(08-18-2022, 02:43 PM)NewJagsCity Wrote: 11 games seems even more arbitrary than 6.  I'm guessing a lot of this is the league and the players union not wanting to set a precedent where any player involved in any sort of sexual abuse/harassment issue in the future is banned for an entire season.  They wanted to be punitive but not totally bring the hammer down.

If he plays 6 games, he accrues a full season.

Quote:A player has earned an accrued season if he has recorded at least six regular-season games on a team’s roster on full pay status. This means having an active spot on the roster or being on injured reserve or the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. Players on a team’s practice squad or appearing on the Non-Football Related Injury (NFI) or Commissioner’s Exempt lists do not record accrued games or seasons.

I don't think it impacts contract (outside of game checks forfeited while suspended), but when he retires he will get credit for this as a full season toward any benefits. Probably not a big deal when you are making $46M guaranteed for the next 4 seasons. I'm not well versed enough to know if the Browns could have tinkered with the cap/hit if he didn't play an accrued season (like, would he not be counted in the top 51 for cap purposes? Could they push some of this year's hit into future years? stuff like that)

I believe it also factors into minimum pay, should he ever be in a position where he signs a contract for vet minimum. The pay grades are graduated by years of accrued seasons. Petty stuff in the long run, but he can also be happy that the NFL didn't get their way.

Here's the stickler - if the Browns are already out of contention, do you bother playing him when he's eligible? I might not. Oh yeah. the week he comes eligible? Game against the tinhorns.

---