The NFL's performance-based pay program is meant to be a bit of a counter-balance for those players who were late-round picks - or who weren't drafted at all - but who end up playing a lot of snaps for their team. Which is why someone like fullback Bruce Miller, who also features heavily on special teams, will get the biggest performance-based paycheck of any 49er this week, $273,400.
Miller was a seventh-round pick in 2011 who played 700 snaps last season for the 49ers. Conversely, first-round pick A.J. Jenkins, who played 35 snaps, had one of the lowest figures, $5,300. Running back Brandon Jacobs, who was hurt - and then suspended and then released - was at the bottom at $1,500. Some other figures at random:
FB Bruce Miller: $273,400
CB Chris Culliver: $229,200
G Alex Boone: $223,100
DE Demarcus Dobbs: $126,700
QB Colin Kaepernick: $85,500
TE Delanie Walker: $69,800
QB Alex Smith: $11,500
Here's the official explanation for how performance-based pay is calculated: Performance-based pay is computed by using a "player index." To produce the index, a player's regular-season playing time (total plays on offense, defense and special teams) is divided by his adjusted regular-season compensation (full season salary, prorated portion of signing bonus, earned incentives). Each player's index is then compared to those of the other players on his team to determine the amount of his pay.
-- Matt Barrows
