What is the value of putting a player on IR?

[trapezeus]

I get the concept of IR to get a man off the 53 man roster if he isn't coming back. It makes room for a guy who can play now.

My question is more on the financial side. You always hear about an injury settlement. What does that usually entail? does anyone know?

If i was contracted to make $1MM for the year without escalators, and i got hurt in week 10 , i've made 10 checks for $625K assumedly.

Does the injury settlement typically get me to the $1mm amount by getting put on IR? or is it designed to be less or is a negotiation where people take into account what kind of season they were having and its a little extra for getting close but not finishing?

I'm just curious as to how it all works from a numbers standpoint. Would a team IR a guy early cause it just works out number wise?

[RockStar36]

I have absolutely no knowledge on this for sure, but it was always my understanding that an injury settlement was basically a buy out. So in Kawika Mitchell's case, instead of missing the entire season for sure, he reached a settlement where he's free to sign elsewhere, but also probably took less money than what he would've made just sitting on IR. Again, that has been my understanding, I'd be curious to know for sure though.

[T-Long]

I have absolutely no knowledge on this for sure, but it was always my understanding that an injury settlement was basically a buy out. So in Kawika Mitchell's case, instead of missing the entire season for sure, he reached a settlement where he's free to sign elsewhere, but also probably took less money than what he would've made just sitting on IR. Again, that has been my understanding, I'd be curious to know for sure though.
This is exactly right. Being put on IR ends that player's season but he still receives his salary. They can try to negotiate an injury settlement if that player wants to go somewhere else, or feels like he is healthy enough to play that season. If that happens, a settlement is done and that player is free to go elsewhere and play that season if he so chooses.

[trapezeus]

This makes sense and i was missing that point. that the settlement frees the player to go somewhere else and play. and i guess, they technically are out of a contract now, so they can sign with the new team for whatever they feel is fair. in some cases, it may mean more money than just sitting around, and it certainly keeps their resume up-to-date as opposed to being out of football for a year.

Thanks guys.

[stuckincincy]

This makes sense and i was missing that point. that the settlement frees the player to go somewhere else and play. and i guess, they technically are out of a contract now, so they can sign with the new team for whatever they feel is fair. in some cases, it may mean more money than just sitting around, and it certainly keeps their resume up-to-date as opposed to being out of football for a year.

Thanks guys.

I'll add that an injury settlement is just that - a lot of players that accept it know that they are very unlikely to ever play football again. I can't think of one that ever re-entered the NFL, although I suppose there are exceptions.

CIN kept former 1st rounder DL David Pollack (broken neck) on the roster for 2 years, and 2nd rounder RB Kenny Irons the same (shattered knee on his 5th or so carry on his 1st NFL action - preseason game - nobody hit him, just a cut. Like Ki-Jana Carter).

[Joe Fo Sho]

Does their salary still count against the cap? Let's say Evans was put on IR, then the the Bills signed Moss for the same amount that they were paying Evans. Is that considered a wash as far as the cap is concerned?

What about insurance? Do teams have insurance companies that will cover the players salaries if they go on the IR?

[patmoran2006]

I have absolutely no knowledge on this for sure, but it was always my understanding that an injury settlement was basically a buy out. So in Kawika Mitchell's case, instead of missing the entire season for sure, he reached a settlement where he's free to sign elsewhere, but also probably took less money than what he would've made just sitting on IR. Again, that has been my understanding, I'd be curious to know for sure though.

Yer correct sir.

[TigerJ]

You reach an injury settlement with a player if he is not in your team's long range plans for whatever reason. From the player's standpoint, he may want to settle if he figures it's time to get on with the rest of his life, whether it is as a player somewhere else, or to pursue a post football career.

Sometimes a team may be tempted to put a young player on injured reserve for a relatively minor, short term injury, if they feel he has upside but is not yet sufficiently developed to make a significant contribution in the current season. It's a way to stash players for future use.