Colts president Polian says NFL draft needs updating

[Dirtbag59]

Originally Posted by mooby

I completely agree with him, the way the draft is now it needs updating. I'd like to see a fixed rookie cap so that each pick earns a set amount of money based on where they are drafted. Whoever is gonna get drafted first overall this year is probably gonna get more money than a guy who is probably a proven vet in this league with multiple Pro Bowl's under his belt, and that's not fair.

I know. It just seems though that the draft is headed in the same direction as baseball trying to get a salary cap and by that I mean that the rookies salaries are getting so high that it'll be hard to put a limit on the amount. I don't know the unions stance on rookies, so I don't know how much they would appreciate having rookie salaries becoming so structured.

Either way I would like to see a lottery for the top 19 picks and a set amount for each draft position, regardless of position. Or maybe they could come up with a formula that uses the franchise tag amounts as a base and use the corresponding draft position to come up with a fair amount that counts for the spot the player is drafted in as well as his position. Obviously players won't get the franchise tag amount, but rather a percentage of that amount.

Like say the amount for QB's with the franchise tag is $10 million. The first spot will be worth 75% of the franchise tag amount for that position. So a QB drafted first overall will make approximately $7.5 million a year for the first year, 75% value of the franchise tag for the second year, and 75% value of the franchise tag the third year. Of course with the numbers top picks are getting these days those amounts are a pipe dream. However you still get the point.

To illustrate my concept:
1st overall pick is equal to 75% of the franchise tag at that position for 3 years. .

2nd overall pick is equal to 74% of the franchise tag at that position for 3 years.

and so on.
- In this system the signing bonus should be designed to make it difficult to move the player without incluring a lost due to deaad cap.

- So each year the contracts value is worth 75% of the franchise tag for that year until the players 4th year in the league when they become an unrestricted Free Agent.