National Sports Agency is one of the premiere sports agencies in the world. With over 50 years of combined experience, the principals at NSA have negotiated countless record breaking contracts in all rounds of the draft each and every year. NSA has developed outstanding relationships with NFL teams and general managers, who cite our expertise and creativity in negotiating contracts and our fierce commitment to all our clients ON AND OFF the field.
Whether you are a 1st round draft choice or a mid-late round pick, NSA takes great pride in always getting its clients EVERY CENT on the table. We've negotiated over a thousand NFL contracts while achieving the highest in contract values without EVER having a rookie holdout! We feel this philosophy establishes goodwill between you and the organization, your new teammates, coaches and the community from the start.
What makes a good contract and how do you make a good contract GREAT?
There are many ingredients that make a good contract, but the most important of all is the STRUCTURE of the deal. This could mean the difference between an average deal and a great deal.
Key Ingredients affecting structure of a Contract:
- The length of the contract
- Signing bonus
- Split signing bonus
- Reporting bonuses
- Roster bonuses
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-Workout bonuses
-Incentives
-Escalators
-Voidable years
-Guaranteed base contracts |
By structuring your deal to take advantage of the salary cap system, you should always have the LEVERAGE to decide your own fate rather than the team deciding it for you.
Your first 3 years in the NFL are exclusive right years. This means that regardless of whether or not you sign a 1, 2, or 3-year deal, the team will always hold your rights and you cannot talk to another club unless you are released from your team. In addition, players in these first 3 years will always have their base salary at the minimum in order to maximize their bonuses. So a player signing a 2-year contract with a $ lOOK signing bonus and a $50K cap number, is much better off signing a 3-year contract with a $ 150K signing bonus, and the same cap number as the 2-year deal. Extending the contract any longer for an increased signing bonus could backfire on you if you are giving up a chance for free agency in your 4th and 5th years. However, with the proper leverage in your deal, from voidable years, escalators, huge incentives, and conditional second tier signing bonuses you could easily turn the odds back in your favor.
The NFLPA will confirm that no matter what round our clients were drafted in, they have ALWAYS been among the highest-paid in the round-whether it be total contract dollars, average per year, salary cap number and signing and/or reporting bonuses. The proof is on the paper and we will happily show you any contract of any player to further prove that numbers don't lie! When it comes to contract negotiations for our clients, not only do we get every cent on the bargaining table...but we take the table along with us!
