Which column in USA NFL salary database lists the amount a player got for that year??

Question

http://content.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/salaries/default.aspx

Answer 1

Base salary

Total salary takes bonuses into account. The bonuses are paid upfront, either when the contract is signed or for other reasons (roster bonus on a specific date, workout bonuses, etc) but for cap purposes, they are prorated over the remaining length of the contract.

Example:

Whitner, Donte'  Bills  $ 360,000  $ 1,500,000  $ 3,111,490  $ 8,706,990  $ 2,331,990  

Donte got $360K in salary in 2007, his signing bonus was $1.5M spread over the life of the contract. The $3,111,490 number is the prorated portion of his option bonus ($8.34M spread over the final 5 years of his deal) and any roster bonuses which are due him later in his contract. The $8,706,990 is the base salary and the option bonus added together...all of which will be in his pocket by the end of the season. The $2,331,990 is his cap figure for NFL accounting purposes

Answer 2

I believe that would be the "total salary" column. According to the site...

"For each player, the database shows his base salary, signing bonus, other bonuses and cap value. The base salary is the value according to his contract; however, he may not have received the entire amount. The column labeled "salary" is the actual amount he received in base salary and bonuses combined."

Of course, there is no column called "salary", but we know the actual amount is not in the base salary, sign bonus, other bonus, or cap value columns. So, that only leaves the "total salary" column.