The Arizona Cardinals have agreed to re-sign running back James Conner to a three-year contract. He now becomes the Cardinals’ clear No. 1 running back and workhorse.
The deal was initially reported as a three-year, $21 million contract.
This is how the numbers break down.
He receives $6 million dollars to sign. His 2022 salary is $1.75 million, the same as his 2021 salary.
He will make $5.75 million in salary in 2023 and earn a $2 million roster bonus in March.
His salaries in 2022 and 2023 are fully guaranteed, which means his $2 million roster bonus is also basically guaranteed because if they cut him before it was due, they would still owe him his entire year’s salary for 2023.
In 2024, he is due a $1.5 million roster bonus and is scheduled to make $3.24 million in salary.
He also earns a per-game roster bonus of $15,000, which is $255,000 if he plays in all 17 games.
The way it is structured, he essentially has a two-year, $16.01 million deal that is almost all fully guaranteed.
What does his contract mean for the salary cap?
Salary cap implications
In 2022, he will make $1.75 million in salary and his signing bonus counts $2 million against the cap. With his per-game roster bonuses, his cap hit this season will be as much as $4.01 million.
In 2023, with a $2 million roster bonus, $2 million signing bonus proration and $5.75 million salary, plus the per-game roster bonuses, his cap hit will be as much as $10.01 million.
In 2024, with the $3.235 million salary, $1.5 million roster bonus, $2 million signing bonus proration and per-game roster bonuses, his cap hit will be as much as $6.99 million.
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