Chris Kelsay Contract Details

Buffalo Bills linebacker Chris Kelsay signed a four-year contract extension on Tuesday, which the Buffalo News reports included a $2 million option bonus that Kelsay receives "right away".

NFL records show that Kelsay's 2010 base salary has increased from $3.7 million to $4,161,429, which creates a prorated amount of $4.08 million in base salary for this season. (3/17ths of $3.7M base plus 14/17ths of $4.161429M base)

That amount may appear funky, but due to the 30% rule governing extensions in the uncapped season, this is the maximum allowable base salary increase Kelsay could have received in 2010.

Kelsay's previous contract created a 30% threshold--previous year's base salary plus amounts not treated as signing bonus (option bonus proration, roster/workout bonuses)--of $3.6 million. This figure is comprised of a $3M base salary plus $500,000 roster bonus and $100,000 workout bonus in 2009.

Therefore, the most Kelsay's 2010 "salary number" (base salary + option bonus proration, roster/workout bonuses) could increase to is $4.68 million.

Kelsay received the $600,000 in roster/workout bonuses, and when that is combined with the $652,941 Kelsay received the first three weeks of this season, and the $3,427,059 he'll receive over the remaining 14 weeks, you reach a total of $4.68 million.

Kelsay's Base Salaries (2011-14)

2011: $2M
2012: $3.5M
2013: $3.725M
2014: $3.745M

Kelsay's four-year extension is reportedly worth $20 million. How much of that is guaranteed remains unknown.

In terms of "new money", $13.35 million is available in base salary ($380,000 increase in 2010 plus $12.97M from 2011-14), with the $2 million option bonus increasing the "new money" total to $15.35 million. Presumably, there roster/workout bonuses available throughout the life of the deal that push the total value up to the $20 million that has been reported.

An additional $4 million is available in incentives.

I'll try as best I can to track down the additional details to this extension.

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