Regardless if you believe Hernandez is a killer or not, portions of his contract were guaranteed and that money should be his.
The NFLPA agrees and is going after it for him.
The NFLPA has filed on Hernandez’s behalf a grievance seeking payment of $1.323 million in guaranteed 2013 base salary, along with $1.137 million in guaranteed 2014 base salary. The union also seeks payment of $500,000 for a guaranteed 2014 workout bonus.
The argument is simple; the amounts were fully guaranteed, Hernandez was cut, and Hernandez should still get the money.
The Patriots will say he wasn’t cut for “football reasons”, but we will have to see how it all shakes out. Other players and teams are watching closely.
If the Patriots win, then teams will have a precedent to not pay players guaranteed money if they are cut for criminal behavior.