Salary cap numbers for David Johnson's new contract

When Pittsburgh re-acquired unrestricted free agent and former Steelers and San Diego Chargers tight end David Johnson via a new one year contract on Tuesday, it was expected to be for around the league minimum. Much like the deal quarterback Bruce Gradkowski signed after the NFL Draft.

Following a recent update to the NFLPA public salary cap report it seems Johnson has indeed signed a contract for the league minimum, but will earn no additional signing bonus in 2016.

Salary - David Johnson

As a veteran player with six accrued seasons, since being selected by the Steelers in the seventh round of the 2009 draft, the minimum salary he can earn in 2016 is $760,000. For the contract to qualify for minimum salary benefit (MSB) this is the most the Steelers can pay him. They could have offered him a signing bonus up to a maximum of $80,000, but look to have agreed to a deal without one. Consequently there would be no dead money to worry about should Johnson be released before the season starts.

The idea behind MSB was to promote the signing of older veteran players by offering a discount against the salary cap, one that would put them on a par with cheaper contracts signed by younger players in cap terms. When a player signs a contract that qualifies for MSB, the franchise only has to account for the salary cap hit as if it were that of a second year player on a minimum contract.

In 2016 that figure would be $600,000 for Johnson as far as the Steelers salary cap is concerned thanks to MSB and he is the fourth player to sign a contract of this type so far this year. Gradkowski, Greg Warren and Steven Johnson are the other new signings that offer a discount to the cap with their qualifying contracts.

Johnson faces a tough task to make the final roster and is not eligible to be added to the practice squad should he fail to make the final 53 man roster. Given the uphill battle ahead of him, it is no surprise the Steelers failed to included a signing bonus with his contract.

His best chance to make the opening day roster will be dependant more on the health of the tight end group at the end of August, the flexibility he shows on special teams and his potential to fill in at fullback when needed. If he does make it to the first game of the new season, it will be at a bargain price for the Steelers.


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