NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement

Article 7
Rookie Compensation and Rookie Compensation Pool

Section 4(e)(i)
Proven Performance Escalator

(e)(i)

For players selected in the 2017 Draft, the Level One Proven Performance Escalator under Subsection (d)(ii) above 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 2017 Draft has a year-four Rookie Salary of $2,150,000 (consisting of $1,400,000 in Paragraph 5 Salary, $600,000 in signing bonus proration, $100,000 in an incentive, and a $50,000 roster bonus), and the 2020 Restricted Free Agent Qualifying Offer for a Right of First Refusal Only equals $2,125,000, then, upon achieving the qualifier, the player’s stated Paragraph 5 Salary ($1,500,000) shall increase by $575,000 (i.e., $2,125,000 minus (1) the $1,400,000 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 2020 League Year (minus his signing bonus proration) shall be $2,125,000, consisting of the player’s $1,975,000 Paragraph 5 Salary (as escalated), his $100,000 incentive, and his $50,000 roster bonus.