When Matt Stafford's deal was announced, the amount of "guaranteed' money dropped jaws around the league. Reported to be a staggering $41.7 million dollars, many shook their head at the foolishness of the Lions' front office. Despite Tom Lewand's long track record of crafting especially creative and clever contracts, despite the fact that agents typically release the terms of deals and Stafford is represented by power agent Tom Condon, and despite nearly a two-day stall in negotiations--reportedly over the structure of the guaranteed money--most fans, media, and journalists decried the Lions' awful negotation skills.
Well, blogger AdamJT13 has revealed (according to only him; as of right now there's been no confirmation of his numbers) the exact structure of Matt Stafford's contract, including a nifty 2010 option bonus. According to this excellent article, if Stafford rolled up to Allen Park in a new Toyota Tundra this morning, and Mr. Ford ordered his immediate release, Stafford would only be owed a lousy $17.05 million.
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