League-leading receiver Ricky Collins Jr. a bargain for Eskimos

Screenshot courtesy: Edmonton Football Team

The CFL’s leading receiver doesn’t come with an exorbitant price tag.

Ricky Collins Jr. received a $20,000 signing bonus when he inked a two-year contract with the Edmonton Eskimos back in February. The first year of the deal also included $65,000 in salary and $10,000 in housing, totaling $95,000 in “hard money.”

The value of the contract can grow should the 27-year-old reach the following bonuses: 50 receptions, $1,000; 1,000 yards, $1,000; divisional all-star, $1,000; league all-star, $2,000; Edmonton Most Outstanding Player, $1,000; West Division Most Outstanding Player, $2,000; and CFL Most Outstanding Player, $3,000.

Should Collins Jr. reach every bonus, his total earnings for 2019 would equal $108,000.

The second year of the contract is identical to the first with the exception of salary, which increases to $85,000. This means the veteran’s contract maxes out at $128,000 in 2020.

Collins Jr. has been a member of five CFL teams over the past four years, having been cut twice (Winnipeg, 2016; Hamilton, 2017) and traded once. The CFL’s leading pass catcher appears to have finally found a long-term home in Edmonton, setting new career highs in receiving yards (760) and touchdowns (three) through just ten games.

In a league where top-tier receivers are regularly paid more than $200,000 per season, Collins Jr. provides the Eskimos with quite a bargain.