Nothing against Aaron Rodgers, but no quarterback is a "bargain'' if he doesn't win.
Having said that ...
The Pittsburgh Steelers have a "loaded-up'' plan to make the NFL playoffs. And they have signed Aaron Rodgers as the centerpiece of that drive.
And true to his word, he's agreed to a one-year deal on the cheap, as he will only be making $13.65 million in base salary this year, which includes just $10 million in fully guaranteed money.
But he can make more. A lot more.
And all that has to happen is for the Steelers to accomplish a lot more. ... meaning, win the Super Bowl.
Yes, that incentive is in Rodgers' contract, but interestingly, even if he does that - even if he does everything, including capture a fifth NFL MVP trophy - the total value of the contract jumps to just $19.5 million.
And that would be a bargain.
There are six incentives baked into the deal that will pay Rodgers an extra total of $5.85 million if he hits them all.
Here's the full breakdown of the details on the Rodgers incentives in addition to his base salary ...
He gets $500,000 if the Steelers make the playoffs.
He gets $600,000 more if the Steelers advance to the divisional round (This could be a wild-card win in which he plays at least 50 percent of the offensive snaps or a first-round bye).
He gets $750,000 more if the Steelers earn a divisional round win as long as he plays at least 50 percent of the offensive snaps in that game.
He gets $1 million if the Steelers win the AFC Championship as long as he plays 50 percent of the offensive snaps in that game .
He gets $1.5 million if Rodgers helps the Steelers to a Super Bowl win as long as he plays at least 50 percent of the snaps in that game.
He gets $1.5 million if on top of it all, his 2025 brilliance is such that he the MVP award
How realistic is it for Rodgers, at age 41, to play well enough to earn the full $5.85 million? How realistic is it for coach Mike Tomlin - who has never had a losing record but it starving for a playoff win or two - to oversee a Steelers championship team?
Rodgers does have a history of winning in the postseason; he is 5-1 in his past six opening round playoff games. But that seems like a long time ago after watching his mediocre work last year with the Jets.
What the Steelers have done here overall, though - finally - is a safe and smart bet on Rodgers ... and one that remains highly affordable even if they win it all.