The NFL playoffs are well underway, with only four teams remaining and the conference championship games upcoming. While the New Orleans Saints most certainly were not taking part in the games, one player on the team did receive an incentive bonus due to the Buffalo Bills making the AFC Championship Game. This player would be Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who will receive $38,500 due to the Bills beating the Baltimore Ravens and advancing to the next round.
These types of bonuses are an odd one, as typically the player is still on the roster of the team that made the playoffs and advanced when they receive the bonus. However, in this case, Valdes-Scantling was released on Oct. 15 during the season and signed with the Saints the next week.
This type of incentive being applied even when someone leaves is not extremely uncommon, but it is not often heard about either. One example recently would be with former Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Rashad Fenton, who received a $113,000 bonus when they won the Super Bowl, despite not being on the team when they won it in 2022. However, he was on the team for 7 of the games that season before being traded, which is why he did ultimately receive it.
The situation for Valdes-Scantling is similar, as he played six games for the Bills this season before being released, so he did ultimately have some impact on the result. The veteran receiver will receive a nice payday in what is now the Saints offseason, as he looks ahead to free agency this offseason as well.
