NFL Rejects Three-Year Rookie Contract Proposal
By admin
A Thursday afternoon musing by NFL player agent Alvin Keels about how the NFLPA should cap rookie contracts at three years, and eliminate the franchise tag, is shining some light on an NFLPA proposal that the NFL rejected.
The proposal, dubbed the "Proven Performance Plan", would limit rookie contracts to three seasons in an attempt to shift some money away from the players chosen at the top of the first round of the NFL Draft, and towards veterans and retired players.
Overall, the union estimates that the savings would be over $200 million dollars annually, with $150 million dollars going to a "Proven Performance Fund", which would be distributed to players paid closer to the league minimum and who have outperformed their contracts. The appeal for the incoming draft class is a quicker entrance to the NFL's free agent market.
The remaining $50 million dollars, as well as a matching contribution from the NFL, would go into a fund for new retired player benefits.
As noted above, the NFL has rejected this proposal.
Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com envisions a scenario where the NFL would agree to three-year contracts for players chosen in rounds 3-7, if restricted free agency still applies, which wouldn't go very far towards changing to the current system.
Teams that currently choose to sign their players to 4-year contracts include language that escalate the base salary in the fourth year to a certain number(s) or the low restricted free agent tender, whichever is greater. By issuing a larger signing bonus, these teams are essentially purchasing that player's restricted free agent season in advance. Setting a three-year maximum on rookie contracts, but keeping restricted free agency intact, would keep club control over players at four years, while lowering signing bonuses for 75% of the players entering the league.
As I've written, a tighter rookie wage scale appears to be as inevitable as it is unnecessary, but I like that the union is at least pushing the NFL to make a decision between smaller rookie contracts or less control over the players they draft.
