Bob Sacamano
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On Monday, it was confirmed that Cleveland Browns cornerback Joe Haden has been suspended for four games for violating the National Football League's policy on performance enhancing drugs. Specifically, Haden tested positive for Adderall, a stimulant used to treat Attention Deficit Disorder whose use is accepted by the NFL provided that it's prescribed by a doctor.
Haden's four-game suspension and failed appeal is a sign that Haden did not have a prescription to explain the Adderall usage, or if he had obtained a prescription, he failed to disclose that to the league prior to his failed test. Either way, Haden will miss the next four games and pay a very steep financial penalty for doing so.
As member of the 2010 NFL draft class, the last group before the new collective bargaining agreement significantly scaled back rookie compensation, Haden is earning a base salary of $5,765,505 in his third NFL season. Originally scheduled to earn $503,050, Haden reached minimum playing-time thresholds as a rookie, which escalated his 2012 salary to its current level. Losing four game checks, valued at $339,147 apiece, means Haden will forfeit $1,356,589 in salary during his suspension.
Additionally, Haden's suspension also means he is ineligible for the Pro Bowl and any postseason awards. Haden had a $100,000 incentive in his rookie contract tied to the Pro Bowl which he will no longer be eligible to receive. Haden could also forfeit a portion of the $12 million signing bonus he received as the No. 7 overall pick in the 2010 NFL draft.
According to Article 4, Section 9(e) of the 2011 collective bargaining agreement, a player suspended by the NFL for violations of the drug or steroid policy could forfeit any "Forfeitable Salary Allocations on a proportionate weekly basis." Included in the CBA's descriptions of forfeitable salary allocations is the "Salary Cap allocation for the player's signing bonus for that League Year," which means that Haden could be asked by the Browns to forfeit nearly $500,000 of the $2 million that his $12 million signing bonus from 2010 counts against this year's cap.
Haden's suspension also jeopardizes how much of his $50,256,742 (maximum value) rookie contract he can earn.
According to a source with knowledge of Haden's contract, up to $7.85 million in additional base salary escalators were available over the last two years of the deal. In 2013, Haden could add up to $3.65 million to his $6,936,429 base salary and up to $4.2 million to a $6,678,193 base salary in 2014. Smaller escalators were tied to both Haden's playing time (85 percent) and interception totals (five or more in a season) plus the number of Browns wins (10). Larger increases were available if Haden has multiple seasons with playing time above 85 percent and the team's defense ranks in the Top 5 in NFL or Top 3 in AFC in certain categories in those same seasons.
Haden is on track to earn very little, if any, of that $7.85 million in available escalation.
Though Haden had six interceptions as a rookie, he started just seven of 16 games and played in 73.86 percent of the Browns' defensive snaps, falling well short of that season's playing-time threshold to trigger any escalation for the 2013 and 2014 seasons. Last season, Haden played in 90.68 percent of the defensive snaps, but the Browns won only four games, again denying the shutdown corner any future escalation in 2013 or 2014. A four-game suspension will make it very difficult for Haden to reach the 85 percent playing-time requirement to trigger any escalation from this season, as well.
Haden is still on target to earn nearly $7 million next season, but the $3.65 million in potential escalation in 2013 will completely vanish along with most of the $4.2 million in escalators for 2014.
Haden's four-game suspension and failed appeal is a sign that Haden did not have a prescription to explain the Adderall usage, or if he had obtained a prescription, he failed to disclose that to the league prior to his failed test. Either way, Haden will miss the next four games and pay a very steep financial penalty for doing so.
As member of the 2010 NFL draft class, the last group before the new collective bargaining agreement significantly scaled back rookie compensation, Haden is earning a base salary of $5,765,505 in his third NFL season. Originally scheduled to earn $503,050, Haden reached minimum playing-time thresholds as a rookie, which escalated his 2012 salary to its current level. Losing four game checks, valued at $339,147 apiece, means Haden will forfeit $1,356,589 in salary during his suspension.
Additionally, Haden's suspension also means he is ineligible for the Pro Bowl and any postseason awards. Haden had a $100,000 incentive in his rookie contract tied to the Pro Bowl which he will no longer be eligible to receive. Haden could also forfeit a portion of the $12 million signing bonus he received as the No. 7 overall pick in the 2010 NFL draft.
According to Article 4, Section 9(e) of the 2011 collective bargaining agreement, a player suspended by the NFL for violations of the drug or steroid policy could forfeit any "Forfeitable Salary Allocations on a proportionate weekly basis." Included in the CBA's descriptions of forfeitable salary allocations is the "Salary Cap allocation for the player's signing bonus for that League Year," which means that Haden could be asked by the Browns to forfeit nearly $500,000 of the $2 million that his $12 million signing bonus from 2010 counts against this year's cap.
Haden's suspension also jeopardizes how much of his $50,256,742 (maximum value) rookie contract he can earn.
According to a source with knowledge of Haden's contract, up to $7.85 million in additional base salary escalators were available over the last two years of the deal. In 2013, Haden could add up to $3.65 million to his $6,936,429 base salary and up to $4.2 million to a $6,678,193 base salary in 2014. Smaller escalators were tied to both Haden's playing time (85 percent) and interception totals (five or more in a season) plus the number of Browns wins (10). Larger increases were available if Haden has multiple seasons with playing time above 85 percent and the team's defense ranks in the Top 5 in NFL or Top 3 in AFC in certain categories in those same seasons.
Haden is on track to earn very little, if any, of that $7.85 million in available escalation.
Though Haden had six interceptions as a rookie, he started just seven of 16 games and played in 73.86 percent of the Browns' defensive snaps, falling well short of that season's playing-time threshold to trigger any escalation for the 2013 and 2014 seasons. Last season, Haden played in 90.68 percent of the defensive snaps, but the Browns won only four games, again denying the shutdown corner any future escalation in 2013 or 2014. A four-game suspension will make it very difficult for Haden to reach the 85 percent playing-time requirement to trigger any escalation from this season, as well.
Haden is still on target to earn nearly $7 million next season, but the $3.65 million in potential escalation in 2013 will completely vanish along with most of the $4.2 million in escalators for 2014.
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