Quote:
Originally Posted by jsarno
I thought they could negotiate any contract they wished? For instance if he felt he was a first round talent, and wanted 5 years 15 mil or something like that? Is there on a cap on it on something?
|
Yeah there kind of is a cap on it, it's called the rookie pool. The NFL lays out a "cap within the cap." In other words, you have your normal salary cap for your entire team which all your players have to fit under, and your rookies have to all fit under a certain smaller number within the larger cap.
This year the Skins had a rookie pool limit of $4.5 million. Meaning the cap hits in 2008 for their 10 rookies combined had to be under $4.5 million.
So that's one force in place preventing the numbers from getting too high. But further, market forces dictate that draft picks outside of the first round pretty much get a standard contract according to draft order. Typically, teams look at what the same pick from last year's draft got, and apply an inflation factor. So the Skins probably looked back at the 34th pick of 2007, found the numbers from his deal, and started there.
As more and more draft picks signed around Thomas, it gave the 'Skins and Thomas even narrower parameters. He theoretically should get more than the 35th pick, but less than the 33rd.
In the end, Thomas is free to negotiate for as much money as he wants. But he certainly can't ask for more than the rookie pool limit would allow, because the 'Skins literally can't give that to him. And he's got little standing to ask for something out of line with last year's 34th pick, or more than this year's 33rd pick got. So his choice is take that standard deal, or hold out forever.
When you're coming into a team with Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle El already here, plus another talented rookie signed, you better just take whatever deal and get your ass into camp. If you want to make an impact to one day make the big bucks, you're going to need all the practice you can get.