On Sunday, the specifics of edge rusher Arden Key’s contract with the Tennessee Titans was revealed, and in the breakdown it shows the team is once again utilizing void years to lower the cap hit of a free-agent signing.
According to Over the Cap, Key’s three-year, $21 million deal includes $13 million fully guaranteed and a pair of void years in 2026 and 2027, allowing Tennessee to spread out his bonus money and keep the Year 1 cap hit low at just $2.88 million.
The contract also includes a signing bonus of $6.5 million, a $4 million option bonus in 2024 and a $1 million annual sacks incentive, although it isn’t immediately clear how many sacks he needs to hit that incentive.
#Titans Arden Key three years, $17M, $13M gtd, $6.5M signing bonus, $4M option bonus 2024 to be exercised before 5th day 2024, salaries $1.08M (gtd), $1.42M, $6.5M; $14,705 per game active roster bonus annual, $250K annual workout bonus, $1M sacks incentive annual, 26-27 void yrs
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) March 20, 2023
As far as the void years go, the 26-year-old will account for a dead-cap hit of $4.6 million in 2026 and $2.3 million in 2027. His base salaries for the three years of the deal stand at $2.88 million, $4.22 million and $9.3 million.
This is the second free-agent signing the Titans have utilized void years with, with the other being linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, whose one-year deal includes four void years.
Given their salary cap situation, the Titans using void years isn’t surprising. This allows Tennessee to push money off to future years when they are in a better financial situation, which will be the case in 2024.
