AJ Dillon Returns On 4-Year Qualifying Contract
The Packers bring back a fan favorite on a team-friendly deal.
Per Ian Rapoport, the Packers will re-sign AJ Dillon using a rare Four-Year Qualifying Contract. Players who have been on a team for four consecutive and continuous years are eligible. That mostly means drafted guys who stuck around for all four years and players who completed a four-year second contract. Right now, only AJ Dillon and Josiah Deguara would be eligible. A team can sign up to two players per season to such a contract. The device allows a team to pay a player more money than the team has to count against its salary cap limit. In that way it is similar to the better-known Veterans Qualifying Contract. What is allowed and mandated is a little different between the two devices, but I don't find the differences to be significant. Many more players qualify for the veteran qualifying contract.
TERMS AND REQUIREMENTS:
Base Salary: The players base salary must be at least the veteran minimum for the player in question. Since Dillon has 4-6 years of credited seasons, his minimum for 2024 is $1.25M. This minimum can be guaranteed but it need not be.
Additional Compensation: Article 27, Section 2 allows for up to $167K in additional compensation in the form of workout and game active bonuses. Since the Packers love workout bonuses and game active bonuses, I expect them to use the full $167K. These amounts count against the cap. Since Dillon was inactive for two games last year, only 15/17ths of any game active bonus would count initially against the cap.
Additional 4-Year Contract Base Salary Kitty: A team can pay up to a total $1.45M in additional base salary to their 4-Year Qualifying Contract players. That means they could pay Dillon say $1M extra and use the other $450K (or any other combination) as extra base for Josiah Deguara, should they reach a similar deal with him. The $1.45M cannot be guaranteed.
Given the above, various ranges of compensation become clear:
Maximum Cash: $2,742,000 (minimum of $1.125M);
Maximum Cap #: $1,292,000 (minimum cap of $1.125M);*
Maximum Guaranteed: $1,292,000 (minimum $0).
*Ken Ingalls also issued a tweet with the above numbers.
I get the feeling that the Packers and LaFleur in particular like big backs. Josh Jacobs is 226 pounds. Lew Nichols (222 lbs), Dillon (247), and Emanuel Wilson (226) all qualify as big backs. Even Kylin Hill and Dexter Williams were 214 and 212 pounds, respectively. Jamaal Williams and Devante Mays (technically TT-era) were both 224 lbs while Aaron Jones was the only sub-210-pound drafted RB at 208. Others during the TT era included Jonathan Franklin (205), Starks (202) and Brandin Jackson (210), while Deshawn Wynn (232) and Quinn were closer to fullbacks. Alex Green was 220 pounds.
Tyler Ervin and Tavon Austin are the closest running backs I can think of who qualifies as a scatback during the LaFleur era. Ervin was 185 pounds - then again, he only played 166 offensive snaps for LaFleur. Tavon Austin was 179 pounds. He is the only other guy who got some snaps as a change of pace back, but he wasn't as good as Ervin and he only received 30 snaps. I thought of Hill as a change of pace back in the Jones mold, but even he is almost 30 pounds heavier tha Ervin. It looks to me like LaFleur is going to use his wide receivers, particularly the slot receiver, in that role.
Welcome back, Mr. Dillon.
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Comments (22)
Thegreatreynoldo
March 15, 2024 at 06:23 am
The big difference between the normal veterans qualifying deal and the 4 year qualifying is the $1.45M kitty (a term I just made up - pool works as well) and to a lesser extent the amount that counts against the cap. In a normal qualified contract, the minimum for a player with 2 credited seasons (currently $870K) counts against the salary cap even though the player receives his actual minimum ($1.125M for guys with 4-6 years and $2.1M for guys with 7 years in the league or more. With the four-year qualifier, all $1.125M (or $2.1M if the guys is a geezer) counts against the cap.
So, GB could sign Deguara to a veterans qualified contract. They would pay him $1.125M of which $870K counts against the cap. They could give him up to $167K in workout, game active (whether Likely To Be Earned or not), which might increase the cap number upwards from the $870K. The team can guarantee those amounts. With a 4 year deal, Deguara's base is not discounted to $870K but if they choose to give him up to $1.45M in additional base salary out of the kitty, that doesn't count against the cap at all, and thus can't be guaranteed.
I am not the biggest fan of Dillon but he belongs in the NFL. He is rock solid as a pass protector. He can catch well. He falls forward with great regularity and reasonably often moves the pile. His routes are pretty basic (flat and dump offs over the middle) and his vision and cutting could be better.
I don't think this bodes well for Emanuel Wilson as the team doesn't need three RBs over 225 pounds. We shall see how much cash they gave to Dillon over and above the $1.125M and how much if any is guaranteed. Although someone else thought it would be a "dick move" I expect Gute to select a running back in the draft, probably on day 3 (at least round 6 or 7) but I would not be surprised to see him use a 3rd or 4th on a running back. Using a 2nd in light of this signing would surprise me a little.
Edited: brain fart. I kept writing in this comment that Dillon's minimum was $1,250,000 because I was going off memory when it is $1,125,000. Checked my math on an envelope instead of using the spreadsheet I used to write the article and all my numbers seemed to be off $125,000. All is good now. Coffee coming up.
Thegreatreynoldo
March 15, 2024 at 06:38 am
The Packers should have enough cap space to sign another player, perhaps Blackmon or Fuller, or perhaps an LB. Without doing tons of math since i don't know the number for Nixon, I estimate they have $9M or so to spend. Blackmon might cost $9M to $10M AAV but his first year cap number should fit in easily.
Still waiting (I hope not in vain) for GB to release Newman to gain $3M in space. Guy is byron bell bad. He can't play and it is pretty close to you can't do worse.
T7Steve
March 15, 2024 at 07:01 am
What's the deal with Newman? What do they see in him? Camp body would be ok but they always seem to slip him into games and let him get manhandled.
You answered my question I was going to ask about the cap, thanks.
I actually like Dillon and still think he could put in some cold seasons work for the team. Too bad he got hurt last season when it became weather time. I'm glad he sees his worth for the team and didn't try (as far as I know) to get a jacked contract. I like that he lives in Door County and probably wants to stay. Can't believe more players don't take advantage of its closeness and live there. Only other one I can think of is Flanigan.
jlc1
March 18, 2024 at 05:26 pm
Is Byron bell bad Marshall Newhouse bad? That bad?
GregC
March 15, 2024 at 07:10 am
I heard that the Cowboys and Giants had some interest in Dillon, but this deal suggests that maybe they didn't. It wouldn't have taken much for them to offer Dillon a better deal than this one.
Even at the low rate, it seems like an odd move to me. Dillon is a decent player, and he knows the offense, so there is some security in having him around. I just thought they would want to bring in a younger guy who might have more potential. Dillon is not likely to get any better.
I think I read somewhere that if Dillon does not make the 53-man roster to begin the season, the team can part ways with him with very little impact to the salary cap. So maybe that's a possibility if he gets beaten out for the #2 RB position. Still, he will be taking a lot of reps away from younger RBs in training camp. This seems like an overly safe move for a GM who has not been afraid to take chances.
T7Steve
March 15, 2024 at 07:29 am
This GM also isn't afraid to wait and poach someone's practice squad for a back after watching how they look in camp and preseason.
If I'm not surprised by what he does, I'm surprised. (I think that makes sense?)
Thegreatreynoldo
March 15, 2024 at 08:08 am
I guess that's true about cutting Dillon later. The most GB can guarantee is $1.292M and they don't have to guarantee any of it. So, not a huge impact.
I also read that Dallas and NYG were interested. I thought Dillon at $2M was okay, and if I squint a little $3M. IDK - Runyan got $10M which I thought was extremely high for him and I thought $17M guaranteed was astronomical for him. TBH, $17M guaranteed is just GM malpractice in my opinion. I thought $6M was okay since he can start if he has to, but with a deep OL draft class, I preferred to pay Runyan less.
Since'61
March 15, 2024 at 08:13 am
Good team friendly signing by the Packers. I'm happy to have Dillon back. He knows the offense and he has been a reliable player for the Packers. GPG!
Thanks, Since '61
redfox33
March 15, 2024 at 08:24 am
Seams like every year we have some people repeating their opinions on how bad a player is, only to talk fast to recoup there comments later. We still need to draft wisely and swing more towards best player over needs. Wish Jones all the best where ever he plays.
Razer
March 15, 2024 at 08:30 am
I had such high hopes for Dillon and never saw much develop from his second round selection. Maybe that is at the root of my disappointment with his output. The fact that nobody else wanted to sign him tells a lot. The low price and non guarantee money is a plus. Hope that Emanuel Wilson continues his rise.
Guam
March 15, 2024 at 09:03 am
Nail on the head Razer. If Dillon had been a fourth or fifth round draft choice fans would have been happy about his performance. As a second rounder, he has been a disappointment but it was not his fault he was over-drafted. That is on the Packer's front office. Certainly the price is right for him to continue his career in Green Bay
I will be very curious to see if the Packers draft a RB or if the let it ride with Jacobs - Dillon - Wilson. They don't have any burners in that backfield as presently constructed.
Razer
March 15, 2024 at 09:19 am
We absolutely need to add some talent to the backfield via the draft and speed needs to be a big part of it. I hope that Dillon does well BUT, if he shows the same level of production, I don't want it to be at the expense of improving the backfield.
jannesbjornson
March 15, 2024 at 01:44 pm
Two guys, minimum. Get the quick guys for the wide-zone and get better. Play to Win, not reminisce.
LeotisHarris
March 15, 2024 at 08:41 am
" Article 27, Section 2 allows for up to $167K in additional compensation in the form of workout and game active bonuses..."
Thanks for breaking this all down for us, TGR. It's the engine that powers the machine and I'm glad we have you to sort through it all. Still, I have to chuckle and shake my head at the intricacies of the fiscal mandates. I'm imagining an ad hoc committee comprised of members unable to make eye contact with each other, and a facilitator working the whiteboard as the group debates the nuances of the Four-Year Qualifying Contract versus the Veterans Qualifying Contract.
Good move to bring Dillion back using the Double Secret Cap-O-Rama Maneuver.
Packers0808
March 15, 2024 at 08:42 am
Have a feeling Packers see more in Wilson than the fans do.
Bitternotsour
March 15, 2024 at 09:13 am
He was pretty explosive and beast-like last preseason. I have high hopes for him.
PeteK
March 15, 2024 at 11:55 am
Also, got some productive touches in the playoffs.
crayzpackfan
March 15, 2024 at 11:09 am
Packers0808 - That or they aren't particularly high on anyone in the draft at RB.
PackEyedOptimist
March 15, 2024 at 05:17 pm
The signing of Jacobs and Dillon makes me think this:
Gute wants to use a couple of picks (out of 88, 91, 126) to trade up, rather than use them on RBs.
I think he'll trade up for an Offensive Lineman AND a Defensive Back (with LB and DL as dark horses), possibly moving picks 41 and 58 higher.
Maybe he tries to move pick 25 higher to try and get Cooper DeJean or one of the top OTs.
Maybe he tries to move 41 up to draft LB Edgerrin Cooper or C Zach Frazier.
Maybe he moves up 58 to target one of the safeties (Bullock, Bullard, Bishop?)
I feel a trade-up coming...
GregC
March 15, 2024 at 06:48 pm
That sounds about right. He has a lot of ammo, and now there are fewer positions that need to be addressed in the early rounds.
cdoemel
March 16, 2024 at 01:12 am
If DeJean and some other guys are gone at 25 I wouldn’t be surprised if he traded down and got more early picks.
cdoemel
March 15, 2024 at 08:26 pm
This a sidebar, but something that really bothers me. When sports reporters are evaluating a player and say they had a terrible/disappointing/sub-par year, when in fact they were hurt for (however many) games, even tho when they were on the field they were great! To me that’s dishonest reporting. Just say he was hurt!! Sure, if all you do is look at the stat line without using your damn brain or doing some research, instead of spinning it, it looks bad. Saying, “He had the worst year of his career” makes it sound like he’s lost some juice. When in fact that’s not true at all. Frustrating!! To me anyway.