Rookie Cap

[Egg]

I doesn't sound like anything that'll happen for at least another season, but what do you guys think of the idea of a rookie salary cap?? I personally think it's a good idea. In the current system, we've got unproven kids who have never taken so much as a single snap in the NFL, demanding as much or more money than veteran all-pros. It's gotten completely out of hand. If I were a team with a Top 5 pick, I'd be trading down 9 times out of 10. The financial burden is simply too much for an unknown.

A couple potential problems I could see:
- Too many rookies demanding the maximum pay
- High picks being unwilling to sign for more than a couple years

The rules can be tweaked to counteract these problems though (if they occur). For instance, you could say that draftees are only eligible to receive the maximum pay if they sign for a certain amount of years.




"The idea that the worst team would get help from a good player or players is out the window because you are saddled in salary cap hell if the guy is anything but an almost immediate Pro Bowler. And it must change.

"The union has to give us a firm, definitive, rookie salary cap. We're perfectly willing to have the money that does not go to the rookies go to the veterans. Nobody is looking to save money. But we're sick and tired of giving exorbitant, incredible sums of money to players who haven't proven they can do anything but play against Eastern Michigan."
- Colts President Bill Polian

[Matt McGuire]

We should go with guaranteed set contracts for rookies in the first two rounds like the NBA, then afterwards nothing is guaranteed and you negotiate those contracts with agents.

[PuppyPuncher]

I think it'd be hard to find someone who approved of the current system.

[Leo Fender]

I think the agents and some of the top players might approve the current system. But yes, a rookie salary cap is needed.

[jimmyp]

I think the agents and some of the top players might approve the current system. But yes, a rookie salary cap is needed.

I couldn't see it not passing with the players. None of the changes would affect them, in fact they would only get more money because they now have a bigger slice of the pie.

[49ersfan]

I think it would pass. It will most likely be in the next CBA.

[Leo Fender]

I couldn't see it not passing with the players. None of the changes would affect them, in fact they would only get more money because they now have a bigger slice of the pie.

My bad, shouldn't have written top players but top prospects.

[dweaver44]

Ouch if you're Eastern Michigan

[Joey_Potter]

!st and 2nd Rounders- 5 Years $30 Million
3rd and 4th Rounders- 3 Years $20 Million (Team Option for a Forth Year)
5th Rounders - 2 Years $10 Million (Team Option for Third Year)
6th and 7th Rounders- 2 Years $5 Million (Team Option for Third Year)

[Leo Fender]

$30 million/5 = 6 million a year
$20 milion/3 = 6.67 million a year

Sign me up for the 3rd or forth round.

[Luke #28]

Lol, who wants to go #1 eh! :P

[Drumsteroo]

We should go with guaranteed set contracts for rookies in the first two rounds like the NBA, then afterwards nothing is guaranteed and you negotiate those contracts with agents.

I have been saying this for years. I think it should be 3 years guaranteed, sometimes it takes NFL players longer to make an impact than NBA players.

!st and 2nd Rounders- 5 Years $30 Million
3rd and 4th Rounders- 3 Years $20 Million (Team Option for a Forth Year)
5th Rounders - 2 Years $10 Million (Team Option for Third Year)
6th and 7th Rounders- 2 Years $5 Million (Team Option for Third Year)

still far too much money for an unknown. All rookies get 3 year contracts and then become restricted free agents. The salary is slotted so there are no negotiations, your picked at selection A, you get paid selection A from the chart. No more holdouts and will make rooks work for their cash.

[Joey_Potter]

Hey guys. I told you I suck at math! lol. D*mn me. I can see it now

Agent: I hear you're going to be the #1 Overall pick.
Player: F*ck me! Why didnt I run a 4.9 40 instead of a 4.4! F*ck! I could have fallen into Round 3 and gotten more money!

LOL!

[Drumsteroo]

wow, i read that and did the math, actually did laugh out loud, everyone in the office looked at me like im retarded, and now I have to do real work

[Casey]

First off, the union will never let this happen. Often times, players biggest contract is their rookie contract.

As an example, Laron Landry as an unproven rookie got a 5 year $41.5M with $17.5M guaranteed.

Gibril Wilson got a 6 year, $39M contract with $16M guaranteed.

Like I said before, the NFLPA would be pulling money from the wallets of the players it represents.

If you want to use "get while the gettin's good," "strike while the iron's hot," or whatever other phrase, the NFLPA won't allow the NFL to neglect that right.

Wilson is a great example of a player being taken late, and being able to assert his value. However, many first round picks will not receive a larger contract than their rookie deal.

Also, Joey Potter, under your salary slotting system, teams would be paying rookies an average of $35M per year, give or take for escalations.

5th 6th and 7th round guys would be making 10X+ what they make now. 2nd rounders would be making about 6X what they make now. 3rd and 4th rounders about 8X what they make now. Even most 1st rounders would nearly double their initial yearly salary.

The only people who would be penalized by your system are top 10 picks, who would receive significantly less, and veterans, whose teams wouldn't be able to afford them because signing 4 years of rookies would put them over the salary cap.