NFL contracts confuse me.
As far as I can tell, teams can generally walk away between years with little consequence. Also, players can ask to increase if they don't like it.
So what exactly is the point of a contract?
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Whether or not teams can "walk away" is part of the contract terms. Anyone can ask to increase a contract at any point. Many players have tried that and sitting out and it hasn't worked out for them because of the contract. Pretty similar to contracts in many high professions
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True, but lots of professions basically do away with the concept of long-term contracts for this reason.
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It's all about the guaranteed money upfront and how they lay out the rest of the contract revolves around the salary cap.
Basically a team would look stupid if they didn’t come to a “mutual understanding” with a player and just released them (fired).
That’s all that holds the contracts integrity together
Players have no leverage because the average timeframe while playing is so short. The contract is their negotiation * their projected chance above or below that average.
Selling yourself to a billionaire has to be super tough
how much revenue the player generates you.
whether its through merchandise or winning a super bowl
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cap penalties, bonus (upfront paid money), and guaranteed money (Cousins) are all incentives for teams and players to contract
Because if a NFL player is a no show to a practice or a game, is doing drugs, gets hurt. The player has to pay back money he is owed if he breaches any of the conditions set out by the club. He can bitch for more money, don't mean he is going to get it.