Packers starter missed out on $2 million because of just two snaps, and it's a tough situation the team can't easily fix

Two snaps, $2.042 million. This is how much Green Bay Packers starting right guard Sean Rhyan missed, and that is how many snaps he was short of the threshold to receive the Proven Performance Escalator, an NFL tool to reward players drafted between the second and seventh round who outplayed their draft positions throughout the first three years in the league.

To have a bump from $1.363 million to $3.406 million, Rhyan should have played 35% of the Packers' offensive snaps in his first three seasons. However, he played 1,144 out of 3,272 snaps, 34.952%, getting two plays away from the bonus.

"[We had] him at 35% of snaps exactly," Rhyan's agent, Cameron Foster, told ESPN. "However, the NFL and NFLPA both had him just under. So, per the Packers they are not giving him the escalator. We are pretty disappointed about it for sure."

Technically, the Packers can't simply pay the bonus. Because Rhyan has already played three seasons in the NFL, the team could redo the contract (as if it was an extension), but that would affect the team's salary cap and potential future negotiations for the player.

Rhyan had already lost $235k as a rookie after being suspended for six games due to violation of the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances. Now, the right guard is entering the final year of his rookie deal.

Proven performance escalator

The Proven Performance Escalator has three levels, and all Packers players are in the first one.

Level 1: If the player participated in a certain percentage of snaps for two of his first three seasons, or averaged that through three years. The percentage is 60% for second-rounders or 35% for later picks. New salary: amount of the original draft round RFA tender.

Level 2: If the player participates in at least 55% of the team's offensive/defensive snaps in each of his first three seasons. New salary: amount of the original draft round RFA tender + $250k.

Level 3: If the player is an original Pro Bowl selection in any of his first three seasons. New salary: amount of the second-round RFA tender (projected by OTC to be $5.217 million).

Four Packers players drafted in 2022 will receive these bumps in 2025: Wide receiver Romeo Doubs, tackles Zach Tom and Rasheed Walker, and defensive end Kingsley Enagbare.