The Jaguars suffered a tough loss when rookie standout Dante Fowler tore his ACL at a minicamp Friday. Despite the painful injury, Fowler's rookie contract is still intact.
Former sports agent Joel Corry, writing for CBSSports.com , says that even though Fowler had not signed his rookie contract with the Jags, an agreement was drafted up and signed by Fowler, the team and Fowler's agent to protect him financially during minicamps, offseason workouts and the rookie football development program.
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Such agreements are the norm in the NFL, said Corry, who has the so-called standard rookie participation agreement for two NFL teams, though not the Jags'.
The Jaguars aren't obligated to stand by their four-year, $23,490,242 offer to Fowler that included a $15,343,812 signing bonus, but because he was the third overall pick in the draft, the team will still fully guarantee his contract, according to Corry.
Half of Fowler's signing bonus will likely be deferred until March 2016. But with large signing bonuses, players are normally paid in installments with a portion deferred to a later time. Fowler's deferral won't be anything new or unexpected.
However, Corry noted, "Expect agents for first-round picks to insist upon better language in participation agreements in the future if Fowler's negotiations are acrimonious or his contract is affected because of his injury."