Bobby Bonilla Day: Which Jaguars Have Lower Base Salaries in 2020 Than Bonilla?

Each July 1, people come together on social media to celebrate one of the most unique and interesting days in the sports world: Bobby Bonilla Day.

Ever since 2011, the New York Mets have paid the retired Bonilla an annual sum of $1,193,248.20 at the start of each July, a payment he will receive through 2035. Bonilla hasn't played in an MLB game since 2001, and hasn't taken the field for the Mets since the conclusion of the 1999 season but he will be collecting a check from the Mets for over $1 million until he is 72-years-old.

The story of Bonilla is rehashed each July, but essentially the Mets wanted to release him from a contract in which he was still owed nearly $6 million. Instead of buying Bonilla out then, the Mets and Bonilla's camp agreed to defer the payments for 12 years, in part because of Mets owner Fred Wilpon's financial relationship with infamous Ponzi scheme mastermind Bernie Madoff (yes, really). All in all, Bonilla is set to earn over $29 million from the Mets throughout the duration of his deferred payments.

While Bonilla is far from the first athlete to be paid via deferred payments, he is one of the most notable due to the circumstances of his contract and the length of his agreement with the Mets.

Today, Bonilla is set to earn more money than players like Kansas City Chiefs quarterback and former MVP Patrick Mahomes, Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson and countless others are set to make from their base salaries.

So, which notable Jaguars are set to earn less via their base salaries this season than Bonilla will be paid by the Mets on Wednesday? Quite a few names pop out (salaries via Spotrac).

CB Rashaan Melvin: $1,050,000
RB Chris Thompson: $1,050,000
DL Dawuane Smoot: $964,353
TE James O'Shaughnessy: $910,000
WR DJ Chark: $884,294
RT Jawaan Taylor: $850,632
SS Ronnie Harrison: $750,000
LT Will Richardson: $750,000
P Logan Cooke: $750,000
CB Tre Herndon: $750,000
QB Gardner Minshew II: $675,000

Players like Chark, Taylor, Harrison, Herndon and Minshew are all set to be major contributors for the Jaguars this season, but they will be making less via the base salaries of their rookie contracts than Bonilla will make from the Mets today, even though Bonilla hasn't played for the Mets in two decades.

Considering the Jaguars are entering 2020 with the third-cheapest trio of starting quarterback, wide receiver and running back, it is little surprise to see two of those three players set to make less than Bonilla this year. But it doesn't make it any less fascinating that a starting quarterback and a Pro Bowl wide receiver who was a second-round pick just a few years ago is set to earn less from their base salaries than Bonilla is being paid by the Mets to not play for them.