Usually with contracts, the problem is that the player wants X and the team is willing to offer only Y. This time, that was only a subplot, Eagles president Joe Banner and France said yesterday evening.
"This took endless hours, lots of nights until midnight, 1 in the morning," France said from his Atlanta office after the pact was announced.
Westbrook, who was due to make about $9 million over the next 2 years, non-guaranteed, now is guaranteed $13 million in that period, a source close to the situation said. He should make about $21 million over the next 3 years, and can make as much as $24 million, the source said. The deal includes three extra seasons at prohibitively high numbers, the source said, though Banner indicated the first extra year might actually be used.
"Brian gave me three areas that were important to him. He told me [when the deal was done] we'd either met or exceeded all three," France said. He said the areas were the guarantee over 3 years, the total money, and the escalators, should Westbrook have more seasons like 2007 - the year he established himself, beyond a doubt, with the NFL's top running backs and top players. Westbrook's 2,104 yards from scrimmage were a franchise record and a league high.
Westbrook, who fired agent Fletcher Smith and hired France just before training camp, did not want to take the field without the contract complete, France acknowledged - though Banner praised France and Westbrook for being professional and never issuing threats.
"We set a timeline with the team, not a deadline," France said. "We didn't want him to play without having a contract."
