NFL draft and signing of first round picks

[Reynaldo]

Yeah the draft is fun, and yes, everyone wants to be paid, but when is the nonsense going to end? Seems like within 5 years....first round picks aren't going to actually sign until the following off-season.

I was reading the Chiefs web site about their 1st round pick - Dwayne Bowe WR from LSU and the following snippet irked me:

Also factor in this: Drafted just ahead of Bowe with the 22nd selection was quarterback Brady Quinn. The Cleveland Browns traded back into the round, giving up their first round pick next year for the chance to grab Quinn.

Given all the attention on this story and the price paid by the Browns, Quinn and his agent Tom Condon are not likely to settle for simply taking a small percentage increase on what the 22nd selection received last year. Condon is going to negotiate on the premise that by giving up their first rounder next year, the Browns have established Quinn as a top of the round talent, who should receive top of the round money.

So the 22nd pick is going to want top 5 money, then our WR is going to want peanuts under what a top 5 QB is getting paid. The whole rookie system reeks.

They end up signing 6 year deals and if they're good, re-negotiate after 3 years for huge dollars anyway or threaten to hold out yet again!

Blah!

[Arlos]

The NFL really needs to sit down with the player's union and work out absolutely rigid slotting for the rookies, at a MUCH lower rate than they're getting now. You'll get buy-in from the NFLPA, I think, because it means there'd be that much more money to pay for free agents, which is what makes sense: The guys that have PROVED themselves in the league should be getting the biggest money, not rookies.

You shouldn't have teams trying to trade down in the first round because the cost of a rookie is too high, period. It's bad for the league and needs to be fixed.

-Arlos

[Kaemon]

Not sure how it works in NBA and NHL but if you suck and get cut in the
NFL, that contract is null and void, you got nothing. Unlike MLB where the contract is still in full effect if you're cut.

[Lyion]

Which is why everyone and their brother in the NFL works with something called 'guaranteed' money.

The #1 pick will get around 30 million guaranteed, even if he sucks worse than Akili Smith. It's why teams don't like being near the top of the first round. Near the bottom, you spend a fraction and don't have the risk.

[Arlos]

So make rookie contracts for first rounders guaranteed for 3 years with team options for the 4th year, and not let them have any raise til after that 4th year. Name me one team that gives up on their first rounders in less than 3 years, unless they're SO stupid as to draft Lawrence Phillips. Make them restricted FAs after the 4th year.

Teams'd go for it cause they'd have cost controls fro rookies, and they wouldn't be afraid to be at the top of the draft. Vets'd go for it as there'd be a shitload mroe money to pay free agents, and so proven players would get a bigger piee of the pie. Rookies wouldn't make as much, but they'd get at least 3 years guaranteed, and can re-negotiate after 4 when they'd be restricted FAs. If teams don't want to let them hit the FA market, they can renegotiate during that 4th year, and have the new contract kick in after it.

As it is now, rookies are getting basically the richest contracts in the entire league, which is insane. Why should JaMarcus Russel get anything near the money Tom Brady makes, say? etc. etc. etc.

-Arlos

[Lyion]

Good luck getting the NFL PA and agents to go along with that.

[Arlos]

I couldn't give a rat's ass about the agents. The reason the NFLPA might buy off on it is because it gives more money to the established guys. Does it not benefit the union to have the real stars make the bulk of the money? Wouldn't the vets jump on that one in about 2 nanoseconds, if they could increase their salaries by significant amounts rather than have that money go to a rookie that has never played a down and might be the next Ryan Leaf or Brian Bosworth?

-Arlos

[Lyion]

What you are saying makes sense, but due to the way contracts are currently setup via the draft, it'd take an act of God to change this system, since neither the PA, the Agents, or even anyone in the Union would want to see it change since it'd screw up their easy mode gravy train.

The PA has proven they are inept, simply in the way they allowed the league to have total control over all discipline matters. I'd love to know who was the yahoo who decided to give Goodell discipline power and totalitarian control of all appeals, without any outside arbitration.

I don't think it'll be as big a deal to vets as you think. Take a look at the contracts Guards are getting now. It's wild. Not Left Tackles. Not #1 Cornerbacks. Guards...

I'd love to see an overhaul, but I doubt it'll happen.

[Arlos]

Well, I think we're likely to see some effort made on the issue before too long. It's become more and more a problem that teams don't want to be at the top of the draft because it's just too expensive a risk. Teams shouldn't be trading down for financial reasons, they should be trading down (if they do so) for FOOTBALL reasons.

Drafting at the top of the draft is SUPPOSED to be how bad teams get good again, but how well does that actually work if signing those rookies cripples your salary cap, and then they don't pan out? Bet you anything any owner would leap on the optino to have real cost controls on the draftees. I mean, they supposedly have it now, agents just got adept at spotting the loopholes to get around the draft slotting values. The NFL just needs to close the loopholes and make the values absolutely firm, period. No extra from bonuses, no extra from incentive clauses, nothing. If the guy is that hot shit a player anyway, they'll make their extra $$$ from endorsements NP.

Seriously, I think if they went to the NFLPA and sold it as "Look, rookies deserve good money, but we'd rather the bulk of the money be going to the vets and especially the established stars. We don't want another rookie washout getting a 50mil deal only to play 3rd string, when giving him that money keeps teams from paying the vet starters their money." Even with the money guys are getting now, you don't think they'd jump at the chance to make a lot more?

As for discipline, from what I read, MOST of the team player reps wanted goodall to have that power, because the PLAYERS were sick of the Pacman's, etc. ruining the reputation of the players in the league. Hell, some of the player reps were pushing Goodall to slap Pacman with a LIFETIME ban. No, this wasn't a case of the NFLPA meekly rolling over on something, this was THEIR idea. Besides which, Upshaw and his team still has a fair degree of player cred with how the last CBA negotiations went. A lot of the owners were pretty unhappy with some of the new stuff the players got (exactly what, I don't remember, but I remember articles right after it was signed), and that's all on Upshaw, so he's still flying pretty high at present.

-Arlos

[Reynaldo]

What's funny about Arlos's points are that's exactly how I play my Madden franchise.

I trade my rediculously high priced guys for first round picks, then in the following season, trade all my first round picks for 90+ rated guys with like 3 years left on their deals at 2mil a year. I end up having an all-pro team at virtually every position and I'm still 25mil under the cap.

Or you can really cheese the system and not sign any of your high picks, then just sign them in free agency right after the rookie signing period ends for about 1/4th of what they want in the rookie signing period.

Good times.

[Gaazy]

God I hate Pacman, and Chris Henry too. I used to go visit friends at WVU when they played there and youd see them out all the time acting like thugs and pushing people around

[LostCause]

I like what my patriots have done this offseason

[Arlos]

49ers have had a good off-season too, honestly. They actually got precisely who they wanted in teh draft, and got a good OT too. Plus all the FA signings, I like our chances to be competitive this year, as long as Alex Smith keeps progressing.

-Arlos