GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Last year, no NFL team paid out more in workout bonuses than the Green Bay Packers, who handed out $4.3 million to entice some of their top players to attend the offseason program.
This year, they will shell out even more.
What better way to get players to come to the NFL's smallest city for voluntary workouts, which began on Monday?
A total of 22 players -- more than one-third of the Packers' roster – have workout bonuses in their contracts. Combine them all, and the Packers will pay out $4.92 million on those bonuses. The requirement for collecting those bonuses can vary from player to player, but typically they must participate in 80 to 90 percent of the offseason program in order to collect.
Here's the full list of Packers' players who have workout bonuses in their contracts:
Aaron Rodgers: $500,000
Jordy Nelson: $500,000
Julius Peppers: $500,000
Clay Matthews: $500,000
Sam Shields: $500,000
Randall Cobb: $400,000
Josh Sitton: $300,000
Morgan Burnett: $300,000
Bryan Bulaga: $250,000
T.J. Lang: $200,000
Mike Neal: $200,000
Mason Crosby: $150,000
Scott Tolzien: $100,000
Letroy Guion: $100,000
B.J. Raji: $100,000
Tim Masthay: $100,000
Andrew Quarless: $75,000
James Starks: $75,000
John Kuhn: $25,000
Brett Goode: $25,000
Richard Rodgers: $10,000
Khyri Thornton: $10,000
According to the rules established in the collective bargaining agreement, the offseason program can last no more than 10 weeks with no more than four workouts per week, and none on the weekends. Full-contact practices are not allowed at any time during the offseason.
Phase one, which began Monday, is limited to strength training and conditioning. In phase two, coaches are allowed to be on the field with players doing individual and position drills without helmets. Phase three includes organized team activities (OTAs) and a mandatory minicamp.
In the OTA/minicamp portion, helmets but no pads (except for protective knee and elbow pads) are allowed. Full team (11-on-11) drills are allowed, but live contract drills between offensive and defensive linemen or receivers and defensive backs is prohibited.
Here's the Packers' offseason schedule.
