Falcons: Details of Grady Jarrett’s contract extension emerge

The Falcons’ new regime is finally sinking its claws into the roster. To begin their tenure, Terry Fontenot and Arthur Smith were first tasked with untying all of the knots of the former regime. Thomas Dimitroff overextended himself and ended up with bloated contracts for Julio Jones, Matt Ryan, and others. To move forward, the new regime had to rid the books of all the bad contracts, which is exactly what’s unfolding.

The only contract the new regime inherited from the former is Deion Jones, which has been the topic of deliberation among fans. The Falcons drafted Troy Andersen in the second round, signed Rashaan Evans earlier in the offseason, and still have solid depth with Mykal Walker. If Atlanta wanted to part ways with Debo and really open up the books for next season, it wouldn’t be too difficult with a post-June 1 trade.

The Falcons are set to have as much cap space ($100M+) next offseason as any team in the league, but they’re not sitting idly by until next spring to start dishing out lucrative contracts. Earlier this offseason, Fontenot and Smith locked down the team’s blindside after agreeing to a three-year extension worth $18.5 million per year with Jake Matthews. But that’s not the only one.

Atlanta also recently agreed to terms on a three-year $49.5 million extension with Grady Jarrett, and details have just emerged thanks to Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus:

• Signing bonus: $16.5 million
• 2022 base salary: $1,470,588, fully guaranteed at signing
• 2023 base salary: $16,500,000, fully guaranteed at signing
• 2024 base salary: $15,250,000
• 2024 roster bonus: $1,000,000, due on the fifth day of the league year
• 2024 Pro Bowl escalator: $750,000
• 2025 base salary: $15,250,000
• 2025 roster bonus: $1,000,000, due on the fifth day of the league year
• 2025 Pro Bowl escalator: $750,000

Jarrett’s contract extension lowered his salary cap hit from $23.8 million to $12.9 million for the 2022 season, creating $10.9 million in cap space. If Jarrett reaches the Pro Bowl, he’ll earn $1.5 million in incentives, pushing the total value to $51 million. Before the extension, he was owed a $16.5 million 2022 base salary, which Jarrett will effectively carry over four years.

His per year average ranks ninth among interior defenders, which is a more than reasonable number for a player of his caliber. The Falcons agreed to $34.5 million fully guaranteed at signing, 70% of the base value of the new money, but still have an out following the 2023 season that would allow the team to part ways with Jarrett while absorbing $8.25 million in dead cap.

—

Photographer: David John Griffin/Icon Sportswire