Only in the NFL a guarantee isn’t an actual guarantee.
There are variations.
The TRUE guarantee is what the player gets regardless of what happens after they sign the deal. There can other guarantees that can be written into a contract but they come with stipulations.
So, while Josh Norman’s guarantee was reported at $50 million, his true guarantee is a little less.
Per source, Josh Norman's five-year, $75 million deal has $36.5 million fully guaranteed at signing. Not far off from Darrelle Revis.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) April 23, 2016
Also, Josh Norman gets $51 million over his first three years with the Redskins, which beats the $48 million over 3 that Revis got.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) April 23, 2016
The Redskins have some protections if they want to get out of the deal early, but assuming Norman at least makes it to year three, he is going to make a lot of money.
Norman’s annual salary of $15 million is still the highest among cornerbacks, but his actual guarantee is 2nd to Darrelle Revis who got $39 million.