Cam Newton tops list of state NFL players with workout bonuses at $500000 - AL.com

When Green Bay welcomes its players back on Tuesday, the Packers will become the final NFL team to open its offseason program for 2018.

Green Bay was scheduled to start its offseason program on Monday, as 24 NFL teams did, but a snowstorm caused the Packers to push the opening back a day.

Except for a three-day minicamp that each team is allowed, attendance at the offseason program is voluntary for players.

Most players will attend even though they don't get paid for participating in the offseason program, other than the per diem of $215.

But some players do get paid for their attendance.

Workout bonuses vary widely throughout the NFL. The Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Rams and Washington Redskins don't have a player on their rosters with a workout bonus in his contract. On the other end of that scale, Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Preston Brown could earn a $2 million workout bonus this year.

The workout money is tied to attendance. Often, a player will have to be present for 90 percent of his team's offseason workouts and practices to collect the bonus.

Among players with Alabama football roots, 23 have workout bonuses in their contracts, topped by the $500,000 of Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton.

While Newton is one of the 20 NFL players with workout bonuses of at least one-half million dollars this offseason, he doesn't have the biggest workout bonus on the Panthers. That belongs to defensive tackle Dontari Poe at $600,000.

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The 2018 workout bonuses for players from Alabama high schools and colleges (as reported by the NFL financial website overthecap.com) include:

• Quarterback Cam Newton (Auburn), Carolina Panthers: $500,000
• Center Rodney Hudson (B.C. Rain), Oakland Raiders: $350,000
• Defensive end Mario Addison (Tarrant, Troy), Carolina Panthers: $250,000
• Defensive tackle Marcell Dareus (Huffman, Alabama), Jacksonville Jaguars: $250,000
• Defensive end Michael Johnson (Dallas County), Cincinnati Bengals: $250,000
• Linebacker Daren Bates (Auburn), Tennessee Titans: $200,000
• Wide receiver Seth Roberts (West Alabama), Oakland Raiders: $200,000
• Wide receiver Jordan Matthews (Madison Academy), New England Patriots: $130,000
• Running back Mark Ingram (Alabama), New Orleans Saints: $100,000
• Cornerback Janoris Jenkins (North Alabama), New York Giants: $100,000
• Quarterback AJ McCarron (St. Paul's Alabama), Buffalo Bills: $100,000
• Cornerback Captain Munnerlyn (Murphy), Carolina Panthers: $100,000
• Safety Jaquiski Tartt (Davidson, Samford), San Francisco 49ers: $100,000
• Cornerback James Bradberry (Pleasant Grove, Samford), Carolina Panthers: $50,000
• Linebacker Reggie Ragland (Bob Jones, Alabama), Kansas City Chiefs: $50,000
• Offensive tackle Antonio Garcia (Troy), New England Patriots: $27,000
• Running back Ameer Abdullah (Homewood), Detroit Lions: $25,000
• Wide receiver Sammie Coates (Leroy, Auburn), Houston Texans: $25,000
• Long snapper Carson Tinker (Alabama), Jacksonville Jaguars: $25,000
• Offensive tackle Shon Coleman (Auburn), Cleveland Browns: $20,000
• Defensive tackle Montravius Adams (Auburn), Green Bay Packers: $15,000
• Defensive end Eric Lee (Daphne), New England Patriots: $15,000
• Wide receiver Tyreek Hill (West Alabama), Kansas City Chiefs: $9,000

The nine-week offseason programs of NFL teams are divided into three phases.

In Phase I, the players' workouts are limited to strength and conditioning.

During Phase II, teams can hold three weeks of on-the-field work, but contact drills and 11-on-11 and 7-on-7 drills are prohibited. Teams with first-year coaches are allowed to hold a three-day minicamp, which usually takes place just before the NFL Draft.

In Phase III, teams can hold up to 10 days of organized team activity (or OTAs). While contact is still prohibited, players can participate in 11-on-11 and 7-on-7 drills. Teams also can have a three-day minicamp with mandatory attendance during this phase.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @AMarkG1.

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