Dollars and sense: Roach cashes in with Raiders

[Tenebrous]

Dollars and sense: Roach cashes in with Raiders

If the Chicago Bears were going to match the contract Nick Roach received from the Oakland Raiders, they were going to need to pay him $13 million over the next four seasons with $5 million fully guaranteed.

Roach, the primary strong-side linebacker for the Bears since 2008, left to sign with the Raiders last week. That’s created a hole for the Bears to fill no matter what happens in negotiations with middle linebacker Brian Urlacher.

Roach’s deal averages $3.25 million per year, a nice bump considering his most recent contract with the Bears was for $4.5 million over two years. He received a $3.185 million signing bonus.

The Bears recently spent heavily on free-agent contracts for tight end Martellus Bennett and tackle Jermon Bushrod.

Here is a complete look at Roach’s contract:

2013 $3.185 million signing bonus, $715,000 base salary, $125,000 workout bonus
Total: $4.025 million
Cap figure: $1.63625 million

2014 $2.85 million base salary, $125,000 workout bonus
Total: $2.975 million
Cap figure: $3.77125 million

2015 $2.8 million base salary, $125,000 workout bonus
Total: $2.925 million
Cap figure: $3.72125 million

2016 $2.95 million base salary, $125,000 workout bonus
Total: $3.075 million
Cap figure: $3.87125 million

NOTE: Roach’s $715,000 base salary in 2013 is fully guaranteed and $1.1 million of his 2014 base salary is fully guaranteed.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/chi-chicago-bears-roach-cashes-in-with-raiders-20130318,0,2460984.story