Hope for changes in Rookie Salary Stucture

[Pompy]

I sure hope the owners and players change the out of control salary escalation of the rookies coming out of college. We wouldn't have no trouble trading down if it wasn't for the 30+ million guarantee our number one pick is going to receive from the Dolphins for a player that hasn't proved himself. Hopefully the Players and Owners get together and get something similiar to NBA Salaries structure for Rookies. I can see players being slotted for 3-4 year contracts and then the veteran players would reap the reward of production after producing for a short period of time. Another added benefit would be no hold-outs from contract negotiations for traning camps. It looks like the owners this November is going to void the last two years of the current CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) and next year will be the last Cap year which will make a salary cap hell for some teams with no room under the cap. 2010 would be an un-cap year and we are very fortunate to have Mr. Ross (New owner) who is the second richest owners who stated he didn't buy the Dolphins to make money but to win Championships. Unfortunately majority of owners will probably vote on a lock-out and there won't be any season in 2010. What do you think?

 

[Myles Fynch]

Wholeheartedly agree.

The agents shouldn't oppose it... they would make their commissions off of the established NFL stars, not prospects who haven't earned that kind of coin. Good players who are currently in the NFL shouldn't oppose it... as it takes some money from the prospects and makes it available to the vets who have earned it on the NFL battlefield. Owners shouldn't oppose it... because their money will go toward keeping above average and star players on their teams--not going towards guaranteed eight figure portions of a rookie contract to guys who may not even be able to hack it at this level.

Nobody is saying draftees should get fast food restaurant wages. Just that they should get paid the same as the guy taken in their draft slot the previous year, plus or minus any change to the salary cap.

End result, besides all the previously mentioned benefits... no more holdouts. You know what you're going to get the second your name is announced at the draft podium. With full training camps under the rookies belts, the quality of play in the NFL might even improve.

Unfortunately, for fundamental changes to happen on such a grand scale, this mess will have to get even worse before enough people are convinced it's broken and needs an overhaul. I don't know what that would look like, but if there is a work stoppage due to the owners voiding some years off of the collective bargaining agreement, then that's as good a place to tackle it as any.