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The Jaguars officially locked into a two-year, $9.5M contract agreement with former Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert today.
The Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson reported Eifert’s contract details today as well. According to Wilson, Eifert will receive a signing bonus of $2.25 million with a base salary of $1 million guaranteed in year one. After such, Eifert’s salary will rise to $3.9 million if the Jaguars are to pick up his option 22 days prior to the first day of the 2021 league year.
Eifert’s contract also includes $1.25 million in per-game active roster bonuses in 2020. Essentially, the Jaguars will give Eifert $78,125 for each game he is active for during the 2020 NFL regular season.
The Jaguars will also be giving Eifert $3.25 million guaranteed over the first year of his contract and up to $2 million in undisclosed incentives for 2020.
Tyler Eifert (Jaguars) two-year, $9.5M ($3.25M gtd, $2.25M signing bonus), salaries $1M (gtd), $3.9M (option year to be exercised before 22nd day prior to 1st day 2021 lg yr), $1.25M per game active roster bonus 2020, $2M incentive 2020
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) March 30, 2020
If the Jaguars are to pick up Eifert’s option for the 2021 season, $1 million of his salary is guaranteed, and he would again be eligible for up to $1 million in per-game active-roster bonuses. There are also $4 million worth of incentives and escalators set for the 2021 season.
If Tyler Eifert 2021 option exercised, then $1M of base gtd, up to $1M per game active roster bonus 2021, $2M 2021 incentive, $2M 2021 escalator
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) March 30, 2020
For the Jaguars, this is a contract they are familiar with. In 2018, the Jaguars signed tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins to a two-year $10 million contract with $4 million guaranteed. The team then had a team-option for the 2019 season which would have given Seferian-Jenkins a base salary of $4 million.
The Jaguars also had a similar contract agreement with tight end Geoff Swaim just last season, although there was no team-option included. Instead, Swaim’s deal included very little money guaranteed, allowing the team to save money by releasing the tight end, which they did earlier this year.
The Jaguars protect themselves with the way Eifert’s contract is configured in case the oft-injured tight end does not live up to expectations, however if he does the payoff is large. If Eifert hits all incentives, escalators, and bonuses, he will be eligible to make $8.9 million next season alone.
For reference, Philadelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz will earn a base salary of $8.5 million for the 2020 season.