Brooks’ six-year deal with 49ers heavy with incentives
The 49ers recent contract extension with LB Ahmad Brooks is filled with de-escalators, according to a league source, meaning he will have to stay injury-free and achieve subsantial sack totals to receive a maximum average salary of $7.5 million per season.
Brooks received a $7.5 million signing bonus as part of the contract, but there are few other guarantees in a contract signed on Tuesday that is structured heavily on performanced-based incentives. The $17.5 million worth of guarantees are for injury only at the time of signing, not for skill, and that figure could be considerably less if the de-escaltors are triggered.
His base salary of $750,000 for 2012 is guaranteed, and Brooks will be able to make $500,000 in total roster bonuses based on games on the roster, as well as a $100,000 workout bonus.
Brooks has a base salary of $4.3 million in 2013 which is guaranteed for injury at the time he signed the deal. That becomes guaranteed for skill and cap if he’s on the roster April 1 of that year. However, the guaranteed portion can be reduced up to $2.5 million that year if he does not achieve certain sack totals.
In 2014, Brooks has a base of $5.15 million, with $4.95 million becoming guaranteed for injury and skill if he is on the roster on April 1. However, that guaranteed total and base salary can be reduce by up to $2.5 million based on his 2013 sack production.
Brooks can void all de-escalators in the contract if the 49ers win 12 games, he has 93.2 percent playing time that season and San Francisco plays in the conference championship game, or if he has two prior seasons of 12 sacks or more.