Every year all these draft picks get money that veteran, performing players do not and I just think it's ludicrous. I understand bonus babies, and really covetted draft picks - but at that money? or some other fucked up NFL trade that we've seen a hundred fold? (4th rounder for Moss is a recent one.) How you doing JaMarcus? So the over-riding theme is that the Raiders' organization is batshitinsane, right? No argument there. But obviously, the NFL needs to get some kind of grip on the outlandish salaries that First Day draft picks are commanding, nay, demanding. They could take a page out of the NBA's playbook. But it seems to be those two sports strictly that deal with this. With both Baseball and Hockey, they're drafting kids that, more than likely, can't come in and make a difference for a couple of years. The hope with the NFL and NBA is that they'll show up for training camp and be exciting enough to promote ticket sales and jerseys and carry a team from the bottom of the pile to the playoffs rather quickly. The NBA has set up some protection for the owners from that. The NFL would do wise, and probably will come re-negotiation, to rectify that issue.
The owners don't like it Call me crazy, but aren't the owners the ones paying it? This should really be a simple fix. All the owners have to do is get together and agree what sort of structure to pay these rookies (1st pick down to 32nd) and then simply stick to it. A 1st overall pick would know coming in he's looking at $X. He can take it and play or refuse it and not. He would know he's not getting another offer from anybody else for more because nobody else would pay more. You don't need collective bargaining or anything else to be able to do something like that.
This should really be a simple fix. All the owners have to do is get together and agree what sort of structure to pay these rookies (1st pick down to 32nd) and then simply stick to it. A 1st overall pick would know coming in he's looking at $X. He can take it and play or refuse it and not. He would know he's not getting another offer from anybody else for more because nobody else would pay more. You don't need collective bargaining or anything else to be able to do something like that. I'll take collusion for $1000, Alex.
Outside of the CBA, it's collusion, but what bdaddy describes is the exact system they have now. The salaries are just pegged too high when Matt Ryan's first contract exceeds the value of Tom Brady's (current) third contract.
I'll take collusion for $1000, Alex. collusion is so hard to prove. Just ask Barry Bonds :-)
bdaddy: You really think the agents (let alone the players' union) would allow the owners to get away with that? The problem comes about because one owner gives one rookie a big contract, then every rookie after that thinks he deserves a raise from that standard, and the agents won't let the owner pay a penny less. The fan base would revolt if the first-round pick didn't get signed, so the owner eventually has to cave in to the agent. That's how this happens. It's much like when Darren Dreifort got the 5-year, $55M deal from the Dodgers. One stupid move by one owner gave every other agent for a mediocre pitcher leverage, and the rest of the owners pretty much had to go along.
The salaries are just pegged too high when Matt Ryan's first contract exceeds the value of Tom Brady's (current) third contract. Exactly. And these contracts can also do a lot of damage to a team if their top pick doesn't pan out, which is not an uncommon occurance in the NFL.
