FYI...Matt Ryan signs with Atlanta...

[Iron Shiek]

Some of you are saying the owners lost their minds. Correct me if I'm wrong, isn't it just what the market is demanding to pay these players. The owners don't have to pay them, but they drafted them and at the risk of losing the player they sign him for the going rate that is demanded of the slot these guys are picked.

The only reason I say this is because the owners are the same people who voted unanimously to opt out of the CBA citing escalating salaries as a major issue (undoubtedly the rookie salaries are a big part of this).

Does that sound right?

[MeetJoeGreene]

Hopefully, the signing start happening at a rapid pace now that Ryan has started it off. Get them signed and in camp.

There is a need for a rookie pay scale. I think whenever the next contract gets signed the owners will insist and the players will accept because the players don't care about rookies coming in after they already have their contracts.

$$$$.

I don't see why the vets aren't clamoring for this.

[papillon]

Hopefully, the signing start happening at a rapid pace now that Ryan has started it off. Get them signed and in camp.

There is a need for a rookie pay scale. I think whenever the next contract gets signed the owners will insist and the players will accept because the players don't care about rookies coming in after they already have their contracts.

$$$$.

I don't see why the vets aren't clamoring for this.

Wouldn't it be hypocritical to urge the NFL to pay the rookies less, but, allow for unfettered spending on veterans? I realize it doesn't seem fair, since, in almost every industry in America the newbs get paid less than the experienced employees. But, in those industries the older and more experience you get the more valuable you are. In the NFL you are only valuable during your first and second contracts if you manage to stay healthy that long.

Agents know this, players know this and the teams know this, you have to strike while the iron's hot and for football players it's immediately.

Just my .02 worth

Pappy

[SteelerOfDeVille]

Hopefully, the signing start happening at a rapid pace now that Ryan has started it off. Get them signed and in camp.

There is a need for a rookie pay scale. I think whenever the next contract gets signed the owners will insist and the players will accept because the players don't care about rookies coming in after they already have their contracts.

$$$$.

I don't see why the vets aren't clamoring for this.

Wouldn't it be hypocritical to urge the NFL to pay the rookies less, but, allow for unfettered spending on veterans? I realize it doesn't seem fair, since, in almost every industry in America the newbs get paid less than the experienced employees. But, in those industries the older and more experience you get the more valuable you are. In the NFL you are only valuable during your first and second contracts if you manage to stay healthy that long.

Agents know this, players know this and the teams know this, you have to strike while the iron's hot and for football players it's immediately.

Just my .02 worth

Pappy

Dead on pappy... and the player's union doesn't really want to do this, either. They want ALL players to get all they can. I personally think that's a bad idea.

[Oviedo]

Hopefully, the signing start happening at a rapid pace now that Ryan has started it off. Get them signed and in camp.

There is a need for a rookie pay scale. I think whenever the next contract gets signed the owners will insist and the players will accept because the players don't care about rookies coming in after they already have their contracts.

$$$$.

I don't see why the vets aren't clamoring for this.

Wouldn't it be hypocritical to urge the NFL to pay the rookies less, but, allow for unfettered spending on veterans? I realize it doesn't seem fair, since, in almost every industry in America the newbs get paid less than the experienced employees. But, in those industries the older and more experience you get the more valuable you are. In the NFL you are only valuable during your first and second contracts if you manage to stay healthy that long.

Agents know this, players know this and the teams know this, you have to strike while the iron's hot and for football players it's immediately.

Just my .02 worth

Pappy

Paying big money to unproven rookies is the road to financial ruin because it artifically inflates the per position salary scale. It actually hurts veterans because older veterans have to be released because players on their first contract are taking up cap space that could be used to resign them. This artificially depresses the available dollars at the backend of the players careers to account for unconstrained spending at the front end for unproven commodities.

[papillon]

Hopefully, the signing start happening at a rapid pace now that Ryan has started it off. Get them signed and in camp.

There is a need for a rookie pay scale. I think whenever the next contract gets signed the owners will insist and the players will accept because the players don't care about rookies coming in after they already have their contracts.

$$$$.

I don't see why the vets aren't clamoring for this.

Wouldn't it be hypocritical to urge the NFL to pay the rookies less, but, allow for unfettered spending on veterans? I realize it doesn't seem fair, since, in almost every industry in America the newbs get paid less than the experienced employees. But, in those industries the older and more experience you get the more valuable you are. In the NFL you are only valuable during your first and second contracts if you manage to stay healthy that long.

Agents know this, players know this and the teams know this, you have to strike while the iron's hot and for football players it's immediately.

Just my .02 worth

Pappy

Paying big money to unproven rookies is the road to financial ruin because it artifically inflates the per position salary scale. It actually hurts veterans because older veterans have to be released because players on their first contract are taking up cap space that could be used to resign them. This artificially depresses the available dollars at the backend of the players careers to account for unconstrained spending at the front end for unproven commodities.

The vets will still get their money, it just won't be from the team that drafted them. The Steelers are famous for this, nice rookie contract, one big contract and then if the player doesn't play for less and something more cap friendly they release them.

It's the business side of football.

Pappy

[RussBII]

I think the real problem is that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer here...

Let's just say that your team sucks for 4 to 6 straight years... And you have a top 5 draft pick each and every year.... Well you can't trade down, almost no one wants to trade up with you because of the pay scales...

So you take 4 to 6 players, who might be great franchise players, but then you have over 75% of your cap tied up in those players, right? Now let's all or half of them are busts... you can't take the cap hit on them all and get rid of them...

Eventually, this is gonna really drag some teams down.... if it hasn't already.

I think a rookie pay scale for the first year or two is a good idea. Add in some kind of injury insurance, and you are good to go.

[Iron Shiek]

I think the real problem is that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer here...

Let's just say that your team sucks for 4 to 6 straight years... And you have a top 5 draft pick each and every year.... Well you can't trade down, almost no one wants to trade up with you because of the pay scales...

So you take 4 to 6 players, who might be great franchise players, but then you have over 75% of your cap tied up in those players, right? Now let's all or half of them are busts... you can't take the cap hit on them all and get rid of them...

Eventually, this is gonna really drag some teams down.... if it hasn't already.

I think a rookie pay scale for the first year or two is a good idea. Add in some kind of injury insurance, and you are good to go.

Geez instead of going through that long winded scenario, you could've just said, "Lets say you are the Detroit Lions..." and saved 100 words....

[NKySteeler]

Crazy money for a "yet-to-be-proven" player, IMO.......

[LasVegasGuy]

Crazy money for a "yet-to-be-proven" player, IMO.......

I think the Chargers are still paying Ryan Leaf and the Bengals might still be paying Akili Smith. Whatever happened to Ryan Leaf? Oh Wait! That's right he joined the Trib message board and gave us a rash of $hit.