With additional reporting by Kalyn Kahler of The MMQB.
On the craziest opening day of free agency since 2009, when Washington paid big bust Albert Haynesworth like he was Peyton Manning, the contract that shocked the NFL world Wednesday was handed to a quiet kid who was born in Miami, played high school football in Miami, played college football at Miami and played his first four pro seasons with Miami.
The Giants paid Olivier Vernon the richest contract for a defensive end in NFL history: five years, $85 million, with a bigger guarantee ($52.5 million) than J.J. Watt got two years ago.
In his first four professional seasons with the Dolphins, Vernon made $3.68 million. In his first year with the Giants, he’ll make $29 million.
“Despite the possible chance of snow, I think I’ll be okay,” Vernon told The MMQB Wednesday night. “I wouldn’t mind trying to shovel it myself.”
The start of free agency was ridiculously irresponsible across the league. You know it’s nuts when the unproven Brock Osweiler turns down $16 million a year from the defending Super Bowl champions to make $18 million a year with Houston. But this was a desperation day for the Giants. Under-fire GM Jerry Reese committed $147 million to four free agents. And the craziest deal was paying starting-quarterback money to Vernon, a former third-round pick who averaged half a sack per game in his first four seasons. Vernon’s deal will pay him an average of $17 million a year.
It’s a deal that agent David Canter, negotiating from his home in Davie, Fla., foresaw last week. If you said a few days ago that Olivier Vernon was about to break the bank for defensive ends, the free world would have laughed. Or had you committed. But on March 2, Canter said he wrote himself notes in his phone projecting Vernon’s deal thusly:
• $80 million over 5.
• $45 million guaranteed.
• $45 million first three years.
• $50 million i.o. (“I.O.” means how much of the deal would be guaranteed for “injury only.”)
Agents are notoriously greedy. Canter was at the combine two weeks ago, and on the phone since, swearing to whomever would listen that Vernon was going to strike it very rich. Fifteen million a year, maybe. Or $16 million.
Canter got Vernon $17 million a year.
He beat his goals in total contract (by $5 million), by total in the first three years (by $9 million) and by total guaranteed (by $7.5 million).
And it all happened in seven dizzying hours.
