Entering his sixth year in the NFL, what is the situation with Carl Nassib’s contract? How much is Nassib’s contract worth, how much is he set to earn in 2021, and what is his salary cap number for the Las Vegas Raiders?
Carl Nassib’s contract details and bonuses
After four years in the league, split between the Cleveland Browns and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Nassib signed a three-year contract with the Raiders in 2020. The contract is worth $25 million and contained $13.25 million in full guarantees.
Interestingly, Nassib did not receive a signing bonus last year. Instead, Nassib’s $7.5 million base salary in 2020 was fully guaranteed, as was a $5.75 million roster bonus due ahead of the 2021 NFL season. Additionally, on March 19, 2021, Nassib’s salary for 2021 ($3.5 million) became fully guaranteed.
During the 2021 offseason, the Raiders and Nassib converted the $5.75 million roster bonus into a signing bonus. They also added three void years to the deal, spreading the prorated money over five years as $1.15 million per year. This reduced Nassib’s salary cap number in 2021 by $4.6 million. However, when Nassib’s contract voids following the 2022 season, the Raiders will be left with $3.45 million in dead money in 2023.
Nassib has two years remaining on his contract
Nassib’s deal may have had three void years added, but it is still, in essence, the same three-year deal that he signed. Therefore, the 2021 NFL season will be the second year, meaning Nassib has two years remaining on the contract. From a salary cap point of view, the deal potentially has three years left to run. Those are the two years Nassib is due to be on the team and the third year the contract voids.
What impact does Nassib’s deal have on the Raiders’ salary cap?
Nassib was set to count $9.25 million against the Raiders’ salary cap prior to the restructure. The $3.5 million in base salary remains, but there is now just $1.15 million in prorated signing bonus. Thus, Nassib will count for $4.6 million against the Raiders’ salary cap in 2021. That number will rise to $9.15 million in 2022, with $7.75 million in base salary owed to Nassib.
What does Nassib’s future look like with the Raiders on his current contract?
Nassib’s first year in Las Vegas brought with it mixed fortunes. Having amassed 12 sacks across his two seasons in Tampa Bay, he managed just 2.5 in 2020. He also saw his QB hits drop from an average of 12.5 to 9. Additionally, Nassib’s pressures declined from an average of 19 in those two years to 15 last season.
However, 2020 was his first year on a new team. Moreover, Nassib played significantly fewer snaps than in any other season of his career. With Tampa Bay, he saw an average of 614 snaps, but with Las Vegas, that dropped to 463. If we look at the numbers on a per snap basis, the QB hits and pressures are in a similar region in 2020 to prior years. The drop in sacks is a concern, but a sack can depend on several factors, while QB hits and pressures tend to rely on the skill of the pass rusher.
As a result, Nassib gave the Raiders almost exactly what they paid for. The question is, did the Raiders pay Nassib $25 million over three years to be the same guy as he was in Tampa, or did they want to see him improve? If they were looking for an improvement, his 2021 season could be crucial for his future with the franchise.
Could the Raiders release Nassib in the next two seasons?
Whatever happens, Nassib will likely be on the Raiders’ roster in 2021. Releasing Nassib and his contract would save the Raiders nothing this season. His salary is fully guaranteed, and therefore, there is no benefit to a release.
If he struggles this season, then Nassib could be released next offseason. Yet, doing so before June 1 would be costly for the Raiders. They would be left with $4.6 million in dead money as his remaining prorated bonus would accelerate onto the cap. The Raiders would not have to pay his $7.75 million base salary, but the actual saving would only be $4.55 million.
A post-June 1 release would be more cost-effective. The Raiders would be left with $1.15 million in dead money in 2022, saving $8 million. Las Vegas would then have a remaining $3.45 million in dead money in 2023.
The Raiders could potentially trade Nassib in 2021, saving them more money. Nassib’s $3.5 million salary on his contract would move with him. That would leave the Raiders with a dead money charge of $1.15 million in 2021. There would then be another $4.6 million in dead money in 2022.
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Ben Rolfe is a content director at Pro Football Network and is also a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA). You can find him on Twitter @BenRolfePFN.
