The Calgary Stampeders and quarterback Jake Maier have agreed to a mutually beneficial contract reworking for the 2024 season.
General manager Dave Dickenson gave Maier a $150,000 signing bonus as the 26-year-old took his base salary down $55,000. The QB nets more after taxes than his original agreement for the upcoming season and the Stamps benefit from extra cap space.
“We’ve been in contact with Jake quite a bit this offseason, identifying some things that, as a staff and as an offensive unit, we need to be better at,” Dickenson said.
“Just trying to communicate with Jake and make sure he’s at his best. Lots of things going on and I’m confident with Jake and feel like he’s a guy that will improve this year and make us better.”
Maier’s new hard money breakdown: $150,000 signing bonus, $156,200 base salary, $13,800 housing, $10,000 appearance, $5,000 workout bonus, $4,000 travel allowance for $339,000 total. He can earn $2,000 per game for playing more than 51 percent of the offensive snaps plus $1,000 if named a West Division all-star, $2,000 for CFL all-star and $3,000 for league MOP. That gives Maier a $381,000 maximum value.
The six-foot, 227-pound passer started every game during his first full season as QB1 in professional football. Maier completed 62.8 percent of his passes for 4,244 yards with 19 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. Calgary went 6-12 under his guidance to make the playoffs but lost in the Western Semi-Final.
“Jake has great durability. He got hit a lot as well last year and he played through a lot, so those are good things,” Dickenson said.
Dickenson moved on from Bo Levi Mitchell and went with Maier as the starter midway through the 2022 season. He completed 74.7 percent of his passes for 2,389 yards with 14 touchdowns and seven interceptions in nine starts that year. The Stampeders posted a 12-6 record, Maier was 6-3 but lost in the Western Semi-Final to the B.C. Lions.
Through 48 games in the three-down league, Maier has completed 66.3 percent of his passes for 7,844 yards with 38 touchdowns and 25 interceptions. He’s rushed 50 times for 186 yards and five majors. The Fullerton, CA native has a 13-17 win-loss record in the regular season with an 0-2 playoff mark.
It’s a critical year for Maier, playing the final season of his contract, focused on cementing his status as a bonafide starting QB in Cowtown.
