NEW YORK (AP) — Guaranteed payments for unrestricted NFL free-agent contracts this month make up just over half of the total money to be paid Zach Gentry Jersey , down a bit from 2018, when Kirk Cousins signed a fully guaranteed $84-million deal.For the first 148 deals reached in March, the players’ union says $1.116 billion is guaranteed. That’s 50.15 percent of the nearly $2.227 billion in total values. Take out Cousins’ three-year deal, the 2018 total drops from 52.56 percent to 48 percent.Teams also have spent far more so far in free agency this year. There were 120 contracts worth $1.836 billion at this point in 2018. Total guarantees in 2018 were $965,479,118.The average amount per contract in this free agency period has been $15.04 million, of which the guaranteed dollars reached $7.54 million; the larger monetary agreements, such as quarterback Nick Foles‘ deal with Jacksonville for $88 million over four years, $50.125 million guaranteed, skew the average somewhat.Eighteen veterans signed contract extensions that totaled $226.725 million, of which 41 percent ($93.17 million) was guaranteed.Contracts in Major League Baseball, the NBA and the NHL are fully guaranteed for the length of the deal.“Obviously we are trying to figure how to improve that to 100 percent Nick Bosa Jersey ,” says Giants safety Michael Thomas, a member of the NFLPA’s executive committee. “We know it won’t happen overnight, but with best practices from the players, the agents and the agents of the union working together, we can get closer to the 100 percent.”The current 10-year labor agreement expires in March 2021. All player contracts are negotiated individually and the CBA does not specifically address them, so other mechanisms are needed to boost the guarantees.The fact the salary cap has risen substantially each year of this CBA since 2014 has helped the players get higher pay overall. There also are regulations requiring the 32 teams to spend at least a certain amount of their cap space each season.And, of course, there is (or should be) the competitive desire of each club.When Cousins received that megadeal from Minnesota last year, the NFL lagged far behind in guarantees. It still does.“No other league has that mandate,” 12-year veteran linebacker Lorenzo Alexander of Buffalo said. “It comes down to making that a norm. Whether in the CBA maybe we move toward it, or what the NBA has done where the select stars go out there and are demanding certain structure of their contracts. We need to look to our elite players, our quarterbacks who have that type of leverage. As they create that culture L.J. Collier Jersey , they can make it a norm within the structure of football.“We have to collaborate as players,” added Alexander, also a member of the NFLPA’s executive committee. “Owners always will fight tooth and nail” to avoid guarantees.Both players make salient points about how the current CBA — which often, particularly in the early years of the deal, was perceived as a loss for the union — has helped them and their peers.Alexander notes the health and retirement benefits in the agreement. Thomas cites the elimination of two-a-days in training camps and the curtailed hitting allowed in practices.“The biggest difference in CBAs, and you notice as a player, is from the safety area, because I have been able to elongate my career and get more earning power and playing multiple years,” Alexander said.Most annoying to any player you ask is the perception that pro athletes negotiate a guaranteed paycheck and then become too comfortable to fully apply themselves. Both Alexander and Thomas get riled up when they hear any of that.“It is an excuse … a terrible excuse,” Thomas said. “A player getting guaranteed money would not change who he is as a competitor, and he will go out there and be the best he can be and try to be the best player ever. I do not think that will ever change.“If (an owner) feels like you got the right person, then invest in him Marquise Blair Jersey ,” he added. PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Eagles made a statement last October when they beat Carolina on the road in Week 6.They’re trying to do it again this season, this time at home.Despite winning the Super Bowl, the Eagles (3-3) are back to prove-it mode after a so-so start. The Panthers (3-2) are also looking to establish themselves as playoff contenders when they play in Philadelphia on Sunday.“We were fortunate enough to come away way with a victory on the road,” Eagles coach Doug Pederson said about a 28-23 win in a Thursday night game on Oct. 12, 2017. “This year, it’s no different. Two good football teams. Two aggressive style defenses. So it’s going to have to be a complete game if we expect to win. It’s going to be a really good test for us to see where we are in Week 7.”Both teams were 4-1 when they met last time. The Eagles already have matched their loss total from last season but they’re coming off a dominating 34-13 win at the Giants on Oct. 11. The Panthers lost at Washington 23-17.“There’s no reason to panic,” Panthers coach Ron Rivera said.“We’re just going to keep working hard and trying to improve.”Some things to watch between the Panthers and Eagles:TORREY’S RETURNPanthers wide receiver Torrey Smith was a starter for the Eagles last season and caught a touchdown pass on a flea flicker in the NFC championship game against Minnesota. He said he has no hard feelings over being traded to Carolina after only one season in Philadelphia. Pederson praised Smith’s leadership ability.“He’s a great leader. Great man, first of all,” Pederson said. “He brings explosiveness, he can still run, he can still get open.”CONTAINING CAMThe 6-foot-5, 245-pound Cam Newton is difficult to tackle when he runs the ball. He has 208 yards rushing and a team-high three TDs on the ground.“We have to make sure we do our job D.K. Metcalf Jersey ,” Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham said. “If you don’t, that’s when Cam gets out and he beats you. He’s a big boy. You just have to make sure you go get him, bring him to the ground, tackle well. We have to be aggressive but play smart, too.”Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins said Newton is “more of a power running back than half the running backs they have.”THE BODYGUARDEagles nine-time Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters isn’t expected to miss a game despite tearing his right biceps. Pederson said there’s no risk to a further injury and he doesn’t see a need to rest the 36-year-old Peters. Halapoulivaati Vaitai replaced Peters after the two-time All-Pro had season-ending knee surgery last season. He performed well enough to help Philadelphia win the Super Bowl.CHESS MATCHEagles All-Pro center Jason Kelce is eager to match wits with four-time All-Pro linebacker Luke Kuechly.“You game plan against difference makers and he’s one of those guys,” Kelce said. “Not only is he an incredibly gifted athlete but mentally he’s as sharp as they come. He does a phenomenal job as the orchestrator of that defense.”DINK AND DUNKNewton has completed only one pass that traveled more than 20 yards beyond the line of scrimmage this season. He is also averaging just 6.8 yards per completion. But Newton’s completion percentage under first-year offensive coordinator Norv Turner is a career-best 65.9.“When we get into the logistical things of football and what the defense is giving and what they aren’t, you just can’t go down and chuck the football downfield and just expect, ‘Well, we didn’t take shots in the game,'” Newton said. “Whatever Norv and his offensive staff calls, it’s my job as a quarterback to execute it.”