas Cowpies?
They picked up Chris Kluwe!
And is St. Ray really going to stay with the team in the front office? I guess so.
