Greetings,

I saw where an owner had in his payroll some bonus money paid to a player and don't really understand it. Is it possible, if you've got some extra payroll $$ this season to sign an upcoming free agent early, pay him partly thru bonus money so that you're essentially paying him out of this year's budget and saving yourself some money from next/future years' budgets?

If not, then why pay bonus money to a player?

I offer bonuses often to keep future season payroll down.

You can't pay for next years salary or bonus this year. When you do sign a contract, you can include a bonus. As brianp87 said, it is to reduce the salary for the length of the contract. I also like to if possible stack the contract to pay more the first seasons and less in the last season or two. If I want to trade them or if they are no longer of as much value to me, I can eat the money or trade them easier.

Any "signing" bonus money paid to a player is ALWAYS taken from your budget of the 1st year that that contract begins. If the contract begins this year, it is taken this year. If you are signing a player early and the contract will begin next season, the bonus will be taken from next season's budget. You need to take this into account when trading a player or trading for a player. Look at the contract, if he was just signed to a future long-term contract. You may be taking on that bonus.

I also use bonus money all the time, rarely do I not have bonus money in the contract. I would always rather have a descending contract. It makes the future budgeting easier and trading easier.