‘Fake News’ Netted Brandon Graham Real Incentives

PHILADELPHIA (973espn.com) - Remember back in May when Brandon Graham left offseason work for a short time to return to his home in Detroit?

The decision was tied to unhappiness with his contract after a season in which Graham was named second-team All-Pro and when he quickly returned 973espn.com told you to keep an eye out over the summer for a subtle tweak in the deal.

And here we are.

News broke Wednesday that Graham, who has two years left on his current contract at a substantial rate but less than his mirror Vinny Curry, is being given the opportunity to earn an additional $1.5 million over the next two seasons through incentives and salary escalators, according to ESPN's Field Yates.

Graham is scheduled to make $6.5 million in base salary over each of the next two seasons but now he can make more as long as he gets to the opposing quarterback. If the former first-round pick reaches seven sacks this season, he'll earn an extra $250,000 and if he reaches nine that turns into $500K.

If Graham fails to record nine sacks he can still earn an extra $250K by being selected to the Pro Bowl or is named first- or second-team All-Pro.

Graham's 2017 production will also affect his 2018 salary. If Graham records seven or eight sacks, his 2018 base salary will get a $250K and if the number is nine, he will get the $500K bump. A spectacular season of 12-or-more sacks would net Graham an extra $750K in 2018. The 2017 Pro Bowl or All-NFL honor remains at the $250K rate.

Eagles executive vice president of football operations Howie Roseman denied there were any issues with Graham back in May but demurred when asked if Graham’s agent Joel Segal had reached out.

For Graham’s part, he claimed the trip back to the Motor City was about visiting his family and nothing else labeling reports of laying the groundwork for a potential future holdout “Fake News” in a statement to Philadelphia-based radio personality Howard Eskin.

Offseason work is completely voluntary until June’s mandatory minicamp so no one in the media has claimed Graham was “holding out,” including the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane, who first reported the potential unhappiness.

Here at 973espn.com, we reported that “fake news” was not an apt description and this was an example of a wink-wink in which Roseman has promised Segal that an adjustment would be made.

And now you know the adjustment.

-John McMullen covers the Eagles and the NFL for 973espn.com. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen