During a whirlwind of action on the first day of the NFL free agent negotiation period Monday, there were close to 100 players league-wide that agreed to terms on contracts to either change teams or stay where they were.
The unofficial count on Day 1 was 59 players changing teams and 36 agreeing to re-sign.
One that found a new team was cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting, who left the Tennessee Titans and agreed to terms on a three-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals.
Original reports pegged the deal as worth $25.5 million with $18.5 million guaranteed. The total value is correct, but the guarantees are different.
Sean Murphy-Bunting contract details
Including a $6 million signing bonus, $14.195 million is fully guaranteed at signing, while another $3.195 million is guaranteed only for injury.
The base salaries in the contract are $3.695 million this year, $7.695 million in 2025 and $7.195 million in 2026.
This year’s salary is guaranteed as well as $4.5 million of his 2025 salary. That $3.195 million injury-only guarantee becomes fully guaranteed if Murphy-Bunting is on the roster on the third day of the 2025 league year.
Also included in the contract are $15,000 per-game roster bonuses for a maximum total of $255,000 each year. There are also $50,000 offseason workout bonuses each year.
Salary cap implications
Most important are the salary-cap charges each year. Those are $5.955 million in 2024, $10 million in 2025 and $9.5 million in 2026. The cap charges total only $24.455 million because he played in 14 games in 2023 and the additional three games are considered unlikely to be earned.
If Murphy-Bunting plays in more than 14 games during the 2024 season, the additional money will be charged against the 2025 cap. If he plays fewer than 14 games, the Cardinals will receive a credit in 2025.
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