Patriots’ Trio Stands Among NFL’s Top Earners In Performance-Based Pay

The NFL’s performance-based pay program has provided three New England Patriots with top-dollar distributions.

Center Ted Karras, cornerback J.C. Jackson and offensive tackle Marshall Newhouse reside among the highest payouts from the 2019 regular season, the league announced Thursday.

Since implemented as part of the 2002 collective bargaining agreement, performance-based pay has compensated players based upon their snaps played relative to their salaries paid.

The stark contrast led to Karras gathering an additional $393,363 in that department for this past campaign, while Jackson received $375,004 and Newhouse received $307,476.

When factoring in the veteran pool, which was created under the 2011 CBA and includes those with at least one accrued season who make under $1 million, Karras received a combined $635,947.

Jackson and Newhouse received a combined $559,036 and $476,850, respectively.

A total of $231.152 million will be disbursed between the two pools for the past year, according to the NFL. In the ballpark of $1.8 billion has been accumulated by players dating back to the program’s initial year.

Karras, a Patriots sixth-round draft choice in 2016, ranked sixth in the performance-based pool, first in the veteran pool and second overall behind only Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Charvarius Ward’s $654,750 this time around.

After team captain David Andrews went to injured reserve due to blood clots in his lungs last August, Karras was turned to as New England’s starting pivot. The 26-year-old Illinois alum played 1,040 snaps on offense in the process. Karras did not miss his first snaps until suffering a reported MCL sprain against the Houston Texans in December. He finished having been a near-ironman along the interior, and having started 15 games while carrying a salary of $720,000.

Jackson, a member of New England’s 2018 undrafted class, ranked eighth in the performance-based pool and saw his collective payout rank ninth leaguewide. Jackson logged 681 snaps in the Patriots’ secondary by the close of the calendar. By then, he had intercepted five passes, defended 10 and conceded the lowest opposing passer rating among the game’s corners, per Pro Football Focus. Jackson drew a $10,000 signing bonus from New England as a rookie free agent two springs ago. The 25-year-old by way of Florida, Riverside City College and Maryland earned a base of $570,000 as an NFL sophomore.

And Newhouse, who arrived in September amid injuries to right tackle Marcus Cannon and left tackle Isaiah Wynn, placed 22nd in the league’s combined distribution. Newhouse started nine games for New England’s offensive line over the course of season. The 31-year-old Texas Christian product stood in the huddle for 729 downs and held a prorated cap number not far north of $600,000. The Patriots marked Newhouse’s eighth team since entering the league in the fifth round of the 2010 draft.

Both Karras and Newhouse are set to become unrestricted free agents when the 2020 league year opens at 4 p.m. ET on March 18.

One year remains on Jackson’s rookie pact before he is scheduled to step into the restricted market.