I invented this contract clause 25 years ago. The Packers just used it on Christian Watson.

Wide receiver salaries are out of control. There are guys making $40 million a year. Several more in the $30 million range. So when I heard the Packers extended Christian Watson, I had one immediate thought: this is exactly the situation where the contract structure matters as much as the number.

Watson is as dynamic as anyone in the league when he's on the field. The problem is getting him on the field. So the Packers did something I started doing with Green Bay players over 25 years ago — including our biggest free agent signing of that era. They built the deal around per-game roster bonuses. $125,000 per game. You're active, you get paid. You're hurt, the team is protected.

The guaranteed money is $31 million. The year-one cash is about $34.5 million. And while other receivers are collecting that annually, Watson is earning it over two years — with incentives that could push it higher if he stays healthy. I know exactly how this structure works because I helped create it. Today I'm breaking down why this deal is smarter than it looks — and what it tells you about how the Packers have always built contracts differently.