YoHoChecko
04-05-2006, 02:18 AM
http://www.pigskinheaven.com/gallery/files/7/NFL3.png
With all the labor strife of the past few months following up a season of poor officiating and a fair amount of criticism in general directed towards the league for a decent portion of the year, I decided to come up with a list of things that I think will improve the league. We'll call it practice for when I am named Tagliabue's replacement in July.
This list, with explaination, will be detailed over the course of a series of articles, each one outlining one or two points on my list. However, though they will be revealed only a couple at a time, it must be kept in mind that, individually, these are not all great ideas. The assumption is that ALL of these events should be enacted, as some are beneficial to one faction while others are beneficial to another. Together, a balance can be created and the overall picture of the league should be a much prettier one when all is said and done.
Without further ado, here is the first point in my plan to "fix" the NFL:
1a. Fix the rookie pay scale
How it got broken:
It’s a simple concept, really. Each year, agents shoot for about a 5% increase over the deal signed by the same slot from a year earlier, depending on the salary cap increase. Well, the top picks always got the most money, so when you increase a big number by 5%, the increase is bigger than that of a smaller number. Incidentally, the top picks grew higher and higher, with the gaps between the top picks and the later draft picks growing exponentially.
Why it’s a problem:
The early first round picks have reached that point where a draft bust cripples a team, an unproven rookie is making significantly more than solid veterans, and some rookie contracts rival that of pro bowlers at the same position. This is a system that just doesn’t make sense. It creates great potential for teams who make a wrong pick to remain stuck near the bottom of the league in wins, the top of the draft, and stuck in a terrible financial mess down the road.
Solution:
Create a slotted system where the contract amounts for first-round picks are pre-determined, and have those amounts be significantly reduced from their current status. The percentage between each pick should remain constant, instead of growing each season, creating the exponential contract inflation of the past.
1b. Limit rookie salary length
How it got broken:
Of late, teams have realized that rookies have little to no leverage in contract negotiations. Therefore, they force players to sign 5 and 6-year deals, locking them into rookie contract salaries for a longer period of time and delaying the possibility of hitting free agency. Also, with the increased bonuses and guarantees of the high picks, the teams need to spread the signing bonuses out over longer periods of time to limit salary cap hits. Recent changes have already limited day-2 draft picks to 4-year contracts, but day-one picks do not have that protection.
Why it’s a problem:
Players who hit the league running and become star-quality players within 2 seasons are often stuck for two more seasons as stars with role-player salaries. Also, if item 1a is addressed, top picks will be getting smaller bonuses, smaller salaries, ect. That means that some potential top performers might get stuck in smaller contracts, and also it means that additional years are not really necessary for deferring the gargantuan bonuses anymore.
Solution:
Limit ALL rookie contracts to a 4-season maximum. That allows all rookies the potential to hit unrestricted free agency in their first eligible year (less than 4 years, they are restricted free agents).
Effects of point 1:
Point one is beneficial for the teams and for at least 90% of the players. Giving the teams more money to spend on veterans and later-round picks definitely is good for the players. Letting teams avoid the potential cap hell caused by a missed pick in the draft’s top 15 is a big plus for the teams. Limiting the contract length will be feasible for teams given the smaller payments they are making to the players, while it definitely helps the players, allowing them out of their rookie contracts earlier than under the current system. This helps to avoid hold-outs. Given that rookie contracts are the only deals in which the players have almost no leverage, it is necessary to give them extra layers of protection, and to try to avoid issues that would bring about hold-outs.
With all the labor strife of the past few months following up a season of poor officiating and a fair amount of criticism in general directed towards the league for a decent portion of the year, I decided to come up with a list of things that I think will improve the league. We'll call it practice for when I am named Tagliabue's replacement in July.
This list, with explaination, will be detailed over the course of a series of articles, each one outlining one or two points on my list. However, though they will be revealed only a couple at a time, it must be kept in mind that, individually, these are not all great ideas. The assumption is that ALL of these events should be enacted, as some are beneficial to one faction while others are beneficial to another. Together, a balance can be created and the overall picture of the league should be a much prettier one when all is said and done.
Without further ado, here is the first point in my plan to "fix" the NFL:
1a. Fix the rookie pay scale
How it got broken:
It’s a simple concept, really. Each year, agents shoot for about a 5% increase over the deal signed by the same slot from a year earlier, depending on the salary cap increase. Well, the top picks always got the most money, so when you increase a big number by 5%, the increase is bigger than that of a smaller number. Incidentally, the top picks grew higher and higher, with the gaps between the top picks and the later draft picks growing exponentially.
Why it’s a problem:
The early first round picks have reached that point where a draft bust cripples a team, an unproven rookie is making significantly more than solid veterans, and some rookie contracts rival that of pro bowlers at the same position. This is a system that just doesn’t make sense. It creates great potential for teams who make a wrong pick to remain stuck near the bottom of the league in wins, the top of the draft, and stuck in a terrible financial mess down the road.
Solution:
Create a slotted system where the contract amounts for first-round picks are pre-determined, and have those amounts be significantly reduced from their current status. The percentage between each pick should remain constant, instead of growing each season, creating the exponential contract inflation of the past.
1b. Limit rookie salary length
How it got broken:
Of late, teams have realized that rookies have little to no leverage in contract negotiations. Therefore, they force players to sign 5 and 6-year deals, locking them into rookie contract salaries for a longer period of time and delaying the possibility of hitting free agency. Also, with the increased bonuses and guarantees of the high picks, the teams need to spread the signing bonuses out over longer periods of time to limit salary cap hits. Recent changes have already limited day-2 draft picks to 4-year contracts, but day-one picks do not have that protection.
Why it’s a problem:
Players who hit the league running and become star-quality players within 2 seasons are often stuck for two more seasons as stars with role-player salaries. Also, if item 1a is addressed, top picks will be getting smaller bonuses, smaller salaries, ect. That means that some potential top performers might get stuck in smaller contracts, and also it means that additional years are not really necessary for deferring the gargantuan bonuses anymore.
Solution:
Limit ALL rookie contracts to a 4-season maximum. That allows all rookies the potential to hit unrestricted free agency in their first eligible year (less than 4 years, they are restricted free agents).
Effects of point 1:
Point one is beneficial for the teams and for at least 90% of the players. Giving the teams more money to spend on veterans and later-round picks definitely is good for the players. Letting teams avoid the potential cap hell caused by a missed pick in the draft’s top 15 is a big plus for the teams. Limiting the contract length will be feasible for teams given the smaller payments they are making to the players, while it definitely helps the players, allowing them out of their rookie contracts earlier than under the current system. This helps to avoid hold-outs. Given that rookie contracts are the only deals in which the players have almost no leverage, it is necessary to give them extra layers of protection, and to try to avoid issues that would bring about hold-outs.