(Aug. 26, 2005) -- When rookie running back Maurice Clarett passed up a signing bonus for contract incentives, he cost himself money and a job.
In the slot he was drafted, Clarett was entitled to receive $410,000 in signing bonus. But he rejected it, opting for $7 million worth of incentives, figuring he was good enough to earn it. Had Denver paid Clarett the money, it would have been more obligated to keep him than it is now. Now, Clarett is expected to be released if not in the Broncos' first-round of cuts, then certainly their second.
Clarett is expected to be one of the highest profile cuts in the NFL when the full cut lists become available on Aug. 30 and Sept. 4. And for now -- and events always are subject to change -- Denver has decided against placing Clarett on injured reserve, where he would have missed the coming season and had a chance to fully recover from the groin injury the running back claimed he incurred earlier this summer.
One of the biggest reasons Clarett is not expected to make it in Denver is the lack of maturity he demonstrated during the summer. He had a warped perception of his talents, thus bypassing a signing bonus for incentives. Clarett also agitated some of his teammates for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was conducting national TV interviews before he had accomplished anything on the field -- or even gotten on the field.
But just as Clarett created a buzz on draft day, he now will do the same on cut day. But with all the teams that were thought to like him on draft day -- Cleveland, Dallas, Jacksonville -- Clarett isn't expected to be out of work long. At least one is expected to claim him on waivers.