Per Mike Klis:
Gordon’s contract table can be seen beyond the fold, along with my analysis:
Year | Base Salary | Prorated Bonus | Roster Bonus | Per Game Roster Bonus | Cap Number |
2020 | $1,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $4,000,000 | $0 | $7,000,000 |
2021 | $4,500,000 | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $500,000 | $9,000,000 |
As it turns out, there was no catch in the earlier reported guaranteed money in Gordon’s contract; of the $16 million total, $13.5 million of it is indeed fully guaranteed.
As such, this is a firm commitment by the Broncos to Gordon for two years. If something goes horribly wrong with Gordon’s production in 2020, they will have to pay him $4.5 million in order to part ways, unless they can find a trade partner to take that 2021 base salary off their hands.
It appears highly likely that the Broncos intend to have Gordon and Phillip Lindsay be the top two running backs in Denver for the next two seasons. After that, both will be eligible for unrestricted free agency.