Will the FO (have the audacity to) ask for Justin Smith's signing bonus back?

Originally posted by brodiebluebanaszak:
Do you think the fo will be classless enough to ask for smith's bonus back?

I think that what happens with this signing bonus money is between the 49ers and Justin Smith.

Originally posted by Pillbusta:
He couldn't be the guy he wanted due to injury. Kinda like me marrying my wife then she promised to be my companion and give me a family then she can't due to physical inability. Quite different than if we got married then she told me to go f*** myself about the baby because she didn't choose to do or go through with it despite being physically capable

Originally posted by Pillbusta:
It's clear to me. Justin and Pat retired after multiple AllPro seasons with us due to injury. Lattimore retired to injury. Borland and Coffee quit the game unrelated to injury after we invested premium picks on them. We owe them contractually nothing but the way CB and Coffee quit the game no one would bat an eye if we took back the cash. Justin and Pat will be wearing red coats someday so they've earned the money in the hearts of fans. I agree the money paid to CB Coffee and Lattimore is minimal but retirement due to injury is much different than quitting the game unrelated to it

Well said sir

I hope they don't ask for the money back......Justin Smith earned it.imo

Let the man keep it. He earned it by helping the team out with the salary cap a few years a go. Borland quit, Cowboy played his entire heart out for this team, even when he was injured, he played through it.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/05/18/justin-smith-has-2-1-million-in-unearned-signing-bonus-money/

Under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the 49ers can choose not to pursue repayment. The circumstances of Smith's most recent deal indicates that perhaps they shouldn't. In 2013, Smith previously was due to earn a base salary of $7.5 million. To reduce his cap charge from $8 million to $3.72 million, Smith agreed to reduce his base salary to $940,000 and to take the rest as a signing bonus.

It's possible the 49ers would have simply cut Smith if he'd balked. Nevertheless, Smith agreed to a deal in which the team got the benefit of extending his contract by two years and creating significant cap savings in 2013. Smith, in turn, received $6.56 million up front.

And that's the one potential drawback for players who agree to restructure contracts by converting base salary in the current year to signing bonus payments. If the player thereafter retires, he's potentially on the hook to pay back millions. Still, requiring a player to pay back a chunk of the money he would have earned under his prior contract could make it harder for teams to persuade future players to agree to similar deals.

Originally posted by buck:

Originally posted by brodiebluebanaszak:
Do you think the fo will be classless enough to ask for smith's bonus back?

I think that what happens with this signing bonus money is between the 49ers and Justin Smith.

Of course it is. And fans are free to form their own opinions about it don't you think?

Baalke was asked this question a few weeks ago and his answer was no.

Wow. That's allays my worst fears. Reference?

Originally posted by brodiebluebanaszak:
Wow. That's allays my worst fears. Reference?

Wish I could remember. It was a radio interview.

OK. We'll have to wait for the press release before locking this thread then.

My thoughts on this:

Justin Smith:
Play as long as his body would allow him to play at a starter level. Last contract underpaid him, so with the extra signing bonus it was fair to both sides. Smith does not owe the 49ers any money back.

Borland:
Left the game due to his own choice, not due to injury. Normally he should pay back his pro-rated signing bonus. However, he played at such a high level when he was on the field, I think he earned that signing bonus. What he owes the 49er is a draft pick, and that they will never get back.

49ers don't have to ask. They would just use the media to pressure him into it like they did with Borland. But i agree that it would be the right thing to do to give back that part of the bonus since he didn't follow through on what he agreed when signing the contract.

Nope, he should keep the $2.1 mil as a retirement bonus if nothing else.

How about losing mobility in his left arm and chronic pain for life. Is that in the contract?

How about restructuring his pay to benefit the team and putting his family at financial risk. Is that in the contract?

How about performing at an elite level every play. That's not in the contract either.

Folks this isn't a hard one to figure out.

Originally posted by ninerjok:

Nope, he should keep the $2.1 mil as a retirement bonus if nothing else.

Could the Niners recoup the signing bonus $ and realize salary cap savings and then give Cowboy a retirement bonus that doesn't count against the cap?