Goodell: NFL rookie pay scale ‘ridiculous’

[Wolf]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slu...v=ap&type=lgns

CHAUTAUQUA, N.Y. (AP)—NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said it’s “ridiculous” to reward untested rookies with lucrative contracts, and wants the issue addressed in contract talks.

“There’s something wrong about the system,” Goodell said Friday. “The money should go to people who perform.”

Goodell referred to Michigan tackle Jake Long’s five-year, $57.75 million contract—with $30 million guaranteed. Long was the first overall draft pick by the Miami Dolphins in April.

“He doesn’t have to play a down in the NFL and he already has his money,” Goodell said during a question-and-answer period at the end of a weeklong sports symposium at the Chautauqua Institution. “Now, with the economics where they are, the consequences if you don’t evaluate that player, you can lose a significant amount of money.

“And that money is not going to players that are performing. It’s going to a player that never makes it in the NFL. And I think that’s ridiculous.”


Goodell said he favors lowering salaries offered to rookies, but allowing a provision for those players to renegotiate their deals after proving themselves on the field.

His statement was greeted by a long round of applause from the estimated crowd of 2,000 inside the amphitheater.

[3rd and Inches]

I agree 110%.. bout time someone said it..

[StarStruck]

I agree as well. If a player is all that has been reflected in college and on paper, then it will show up in the pros. If not, the team hasn't paid out multi-million dollars for the privilege of having a high profile player on the roster with the "hope" that there will be a return on the investment. Using Adrian Peterson as an example, if he had come in with a lower contract, then had the outstanding rookie season that he did and winning MVP in the pro-bowl it would show that his performance is worthy of a renegotiated or incentive based contract.

[Hervoyel]

I think if this comes with a suitable insurance policy in case of injury then a rookie pay scale is a good thing. I absolutely want to see players who have put in the time and proven themselves earning the lions share of the dollars. I just think they have to make provisions for that odd rare guy who comes in, signs a reasonable rookie deal, and then has a career ending injury. You have to insure them against that possibility because frankly that's a large part of the rookie money-grab right there. It's the inherent insecurity of the job due to possible injury that has many guys coming in and grabbing everything they can because it might end tomorrow.

[Second Honeymoon]

Yup. The current deal will not be extended. 2010 will be an uncapped year. The players dont like the current deal and the owners dont like the current deal. Thus 2010 will be uncapped as the only way 2010 will not be uncapped is if the current deal is extended. Even a newly negotiated deal prior to 2010 will not prevent 2010 from being uncapped. It's in the contract.

Let's start resigning some of our guys with huge balloon payments pointed towards the 2010 season. Mario, AJ, Ryans, Winston, Pitts, and maybe even Dunta if he comes back and plays like he did pre-injury. Maybe even try and pick up a salary cap casualty and then resign him to a 2010-focused contract.

Al Davis, Jerry Jones, and the Jets ownership group are already way ahead of the game on this, but its not too late to get on board for the Texans. Nothing crazy, but why not rework deals and focus our cap hits on the cap-free season. Do so, or risk being left behind imho.

[b0ng]

Originally Posted by Second Honeymoon

Yup. The current deal will not be extended. 2010 will be an uncapped year. The players dont like the current deal and the owners dont like the current deal. Thus 2010 will be uncapped as the only way 2010 will not be uncapped is if the current deal is extended. Even a newly negotiated deal prior to 2010 will not prevent 2010 from being uncapped. It's in the contract.

Let's start resigning some of our guys with huge balloon payments pointed towards the 2010 season. Mario, AJ, Ryans, Winston, Pitts, and maybe even Dunta if he comes back and plays like he did pre-injury. Maybe even try and pick up a salary cap casualty and then resign him to a 2010-focused contract.

Al Davis, Jerry Jones, and the Jets ownership group are already way ahead of the game on this, but its not too late to get on board for the Texans. Nothing crazy, but why not rework deals and focus our cap hits on the cap-free season. Do so, or risk being left behind imho.

Do you have any links to support any of the statements you have made?

[Double Barrel]

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said it’s “ridiculous” to reward untested rookies with lucrative contracts, and wants the issue addressed in contract talks.

I agree completely. Paying that kind of jack for potential is bass-ackwards, IMO.

[PapaL]

Originally Posted by Double Barrel

I agree completely. Paying that kind of jack for potential is bass-ackwards, IMO.

Everyone, except the rookies, are for the idea. They should do like the NBA and have a preset contract amount and length with an options for both parties.

[HJam72]

Originally Posted by Second Honeymoon

Yup. The current deal will not be extended. 2010 will be an uncapped year. The players dont like the current deal and the owners dont like the current deal. Thus 2010 will be uncapped as the only way 2010 will not be uncapped is if the current deal is extended. Even a newly negotiated deal prior to 2010 will not prevent 2010 from being uncapped. It's in the contract.

Let's start resigning some of our guys with huge balloon payments pointed towards the 2010 season. Mario, AJ, Ryans, Winston, Pitts, and maybe even Dunta if he comes back and plays like he did pre-injury. Maybe even try and pick up a salary cap casualty and then resign him to a 2010-focused contract.

Al Davis, Jerry Jones, and the Jets ownership group are already way ahead of the game on this, but its not too late to get on board for the Texans. Nothing crazy, but why not rework deals and focus our cap hits on the cap-free season. Do so, or risk being left behind imho.

I'm sure that Smith and, by extension, McNair are aware of it.

Cheer up.

We're gonna win the Super Bowl in 2010!!!

PS-And we're gonna beat the Cowboys in it!!!

[Second Honeymoon]

Originally Posted by b0ng

Do you have any links to support any of the statements you have made?

i have provided them before on other salary cap/CBA related threads. john clayton had a lengthy write up on all the details about 2 weeks ago, so if you want to go to ESPN you could find the info there.

the gist is this, the owners have opted out of the current CBA. In doing so, that automatically triggers a cap-free 2010 unless the current CBA is picked up by the owners. The fact that the owners are already currently opting out of the deal and the fact that both the players and owners don't like the current CBA, means they wont attempt to resurrect it and negotiate in good faith after the 2010 season (when the current CBA expires) They will just negotiate a completely new CBA during the next two seasons and hope to avoid impending work stoppage in 2011.

Just go look at all the recent deals that have been signed, especially by the early movers in this capfree scenario (cowboys, raiders, and jets) look at how the money is being loaded into 2010 in their deals. it's no coincidence.

Upshaw, the NFLPA president, has already said they will fight for a 'salary cap-free NFL' if a new CBA is not reached quickly. That is pretty much the only card they have to play with. They are already getting a large portion of the club revenue, but they want either no salary cap or guaranteed contracts similar to the NBA and they want to limit the size of rookie contracts in order to compensate for the inequities between rookie deals and veteran FA deals. Right now, the lifespan of an NFL career is just too short and Upshaw is trying to protect his constituency. Something is gonna give. I am assuming they will keep the salary cap but will probably make it a soft cap ala NBA with a heavy 'fine' for luxury taxes. They will probably tweak the rookie pay scale to be more in line with veteran deals and will probably find a way to protect players in regards to non-guaranteed long term contracts.

[ATXtexanfan]

to think that matt ryan has made as much as peyton and brady is a bit odd

[YoungTexanFan]

Originally Posted by PapaL

Everyone, except the rookies, are for the idea. They should do like the NBA and have a preset contract amount and length with an options for both parties.

This issue is a double-edged sword to be honest.

While veterans across the league don't like the concept of rookies of out-earning them, the NFLPA isn't likely to give up those lucrative contracts so easily. Why? Well, it's fairly simple. When a rookie, say Jake Long, is given such a large contract, they instantly become one of the most highly paid players at their respective position. For the NFL veterans seeking a new contract, this is good news; the rookie contracts act as a starting point in negotiations and are then used as leverage and go on to adversely raise the league average of said position. It also helps to raise the price of a "franchised" player, as the average price of the top players is driven up by the rookies as well.

So, in short, the NFLPA does not like the rookies earning what they do at the current time, but they are not going to freely give up their leverage when considering a contract negotiation. They players love it and simultaneously hate it, but will be hard-pressed to change it.

[PapaL]

Originally Posted by YoungTexanFan

This issue is a double-edged sword to be honest.

While veterans across the league don't like the concept of rookies of out-earning them, the NFLPA isn't likely to give up those lucrative contracts so easily. Why? Well, it's fairly simple. When a rookie, say Jake Long, is given such a large contract, they instantly become one of the most highly paid players at their respective position. For the NFL veterans seeking a new contract, this is good news; the rookie contracts act as a starting point in negotiations and are then used as leverage and go on to adversely raise the league average of said position. It also helps to raise the price of a "franchised" player, as the average price of the top players is driven up by the rookies as well.

So, in short, the NFLPA does not like the rookies earning what they do at the current time, but they are not going to freely give up their leverage when considering a contract negotiation. They players love it and simultaneously hate it, but will be hard-pressed to change it.

I agree however the issue would resolve itself in say 3 years. Let's say in years 1-3 rookie X is making predetermined amount and he clearly outperforms said contract. Sometime in year 3 he would have to get extended at the much larger rate. The veteran player who is up would base his negotiations off of that salary and not the lower early salary. Yeah it would suck for the guys seeking extensions in the first few years but overall it's a good thing for them since teams would have more money to spend on them since they wouldn't be paying a huge sum to a rookie that didn't pan out.

Plus have you seen NBA salaries? Sure isn't killing them any. Proven guys get P-A-I-D (even when they stop performing)

Just my view of course...