The Patriots may end up paying running back James Robinson next-to-nothing, but if they end up giving him the max value of his contract, that means things have gone extremely well.
It was already discovered that Robinson’s two-year deal, which came with some sticker shock initially, is low on guaranteed money and high on bonuses and incentives. Thanks to a new report, we now know what those incentives entail. And again, if he ends up hitting them, that’s great news.
Incentives can be classified as likely or not likely to be earned, with the former counting against the salary cap. Robinson totaled 425 rushing yards between the Jaguars and Jets in 2022, so the Patriots could feasibly classify all of his incentives as not likely to be earned.
However, Robinson rushed for 767 yards in 2021 and 1,070 yards in 2020 for Jacksonville, so he’s certainly capable of hitting at least the lower end of his incentives with New England. If he stays healthy and active, he could get closer to the 164 carries he got in 2021, even as part of a committee with Rhamondre Stevenson atop the depth chart.
Running back James Robinson made his Jets debut with just five carries vs. the Pats, before rushing 13 times vs. Buffalo. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
