Amnesty Clause

We do not clear the cap penalties. However, each member is entitled to one amnesty clause for the entire duration of Madden LG II. That is, as a member, you can have us clear your cap a total of one time. Once it's cleared, it can never be cleared by us again. Use it wisely.

List of members who've used the Amnesty Clause:
Browns - JT - After season 1
Broncos - Hawg - After season 1
Packers - Kobe - After season 1

Bonus Money / Guaranteed Money

When giving out contracts, "bonus" money is the amount of guaranteed money you're offering them. This is also the amount of cap penalties you'll receive if you decide to release or trade that player away. For example, if you trade a player away that has a salary of 7m per year but no bonus, you will not receive a cap hit. However, suppose you trade a player away with a salary of 4m and a bonus of 3m per year for three years, you will take a cap penalty of 9m that will be spread out over the next couple of years against you.

Because bonus money is guaranteed, players respond to it more. That is, salary and bonus money don't hold equal weight. If you offer a player 8m for one year in salary and another member offers that player 8m in bonus money, the player will take the bonus money because it's guaranteed while the salary is not. Use this to your advantage when re-signing players or bidding on free agents. Just be careful.

How Contracts Are Structured

This is very important to know and an invaluable tool that can be used to your advantage. Salary and guaranteed (bonus) money are different, one because bonus is guaranteed and salary is not--but also because of how each one pays the player over the duration of the contract. Salaries are back loaded--they're cheaper the first couple of years and more expensive towards the end of their contract. Guaranteed money is split evenly among each year.

For example:
Nick Foles is being paid 42m in salary but nothing in bonus. He's set to earn 3.3m in 2016, 4.3 in 2017, 5.6 in 2018, 7.4 in 2019 and 9.4 in 2020. As you can see, his contract significantly increases each year.

Aldon Smith is being paid 1m in salary and 33m in bonus on a 6 year contract. That means, the 1m in salary will be back loaded (cheaper now, more expensive later) and the 33m in bonus will be spread out evenly. His contract will pay him 6m in 2016 and only goes up to 6.8m in 2020. It is virtually evenly spread.

You can use this to your advantage. Small-time players that will likely be cut or traded should be kept on mostly-salary and very minimal bonus deals. Players that will never be traded, such as a franchise QB or top 5 corners, should be kept on bonus deals that allow one to know exactly how much money will be paid per year to avoid limited cap situations in the future. Bonus deals are also good for one year deals given to veterans that round off your roster but aren't likely to be invited back next season.

Last edited by iWhooped (1450643815)