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Under the NFL and NFL Players Association Collective Bargaining Agreement, any player who was drafted in round three through seven and played 35-percent of the team's plays during two of the player's first three years, or 35-percent of the three year cumulative today, will earn the "Proven Performance Escalator." This non-negotiable stipulation in every rookie contract for the rookies drafted in the designated rounds will increase a player's fourth year salary to the level of a Restricted Free Agent qualifying offer for a Right of First Refusal Only tender. The player will receive his prorated signing bonus on top of his salary and the Proven Performance Escalator.
The PPE does not count toward the Rookie Compensation Pool, and is not guaranteed against skill, football-related injury for Salary Cap related termination.
NFL writer Brian McIntyre tweeted out the 35 NFL players from the 2011 earned their PPE, now that the 2013 regular season is complete. Included in that list were two Miami Dolphins players: tight end Charles Clay and safety Jimmy Wilson. According to McIntyre, both players should earn $1.389 million next season after the PPE is added to their rookie salary.
The Dolphins also have a 2012 draft pick who has already earned the PPE for next year, after having played 35-percent of the the snaps in each of his first two year: defensive end Olivier Vernon. In 2015, Vernon's salary will be raised to the Restricted Free Agent Right of First Refusal Only level for that season.
McIntyre also mentioned defensive tackle Jared Odrick yesterday. Based on his 2013 snaps, Odrick reached a playing time escalator in his contract, giving him a $775,000 raise over his expected 2014 salary. He missed an additional $375,000 by three snaps.
Just in case you want to read it, here is the full section in the CBA concerning the PPE:
Section 4. Proven Performance Escalator:
(a) The Proven Performance Escalator is mandatory for Rookies drafted in the third through seventh rounds. Rookies drafted in the first or second rounds and Undrafted Rookies are not eligible to earn the Proven Performance Escalator.
(b) The Proven Performance Escalator is a non-negotiable amount by which an eligible player's year-four Paragraph 5 Salary may escalate provided the player achieves at least one of the two qualifiers set forth in Subsection (c) below. The Proven Perfor mance Escalator shall be deemed a part of every Rookie Contract of a player selected in the third through seventh round by virtue of this Agreement and may not be separately attached to such Rookie Contract.
(c) Qualifiers. An eligible player will qualify for the Proven Performance Escalator in his fourth League Year if: (1) he participated in a minimum of 35% of his Club's offensive or defensive plays in any two of his previous three regular seasons; or (2) he participated in a "cumulative average" of at least 35% of his Club's offensive or defensive plays over his previous three regular seasons. "Cumulative average" means the sum of the total number of offensive or defensive plays in which the player participated over the applicable seasons, divided by the sum of the Club's offensive or defensive plays during the same seasons. (By way of example, if a player participates in 600 of the Club's 1,000 offensive plays in his first season, 290 of the Club's 1,000 plays in his second season, and 310 of the Club's 1,000 plays in his third season for a total of 1,200 plays out of a possible 3,000, the cumulative average would equal 40%) .
(d) Amount. The Proven Performance Escalator shall equal the difference between (i) the amount of the Restricted Free Agent Qualifying Offer for a Right of First Refusal Only as set forth in, or as calculated in accordance with, Article 9 for the League Year in such player's fourth season and (ii) the player's year-four Rookie Salary (excluding signing bonus and amounts treated as signing bonus). The resulting amount shall be added to the stated amount of the player's year-four Paragraph 5 Salary. By way of example, if a rookie drafted in round three of the 201 1 Draft has a year-four Rookie Salary of $1,000,000 (consisting of $700,000 in Paragraph 5 Salary, $150,000 in signing bonus proration, $100,000 in an incentive, and a $50,000 roster bonus), and the 2014 Restricted Free Agent Qualifying Offer for a Right of First Refusal Only equals $1,400,000, then, upon achieving the qualifier, the player's stated Paragraph 5 Salary ($700,000) shall increase by $550,000 (i.e., $1,400,000 minus (1) the $700,000 Paragraph 5 Salary, (2) the $100,000 incentive, and (3) the $50,000 roster bonus). As a result, the player's total earnable Salary in the 2014 League Year (minus his signing bonus prora tion) shall be $1,400,000, consisting of the player's $1,250,000 Paragraph 5 Salary (as escalated), his $100,000 incentive, and his $50,000 roster bonus.
(e) The amount by which a player's Paragraph 5 Salary may increase pur- suant to this section shall not be considered Rookie Salary and shall not count toward the Total Rookie Compensation Pool, the Club's Total Rookie Allocation, or the 25% Increase Rule.
(f) No portion of the Proven Performance Escalator may be guaranteed for skill, football-related injury or Salary Cap-related contract termination either before or after the player has achieved the qualifiers for the Escalator.
