Patriots punter Jake Bailey is one of the biggest beneficiaries of the proven performance escalators that were included in the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement.
A fifth-round draft pick in 2019, Bailey would ordinarily make $965,000 this year, the fourth and final year of his rookie contract. But the CBA’s proven performance escalator provides significant pay raises to non-first-round draft picks who make a Pro Bowl within their first three NFL seasons.
Bailey was chosen to the Pro Bowl after the 2020 season, which means his base salary increases to $3,986,000 in 2022. That’s a pay raise of more than $3 million for that Pro Bowl selection.