Gholston’s terrible play cost him $9M

Vernon Gholston, the 6th overall pick in the 2008 draft by the New York Jets, was mercifully released by Gang Green after three ridiculously bad seasons. Gholston was the defensive equivalent of JaMarcus Russell, minus the fatness, and a perfect example of combine warriors becoming epic draft busts. Don’t worry about Vernon too much though. Chances are he’ll land with another team, or take his talents to the CFL and/or the UFL. Plus he’s got $21 million from guarantees in his rookie contract, so unless he pisses all that away, he should be all right. Now get this—that $21 million could have easily been $30 million had Gholston just made one play, one freaking play, thanks to an escalator in his restructured contract from last season. All it took for the Jets LB/DE hybrid to trigger the $9 million escalator was to either a) record a sack, b) force a fumble, or c) recover a fumble. Alas, it was not meant to be, as Gholston’s ineptitude on the footb...