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The Falcons will not release Vick immediately; rather, they will wait to see what Goodell does and what is in the statement of facts when Vick enters the plea on Monday, Falcons officials told ESPN's Sal Paolantonio. If the league suspends Vick, the Falcons could then go after Vick's signing bonus of approximately $22 million, because if suspended, then Vick would be in default of his contract.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2983121

Your byline says "WILL" go after the bonus. The Falcons said they "could" do so. Of course they could do so, but it doesn't mean they WILL. Big difference.

I modified it, but honestly, how stupid would they have to be not to go after it?

It isn't really that they wouldn't want to go after it, but the legal issues surrounding it. Man Happ...i would love for them to go after it. But it is my understanding the way that Vick's contract is structured, and recently reconstructed twice, it makes it difficult to do so. In other words Vick delayed payments already due to him in order to give the Falcons more room under the cap.These delayed payments would be difficult to recoup. That's why Vick's salary was so low the past few years, as he traded a higher salary for signing bonuses.

BB, again I don't know, but I'm not so sure. Because by Vick delaying those bonuses, they went from roster bonuses to signing bonuses, which may make it easier for the team to go after.

The basic rule exists that Option bonuses teams CANNOT recoup, but signing bonuses they CAN.

There is no official word on how roster bonuses are treated. It would not surprise me to see this issue go to arbitration.

The Falcons are going to get some money back, you can bet that. At the very least they'll get some of the initial $7.5 million signing bonus they paid him back in December '04. Whether they get any or most of the other $30 million in roster bonuses they paid is up in the air.

Building on what Pudge said, roster bonuses are looked at as option bonuses. However, this is where it gets hairy. His option bonuses were converted to signing bonuses and that may be enough to qualify the argument. Because of the amount of time Vick will miss (not to mention state of Virginia charges) and the fact he lied to the commissioner, it wouldn't shock me if that loophole was used...