I am surprised that you guys haven't debated NFL rookie contracts yet.
So here we go, Does anyone here have any ideas on a compromise or solution to the league situation?

Now that T.J. is a vet he doesn't think that rookies should make more than vets. However as a 7th round pick his original contract was basically league minimum througout.

Anyone a fan of additional salary caps for rookies?
How about increased pay for vets?

I personally am not a fan of inflated pay for vets when the ideal NFL player is young, athletic and just enough experience to excel at his job. (See Carson Palmer, L.T.)
Since the young gifted players are in such demand for a league like the NFL where speed and power stil matter they should be rewarded a higher contract, yet I feel they need to earn it somehow.

What if the NFL pulled a sorta socialist(ouch) stance and took over payment of all of the players and they decided at the end of the years how much each player made. Hypothetically the NFL would take a larger slice of gate and vendor receipts to make this happen. So the main driving factors for a attracting a player would be the team itself, location, and facilities. If this pay structure existed, the Pickens, Dillon, Ocho Cinco, et. al incidences would not have happened.
For Example--
The base salaries of incoming rookies would be determined by draft order and capped simply by slot drafted for 2-3 years only then would progress to years service and performance only.
At the end of the year certain predetermined bonuses would be paid out by the league.
e.g. 750,1000,1250,1500,... yards rushing,receiving,passing
Each TD worth $x,000
Pro Bowl selection, playoff appearances, and so on.
Additionally the team would be able to have a capped amount of money to give its own bonuses out to its own liking for things that were not rewarded by the league.
e.g. - no arrest bonuses (just kidding), Team MVP, integral to winning record, team records broken, etc.
As each player progresses through the pay structure he would receive a slightly higher base salary for years experience plus an additional cumulative annual portion based upon previous performance.

A payment structure like above would in theory pay players on winning teams, or superstar performers more than those who still can't crack the starting lineup on a bad team. As well all players are hungry every year since their pay now and in the future is dependent upon performance now. In theory fewer players getting lazy since they just inked their mega deal.

I personally think something should be done about players coming out of college earning huge contracts when they have yet to prove anything.

Veterans who built a franchise around them deserve the contracts example Bret Favre.  

Also, players that are under contract and then want to opt out based on the fact they can get higher pay somewhere else also needs to be dealt with. Prima donnas are a huge problem in sports today and loyalty for ones team means nothing anymore. I for one am getting tired of this in sports.

Also, I like your pay scale but it will never happen. Instead of a pay scale for players can we have one for owners?

Example: Owner who holds the worst record for an entire decade and makes the playoffs one in 17 years should be worth $5.85 an hour.

I don't agree with automatic escalators for vets b/c it makes it harder for them to get signed to a team.

I do agree with managed rookie contracts but at a shorter length than now so they can sign a contract based on performance in 2 or 3 years.

I despise rookie contracts.

Some cornerbak out of a 1-AA gets 4 million a year because he ran the 40 in a 4.2?

B.S.

Rookie contracts should be small based salaries with huge escalators.

They can get guaranteed money in their second contract.

First rounders still make money to last a lifetime if they can invest wisely.

"The American Cancer Society says uninsured patients are 60 percent more likely to die within five years of their diagnosis."

Personal opinion:

Compensation should be based on a fair and equitable structure that has nothing to do with tenure and everything to do with production:

Minimum Position Salary: Every position should have a minimum salary based on depth chart status and health. This would be a weekly assessment that can be adjusted based on injuries etc.

Playing Time: Some starters play less, some play more, same with back-ups. Back-ups that play more should be compensated for their time, starters that play less should get less.

Team based incentives: You should get more money every time your team wins regardless of your status.

Individual accomplishment: You have a good game, you get paid more, you stink it up, you get less.

Even if you don't like anything above, there should be a shift to Union driven contracts: If contracts are negotiated in a standard format, you can negotiate with the NFL players association and not with individual money grubbing agents. This means you can eliminate the 20% or so of salaries that go to agents and increase the dollars going to players without increasing the overall layout of money. Also, as stated in an earlier post, equitable contracts allow for players to move from team to team for non-contract reasons.

"Well, it ain't braggin' if it's true
Yes sir, yes sir
It ain't braggin' if it's true
Muhammad Ali said that
Back when he was a young man
Back when he was Cassius Clay
Before he fought too many fights
And left his brain inside the ring"

"Now that T.J. is a vet he doesn't think that rookies should make more than vets. However as a 7th round pick his original contract was basically league minimum througout."


Who's shocked that TJ forgets where he came from?!?!?!?!?!??!?


But seriously folks--I like Belko's idea. Pay them what they're worth. Not who they are or what they HAVE ALREADY done. Pretty smart, Belk. Good idea.





"So he got fired? Big deal. It's happened to the best of us. So he got kicked out of his house by his 400 lb'ed wife?!?!? That's probably better for him anyways."-OldSchooler on ChrisMBHater's absence

Tj is the perfect example of why rookies should NOT get huge contracts. More money would be available for guys who actually perform once on the field. Instead, that money goes to guys that may or may not ever perform. How nice would it have been to never pay Akilme and Peter Warrick the money we did and saved it for better players? Instead of O'Dell getting his money, would could have had some more left for Steinbach.






_____________________________________________
January 6,1991: The last post season victory for the Bengals.

....Rookie contracts should be small based salaries with huge escalators."

Only problem with escalators is that they create "me first" players, not team players, not that the current system doesn't, but could you imagine getting paid based upon yards, TDs etc. Give me the damned ball players would be having fist fights on the sidelines.

No reason why you can't put in escalators for team based activities... Offensive production as a team, getting double teamed, being voted team captain, team player of the week, etc. And of course... the number one escalator should be you did your part and we won. You could also give escalators on every aspect of a position, made your block, ran a good fake, etc.

"Well, it ain't braggin' if it's true
Yes sir, yes sir
It ain't braggin' if it's true
Muhammad Ali said that
Back when he was a young man
Back when he was Cassius Clay
Before he fought too many fights
And left his brain inside the ring"

One problem with that system is that if players make more when their team wins, every rookie entering the league is going to want to play for the Patriots (or Indy, Chargers, def not the Bungs).

Could create a rich get richer scenario, reducing parity throughout the league.

The roster is only 53 guys, there is a bit more talent than that in the NFL, A starter on an 8-8 team should make more than a back-up on a 12-4 team as well. Additionally, you'd still have a draft that would hold players in place for 3-4 years, not to mention what a team could do to improve coaching, diet, facilities etc to be a team worth playing for.

I think the biggest drawback would be the same as now, if you are the QB in NY city you have more opportunity to do commercials, and get endorsements than you do if you are the qb in Buffalo. But, I think the NFL could help with this by promoting its players... some of this is already happening, see chad fame.

"Well, it ain't braggin' if it's true
Yes sir, yes sir
It ain't braggin' if it's true
Muhammad Ali said that
Back when he was a young man
Back when he was Cassius Clay
Before he fought too many fights
And left his brain inside the ring"

If it was not for the draft the clown would never pay anyone anything.

 

http://www.ronpaul2008.com/issues/