Tamba Hali's Suspension Affects His Contract In A Way That Probably Doesn't Matter

When Tamba Hali was issued his suspension he voided guarantees in his contract set to be paid in 2013. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports the substance abuse policy violation voided nearly $8 million in guarantees.

That sounds costly but it likely won't be. The voided guarantee only comes into play if the Chiefs are planing to cut Hali by 2013 which no one has ever suggested they're planning to do. (Except Carson Palmer, Philip Rivers and come November, Peyton Manning.)

Hali is due over $11 million this year. Next year he's due over $12 million. The final two years of the deal (2014 and 2015) are a combined $13 million in base salary which is roughly half of what they're paying him in base this year and next.

The contract is set up to benefit the Chiefs in the latter years of the deal which is part of the reason I don't think they'd pay out three straight years of a double digit base salary and then walk away when that number is cut in half.

Oh, and Tamba is really, really good as what he does. That's the other reason the Chiefs won't cut him.