Probably, but he's highly unlikely to play. He'll most likely train for 3 years and then move back to the UK. He might have got a signing bonus but can't imagine it's huge in the grand scheme of things.
There's a lot of hyperbolic reporting about LRZ at the moment, as if he's taken the NFL by storm and the whole of the US is wowed by him. Hopefully it all goes well for him but he's quite literally a 'nobody' out there at the moment, despite what a lot of UK publications are striving to make out.
Depends what you mean by "in the grand scheme of things".
Even if he never gets out of bed, he'll get a million dollars over the next 3 years. Not much for an NFL player, but in the grand scheme of things pretty significant, and much much more than he'd have got playing rugby.
Probably, but he's highly unlikely to play. He'll most likely train for 3 years and then move back to the UK. He might have got a signing bonus but can't imagine it's huge in the grand scheme of things.
There's a lot of hyperbolic reporting about LRZ at the moment, as if he's taken the NFL by storm and the whole of the US is wowed by him. Hopefully it all goes well for him but he's quite literally a 'nobody' out there at the moment, despite what a lot of UK publications are striving to make out.
On an NFL scale, a few million isn't a big deal. IF that's the level of signing bonus then it's a pretty big deal for LRZ.
I'm not sure they're wowed by him, but they've given him a three year contract when there's no need to. Maybe they see potential in him.
As I understand it (mostly from watching the excellent Netflix Quarterback series), NFL contracts have a much wider spread of payments than rugby. The best paid guys are earning tens of millions of dollars, but at the lower end teams even the QB is paid at a level that wouldn't be out of place for a first team flyhalf here.
LRZ's contract is getting attention for two reasons - one is that it's pretty large for a player who's never played a competitive game, and the other is that he's been taken straight into the main squad rather than via the IPP. I think the latter means he's being paid fully by the Chiefs, and not subsidised by the NFL itself. They've placed a moderately sized bet, in NFL terms.
The reasoning seems to be that the change to kick return this year - which requires both blockers and defenders to stay on specific lines until the ball is touched - creates space for a runner to get up to speed, and the assumption is that this will suit a rugby running style.
Good luck to him, but it's a tough gig. Very few rugby players have made the transition to date outside of kickers.
Did it say anywhere is the amount for the 3 year contract is guaranteed? Could cut him in training cap not have much of a dead cap hit if the contract hasn’t much guaranteed on it. At least he has gone to the team that offers him the best chance to succeed, painful saying it as a Bills fan though. The modified XFL kick off coming into force this year could be interesting.
Would be great to see him make the active roster.
Did it say anywhere is the amount for the 3 year contract is guaranteed? Could cut him in training cap not have much of a dead cap hit if the contract hasn’t much guaranteed on it. At least he has gone to the team that offers him the best chance to succeed, painful saying it as a Bills fan though. The modified XFL kick off coming into force this year could be interesting.
Would be great to see him make the active roster.
Its a contract. Why would it not be guaranteed?
Standard NFL contracts are not what would be recognized as contracts in the UK. Typically with a 3 year contract the player is bound for 3 years, but the club can get rid of the player at any time at little or no cost.
Standard NFL contracts are not what would be recognized as contracts in the UK. Typically with a 3 year contract the player is bound for 3 years, but the club can get rid of the player at any time at little or no cost.
That doesn't sound like a contract.
That doesn't sound like a contract.
It sounds a LOT like a US employment contract. 49 states have At Will Employment that allows employers to fire people whenever they like and for no particular reason.
Ah, OK. So it's as much guaranteed as any other NFL contract then.
Ah, OK. So it's as much guaranteed as any other NFL contract then.
Pretty much. For example, using overthecap.com it shows Josh Allen’s contract is a 6 year extension with a contract value of $258m with $100m fully guaranteed. To reach the full amount he has to be on the roster for all those seasons to have the roster bonus as well as the guarantee amount of that seasons salary which isn’t always the same amount. The salary can be spread at different amounts throughout the length of the contract so the team can stay under the salary cap.
It sounds a LOT like a US employment contract. 49 states have At Will Employment that allows employers to fire people whenever they like and for no particular reason.
Ah, reminds me of the good old days ...
(Not entirely serious, for any sensitive souls on here 🙂 ).
Pretty much. For example, using overthecap.com it shows Josh Allen’s contract is a 6 year extension with a contract value of $258m with $100m fully guaranteed. To reach the full amount he has to be on the roster for all those seasons to have the roster bonus as well as the guarantee amount of that seasons salary which isn’t always the same amount. The salary can be spread at different amounts throughout the length of the contract so the team can stay under the salary cap.
Poor bloke could barely cover Deadly's champagne bill!
LRZ's contract is getting attention for two reasons - one is that it's pretty large for a player who's never played a competitive game, and the other is that he's been taken straight into the main squad rather than via the IPP. I think the latter means he's being paid fully by the Chiefs, and not subsidised by the NFL itself. They've placed a moderately sized bet, in NFL terms.
It's not large at all though, compared to other IPP players. There is a maximum and minimum annual salary for a practice squad player. I can't remember the exact figures but it's approx $250k-$330k. I might be a little out but I'm in the right region. The larger numbers that have been banded around re LRZ is the annual salary he will earn (as per his contract) IF he makes the active roster.
To answer your second point poorfour, no he hasn't been signed to any 'main squad'. Every NFL franchise gets the option of an extra place on their practice squad only for an IPP player. This is the role LRZ is filling. The team has to pay his salary of course but they get an extra player for their practice squad that other teams don't get if they don't take up the option. For an IPP player, normally he's not even allowed to play any competitive games in his first year, however the rules have changed this year apparently and he could potentially be used as the NFL equivalent of a 'travelling reserve' should they need him because of a player withdrawing late on, etc. Though, as I understand it, there are only around 3 or 4 opportunities for this to even happen because of other stipulations around the rule change.
Depends what you mean by "in the grand scheme of things".
Even if he never gets out of bed, he'll get a million dollars over the next 3 years. Not much for an NFL player, but in the grand scheme of things pretty significant, and much much more than he'd have got playing rugby.
Well he was on circa £230-250k at Glos according to several reports, so with Wales or B&I Lions money on top, there's probably not a lot of difference.
In terms of Chiefs signing bonus, I'd be hugely surprised if it was more than $100k region. I certainly wouldn't say no, but it won't be anywhere even close to 7 figures.
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