Will The Steelers Finalize A Long-Term Contract With Bell Today?

[Mr.wizard]

I don't know how guaranteed money works in this situation. Can someone explain why you wouldn't want all your money in the first year?

Depends on how much the guaranteed money is. If you take all your guaranteed money the first year then essentially the rest of your contract could be terminated at any time. If your contract was 4 years 50 million with 20 million guaranteed and the Steelers want to give you the 20 mil in the first year, they could keep you for 20 mil for two seasons and then cut you, as opposed to 24+ mil under the franchise tag in which case your gone anyway.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

I don't know how guaranteed money works in this situation. Can someone explain why you wouldn't want all your money in the first year?

The player is happy to get his money up front, the team does not necessarily want that. Think about two different contracts - both 5 year @ $60M.

Contract #1 has a $50M SB & $2M per year. This contract is a true 5 year deal as there is no way the player is ever cut. Even if you cut him in the fifth year, the team eats $10M of cap hit instead of $12M by keeping him. Any player jumps at that deal.

Contract #2 is $10M SB & $10M per year. Same $12M cap hit every year but if after two years the team wants to cut him then they eat $6M and move on. Not a huge obligation for a back who you value at $12M per.

Guaranteed money is the flip side of non-guaranteed contracts. They receive signing bonuses based on current value as a player, and must perform thereafter. It is a nice balance of getting paid plus still needing to perform. In other sports where contracts are fully guaranteed, after the signature goes on the paper the money is owed whether player performs or not. IMO this is where the NFL contract is far better for the sport than other sports' contracts.