There’s been some confusion over the well-deserved contract extension Miami Dolphins slot receiver Davone Bess signed over the weekend, so let’s clear some of that up now.
Bess will still make $470,000 this season, but his salaries in 2011-2013 are now, in order, $1.013 million, $2.233 million and $2.633 million. This is according to NFL Players Association records.
According to league sources, he also gets a $3 million signing bonus, plus escalators for making the Pro Bowl.
Total value of Bess’ deal over the next three seasons: $8.88 million, including the signing bonus.
Now that Wes Welker is a starting receiver in the post-Randy Moss world of the Patriots, Bess moves past Bills (and ex-UM) star Roscoe Parrish for the title of highest-paid slot receiver in the league. This is based on the fact Parrish’s current deal, which runs from 2009-11, carries a $3.34 million annual average with a $1.1 million signing bonus.
Because Bess was still looking at restricted free agency next spring, with an estimated second-round tender of $1.83 million, the Dolphins only bought out two years of unrestricted free agency with this extension. In essence, they will be paying Bess roughly $7.2 million in new money, or a two-year average of $3.6 million in 2012-13 that includes a $3 million signing bonus.
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