You think this would shake up the Draft!?

[gully]

The team with the first pick has the advantage of negotiating with whoever they want. They could go to Alex Mack, for example, and negotiate a deal that recognizes that Mack isn't the best player in the draft, just the one that they are picking first. They could pay Mack like he was picked 15th - as long as he agrees.

Owners don't actually have to pay a player they pick in the draft if they can't get a reasonable deal, but historically agents have bent the owners over a barrel and maybe they are just used to it.

The real issue with trading out of the tops picks is an outdated tradevaluechart which is very broken. If the team that has a top pick like #2 and wants to drop down to #8, theyshould be willing to make that trade for minimal compensation in return, like a 3rd and a 4th. But the stupid tradevalue chart says that the difference is 1200 pts. My point is that the point value of these top picks should be drastically diminished, the scale is way out of whack.

Maybe the team with the high pick that doesn't want it can do something imaginative with it, like trade it to another team for their 6th round pick for the next 100 years (which according to the chart, is a steal for the team giving up the 6th round pick).

[Zerohero]

Originally Posted by 53Fan

It's the only logical thing to do. For a rookie to come into the league and be paid like a pro bowl player without ever playing a game at this level is ridiculous.

Basketball Rookie Cap is the perfect way to do it imo, it is beyond ridiculus for teams to actually ponder not wanting to draft in 1st round. In fact i think this is why the bad football teams stay bad, cuz they get stuck with these insane contracts to guys that are not proven.

[sportscurmudgeon]

For reasons that have never made a lot of sense to me, the NFLPA has vehemently opposed a rookie pay scale. Here is why I do not understand their position.

Every team in the NFL has a salary cap AND a salary floor. Every team has to spend more than X million dollars and less than Y million dollars on player salaries every year. If rookie wagers are "reined in", the salary money "saved there" has to go to other players who are not rookies. And "not rookies" are the players who are the current menbers of the NFLPA.

So, the NFLPA position seems to favor showering money on college kids who are not Association members at the time of the draft at the expense of putting that money in the pockets of current members of the Association.

I don't get it. But the reason there is no rookie wage scale is that the NFLPA - - and Gene Upshaw very specifically - - fought it tooth and nail.

[Daseal]

Yeah, the 1st overall pick is a curse rather than a gift that helps you build your franchise up. All it does is give you the first shot in a complete crap shoot and strains your cap.

[53Fan]

Originally Posted by Zerohero

Basketball Rookie Cap is the perfect way to do it imo, it is beyond ridiculus for teams to actually ponder not wanting to draft in 1st round. In fact i think this is why the bad football teams stay bad, cuz they get stuck with these insane contracts to guys that are not proven.

I agree. It seems to work fine for them. From what I've read, the vets are a little upset about this as well and I don't blame them. Not having a rookie cap benefits no one except the rookie and his agent and puts a strain on the cap.

[Silverfox]

Originally Posted by sportscurmudgeon

For reasons that have never made a lot of sense to me, the NFLPA has vehemently opposed a rookie pay scale. Here is why I do not understand their position.

Every team in the NFL has a salary cap AND a salary floor. Every team has to spend more than X million dollars and less than Y million dollars on player salaries every year. If rookie wagers are "reined in", the salary money "saved there" has to go to other players who are not rookies. And "not rookies" are the players who are the current menbers of the NFLPA.

So, the NFLPA position seems to favor showering money on college kids who are not Association members at the time of the draft at the expense of putting that money in the pockets of current members of the Association.

I don't get it. But the reason there is no rookie wage scale is that the NFLPA - - and Gene Upshaw very specifically - - fought it tooth and nail.

This is right on. The real question is why is the NFLPA so insistent on this position? If the answer is to maintain a free market then the teams have no one to blame but themselves. Setting a "rookie scale" (can you see the agents buying this?) would relieve a lot of pressure from the veterans - and there wouldn't be anything wrong with renegotiating after a year.

[Sonny9TD]

Originally Posted by mrreddman

No way in hell that happens. Its way to risky if you want a specific player. Not to mention your gonna piss of your fan base, player, agents etc. and have a difficult contract negotiation to deal with whenever you do pick. Plus why not just trade back and pick up a pick or 2 in the process?

Indeed. The Lions should trade down for the 2nd best Qb and another impact player.