In the end, Bernhardt got his two-year deal with the Outlaws. Doing so meant he took less money, and a shorter contract, than he was offered by others like the Redwoods and Chaos. It was never abundantly clear to anyone, even the teams involved, what Bernhardt might do. Right down until the final moments when news of the deal broke Sunday night, there were questions about where Bernhardt would choose to sign.
Teams did know, however, that Bernhardt was very deliberate and thoughtful in the process. Soudan said that Bernhardt listened very intently and wrote down everything that teams said to him in his meetings.
“I felt confident in our conversations, but I didn’t ever really feel fully confident he would straight out choose us,” Soudan said. “He kept it tight to the vest like Jesse always does. I think toward the end I knew, and at the end of the day, I think the draw of the guys that we have on our team and the staff was really the deciding factor.”
It was, indeed, all about fit.
“In the end, I felt that was the best fit for me,” Bernhardt said. “I had great conversations on both sides. It wasn’t easy. But for myself, I felt like this was the best decision. I heard great things about that group of guys both through [Soudan] and my brother Jesse.”
The deal being done meant that Soudan had to let someone go to keep the Outlaws’ roster at 25. Ultimately, attackman Eric Law was released to open a roster spot, although Soudan did say that the team plans to try to bring Law back in the coming weeks.
Bernhardt is the fourth Tewaaraton Award winner on the roster. All four — Bernhardt, Brennan O’Neill, Logan Wisnauskas and Pat Kavanagh — are natural attackmen, meaning someone will have to make the move to midfield.
While that conversation might seem uncomfortable — how do you tell an all-time great attackman to change positions? — for Soudan it took care of itself.
“In our first conversation, Jared said, ‘Hey, I’ll play middie for you, Coach.’ Then I asked O’Neill, and he says, ‘Coach, I heard about [Bernhardt]; are we going to try and get him?’ I said, ‘Yeah, I think we need to.’ He says, ‘Yes, and if you need me to run out of the midfield, I’ll run out of the midfield.’ And Logan of course says, ‘I’ll run out of the midfield.’ That’s the character of these guys.”
“Something I learned playing at Maryland or doing the football thing, you have to do what’s best for the team,” Bernhardt said. “Hearing that tells you enough about the guys and how selfless they are. Anything that’s going to help the team win, that’s the main goal. If someone told me I’d win every game and have zero points, that’s fine with me. Whatever it takes to win.”
Bernhardt also joins a growing group of former Terps on the Outlaws. Soudan noted that having names like Wisnauskas, Alex Smith, Logan McNaney, Luke Wierman and Nick Grill, and of course his brother, gave the Outlaws an edge because it’s an easier locker room for Bernhardt to step into and be comfortable in immediately.
Bernhardt’s return, and the ongoing coverage of where he might ultimately land, became a singular focus for PLL and college lacrosse fans alike. The buzz around a PLL free agent was unprecedented.
In a way, Bernhardt’s free agency felt a bit like looking into the future. For Soudan, who said he’d never seen a buzz like this around a lacrosse free agent in the history of the sport, this is where things are headed.
“As the league grows, as the salary cap rises, you have to treat things differently,” Soudan said. “When I break apart my salary cap, it’s, ‘How long have you been around, how much do you deserve it, and then do you have another job where you make a lot of money?’ Because there are guys trying to make a living with lacrosse. And I’m forthright; I give a little extra to the guys who try to just do lacrosse full time. But the days of doing that kind of thing are going to pass us by in the next several years.”
He acknowledged that he’d spoken with and worked through agents on deals in the past, but never like this, and the situation was a testament to how special a player Bernhardt is.
“Everyone wants to grow this game,” Bernhardt said. “It’s gotten to where it’s gotten, and it’s awesome to see. But we want to keep it moving forward because it is a great game. We want to get more people to see it.”
The PLL’s current media rights deal with partner ESPN expires after this year, and league president Paul Rabil has said negotiations on the next deal with ESPN are underway and progressing. In pro sports, the foundation of a healthy and growing league is a strong media rights deal.
A new deal, for more money, would allow the PLL to increase player salaries. That would come with a salary cap increase, and likely more free agent whirlwinds like Bernhardt’s. The 2024 raising of the salary cap, along with the addition of the flex cap, have been one combined piece of the puzzle. The PLL has also said that expansion of the schedule could happen in the near term, including more games, more practices and more opportunities to play.
A larger media rights deal, more games on the schedule and a growing salary cap all mix to make free-agent frenzies like Bernhardt’s possible.
In another sign of growth in league interest and the sport, the buzz around the Bernhardt signing was organic. Official league social media accounts, including individual team accounts and league owned outlet The Lacrosse Network, were quiet on Bernhardt between the initial post from Yates about Bernhardt’s return until the deal was officially announced a week later. The massive buzz was driven naturally by fan interest and outside media coverage, a flame that needed no stoking from the league at all.
For now, with the deal done, eyes turn toward the upcoming PLL weekend in Charlotte and Bernhardt’s professional debut.
“He’s a great young man and a super athlete. Not every person that came out of college was like him,” Soudan said. “He was a guy I wanted on the team because he fits the bill. He’s a culture guy, a character guy, super athletic, and he’ll make an impact for us. This weekend. Right away.”
Bernhardt will suit up and take the field this weekend for the Outlaws, who play the hometown Chaos on Friday at 6 p.m. Eastern. The game can be seen on ESPN+.