Which bonuses are excluded from the 30% Rule?

The signing bonuses are excluded from the 30% Rule because they are generally treated differently in salary cap calculations. Signing bonuses are amortized over the life of the contract, meaning they do not count against the yearly salary cap hit in the same way that base salaries do. This allows teams to spread out the cost of the signing bonus, effectively providing flexibility under the salary cap.

In contrast, performance bonuses and incentive bonuses are typically tied directly to the player’s performance and can have a greater immediate impact on salary cap calculations, as they may vary from year to year based on whether the player meets specific performance metrics. Thus, excluding signing bonuses from the 30% Rule helps teams manage their salary cap while still providing financial incentives to players through other forms of bonuses.