What is a common reason teams convert a player’s salary into a bonus?

Converting a player’s salary into a bonus is a common strategy teams use to save money against the salary cap. When a team converts a portion of a player's salary into a signing bonus, the total bonus amount is typically spread out over the remaining years of the player's contract for salary cap purposes. This means that while the player may receive a larger amount immediately, the team can count only a fraction of that amount against the salary cap each year. This can create valuable cap space in the short term, allowing teams to sign other players or manage their overall salary structure more effectively.

This strategy is particularly useful in the context of the NFL's strict salary cap regulations, which require teams to stay under a certain threshold. By converting salaries to bonuses, teams can alleviate immediate cap constraints, accommodating other financial commitments and maintaining competitive rosters.