What is "offset language" in the NFL?

The 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement has allowed for rookie contracts to become relatively controlled. It made room for easier negotiations between the draft pick and the team.

Offset Language

Offset language is legal haggling, and it usually comes into play when a player's salary is released during the first four years of his professional career while he's still playing on his rookie deal.

The top 20 draft picks' four-year salaries are guaranteed even if a player gets cut at some point during those four seasons. The absence of offset language would sanction said players to receive their full salary even if they were released before the start of free agency. For example, if a player has $5 million in guaranteed money left on his contract, the player will still be owed $5 million.

If the team has written offset language into the contract, that franchise can save money if and when the player signs with a different organization.

For example, if that player who had $5 million in guaranteed money still left on his contract and signs with a new team on a $1 million deal, his old club would only be on the hook for $4 million, with the new team responsible for the difference.

If the deal doesn't contain any offset language, the old team will have to foot the bill for the total of $5 million, and the player would earn an additional $1 million from his new club.

Using Trevor Lawernce as an example, his projected contract is expected to be $36.8 million over four years — fully guaranteed.

No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence signed a four-year, $36.8 million contract that includes $24.1 million in guaranteed money and the standard fifth-year option, per source. @mgcsports and the @Jaguars finished off the deal yesterday, and Lawrence will be there on Day 1 of camp.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 5, 2021

Suppose the former Clemson quarterback were to agree to offset language; he'd potentially lose around twenty percent of that guaranteed money should the Jacksonville Jaguars release him after three seasons.

The amount lost would then be dependent on the contract Lawrence signed with another team following the 2023 campaign. Jacksonville is responsible for the difference.

Trevor Lawrence already passed his physical and will get his signing bonus paid in full within 15 days, per source. The deal, negotiated by @mgcsports, includes no offset language and annual roster bonuses in 2022-2024, which are guaranteed even in the event he's on active/NFI. https://t.co/z9e3Aj2LNr

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 5, 2021

Historically, the Jacksonville Jaguars have not been one of the franchises to offer offset language for top picks. But that has changed with the new leadership of head coach Urban Meyers and general manager Trent Baalke.

Before the 2021 NFL Draft began, one thing was for sure - the Jaguars would select Trevor Lawrence. It seems unlikely that the number one draft pick won't be signing on the dotted line at Duval before the start of training camp later this month.

With the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 @NFLDraft, the @Jaguars select QB Trevor Lawrence.📺: 2021 #NFLDraft on NFLN/ESPN/ABC pic.twitter.com/6KaGOGGAXr

— NFL (@NFL) April 30, 2021