Goodell wants to lower rookie salries

On another thread, it was argued that Cedric Benson was correct to hold out because that was the only chance he would have some leverage.
Is it not true that the veteran NFL players got theirs' upfront when they were rookie draftees?
Just asking?
 
There has been huge salary inflation at the very top of the draft. Right now, the top ten picks are probably worth less than the next ten picks because of the high salaries teams have to pay. You're "rewarding" the worst teams in the NFL with unproven players with huge salaries.

The NFL is all about maintaining competitive balance and this is hurting it quite a bit.
 
There seem to be some really bad/uneducated posts on here.

To say that this is "saving the owners from themselves" or "just another way for owners to make more money" etc. is just stupid.

Salaries in the NFL are already manipulated by their CBA (colective bargaining agreement) with the players union. This is simply a new stipulation in that agreement. The owners have requested it of the union. If it makes sense for the union they will ratify it. If it doesn't, they won't.

The money spent on salaries, in total, will not be affected by this new wrinkle. The owners won't make anymore money by somehow limiting their overall salary structure. It will be the same. Only difference is that the top 15-20 rookies will make less initially and more veterans will make more.
 
Beau- I don't necessarily disagree with some of your thoughts, but you can not look at professional sports teams and compare them to other businesses. If GM can drive Ford out of business, its good for GM. If the Cowboys do it to the Redskins you have a problem.

In reply to:


 
The simple fact is that the system as it is set up now is affecting the ability of poor performing teams to improve and compete.

The amount of $$ tied up in guaranteed (signing bonus) dollars for the top draft picks hamstrings a team for years in the future.

No-one trades into those picks anymore because they're afraid of the guaranteed $$ that goes along with the compensation you have to give up. It's a hell of a lot to risk to trade into the top 10.

As stated before, an owner can refuse to pay the going rate. Al Davis tried that. Look what it got him. A wasted year for his franchise QB. The guy might not have played anyway, but he missed so much time that many of the GM types indicated it was akin to losing the entire year of learning. And look at the alternative for the Raiders. They refuse to sign him and he holds out and re-enters the draft. He might not be the overall number one again the next year, but he's still a first rounder and you've gone a year without adding first round talent to your squad. How do you think the fan base will react to that situation? It dooms you to a longer period of suck.

If, God forbid, a player doesn't pan out, you're stuck with his cap number and then have to make hard decisions on not only free agents but signing your own players.

Without a doubt, the best spot to be in the draft is the bottom half. The cap number isn't so great and there is still a great deal of talent to be had. If you miss on a pick it is not a huge deal to your future salary cap flexibility.

I'm not going to get into the business model, owner restraint, or any of that BS. The situation is simple. With the way the system is set up now, it is more difficult to break into the ranks of the elite than it is to stay elite in the NFL.

That's bad for business.

Hook 'em
 
No-one follows through because of the repercussions within their own fan base. It never happens because the consequences for the team that misses out are so severe.

To compare the NFL draft with the MLB draft is laughable. It is worse than apples to oranges. The MLB drafts until the last team decides to stop. Hell I could be drafted next year in the 185th round. The MLB has a minor league system to develop players and their signing bonuses are nowhere near that of the NFL.

If a team were to fail to sign their top draft pick it would be suicide for the owner and management from a fan base perspective.

Hook 'em
 

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