Details Emerge On Contracts Of Players Signing With Patriots In Free Agency

BOSTON (CBS) -- The headlines on Monday were shining in bright lights: PATRIOTS SPEND BIG. A day later, that statement is still true, but the details trickling out on some of the agreements made with free agents paint a clearer picture as to exactly how much the team invested.

As is always the case, the details reveal less money than initially reported. That's because these stories are typically leaked by players' agents, and those agents want the world to see the highest possible dollar amount that's attached to every contract signed by their clients.

The Boston Globe's Ben Volin got a good look at a number of the contracts, and he shared them with the world on Twitter on Tuesday morning.

He started with wide receiver Kendrick Bourne. When news broke of the receiver's agreement, it was reported as a three-year, $22.5 million contract. As Volin laid out, it's really one year of guaranteed money, at $5.25 million. The deal has $7 million in incentives.

Volin also shared the details of the contracts for newcomer Jalen Mills and returning veteran Deatrich Wise.

Mills' deal was reported as a four-year, $24 million pact. The actual guarantee is $9 million over two years.

Wise's contract was reported as a four-year deal, worth "up to" $30 million. The details show it has $10 milion guaranteed over two years, and it includes $8 million in incentives.

Football contracts are notoriously complex in this way, as the reported numbers when a deal is struck basically never match up with what a team ends up paying a player. The devil's always in the details when it comes to NFL contracts.

The deals for linebacker Matt Judon and tight end Jonnu Smith will end up being much larger financial commitments for the Patriots, while the deal for receiver Nelson Agholor (reported as a two-year, $26 million contract) may end up proving to look more like these middle-of-the-roster types of deals.

• National Football League
• New England Patriots