Multiple Jaguars players net performance-based bonuses, Minshew, Herndon in top-25 earned

Multiple Jaguars’ pockets just got a bit heavier yesterday when the NFL announced it’s top-25 performance-bonus receivers for the 2019 season.

The Performance-Based Pay program is apart of the current collective bargaining agreement which rewards players based on their playing time and salary levels. This performance-based program encompasses all players, including rookies.

Basically, the more a player participates for his team and the less overall money (including incentives, and other bonuses) the player has made throughout the season, the more bonus they are eligible for under the current CBA.

In addition, the NFL instituted a Veteran Performance-Based Compensation Pool in 2011, when the current CBA was enacted. The veteran pool encompasses only players with more than 0 accrued seasons in the NFL. This veteran pool has been paid for by the NFLPA since the 2016 season. The NFLPA contributed $83.2M in funds this year, which adds up to $2.3M per club.

In total, $231.152 million will be disbursed to players under the combined pools.

NFL

For the Jaguars, several players received performance-based pay raises for their contributions on the gridiron this season. Rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew II and second-year cornerback Tre Herndon both will receive one of the top-25 largest payouts in bonuses this offseason.

Herndon will receive a grand total of $532,708 with $327,050 of that benefited from the leagues’ performance-based program and $205,658 stemming from the league’s veteran pool. Herndon ranked 12th overall in combined pools, and 16th in standard performance-based pay.

Herndon started 14 games for the Jaguars last season after the team traded cornerback Jalen Ramsey to the Los Angeles Rams. He accumulated 55 tackles (42 solos), 13 pass breakups, and three interceptions while playing 86% of the team’s defensive snaps. Herndon earned a base salary of $570,000, according to OverTheCap.com.

Minshew II will receive a total of $319,098 in performance-based pay this offseason. The rookie quarterback started 12 games for the Jaguars last season while participating in 14 total. Minshew II completed 285 out of 470 (60.6%) of his passes for 3,271 yards, 21 touchdowns, and six interceptions. He played 83% of the team’s offensive snaps, according to Pro Football Reference.

The rookie sensation signed a four-year $2,711,616M contract with $191,616 guaranteed as a sixth-round pick in 2019. Minshew II ranked 18th in performance-based pay, according to the NFL.

According to Phillip Heilman, three other Jaguars’ players will receive performance-based pay for the 2019 season. Safety Ronnie Harrison ($204,000), safety Andrew Wingard ($200,000), and wide receiver Dede Westbrook ($193,000).

The reported totals from Heilman do not reference the veteran pool which was indicated in the NFL’s official release yesterday.

Wingard is the only other Jaguars rookie besides Minshew II to receive a performance-based bonus. Wingard played in 18% of the team’s defensive snaps, and 73% of the team’s special teams snaps last season. All Jaguars players who received any form of performance-based pay by the league were on their respective rookie contracts.