But, the other side of the coin from the rookie’s perspective is that right now, they get millions even if they are a bust as a reward for their collegiate success/talent.

Good thing incoming rookies don’t get a vote when this thing gets renegotiated. An NBA-style cap would be a great idea, though I think it will make the veteran FA contracts even more absurd. Still, better to be absurd in favor of players that have actually proven something.

FIrst, teams now desperately try to move out of the early draft picks because of what it’ll cost them to sign the top 10. Second, no matter what the NFLPA says, it’s a negative for veterans. They lose some amount of what’s available because of the crazy rookie salaries. Finally, it’s simply beyond bizarre. Nowhere else in Americs – whether unionized or not – does a new guy get paid as much or more than other more experienced workers. Unions wouldn’t allow it and other employers wouldn’t even think about it. New employees come in cheap and work their way up the pay scale. Everywhere but professional football. In every other way the NFL is a model of you get what you earn except here.

that the NFL needs to adopt the NBA system of slotting draft picks with dollar amounts.

Vernon Davis, a tightend who was drafted sixth overall in the first round by the 49er's will make more quaranteed money than Jason Witten who signed a new deal last year. That to me is ridiculous, I'm not taking anything away from Davis, he has alot of talent, he's young and still developing, but right now Jason witten is a far better player and worth more to the cowboys than Davis is to the 49er's, but because there isn't a slotted draft system in place for contracts, Davis, an unproven player gets signed to a ridiculous guaranteed money contract only because of where he was selected in the first round.

I’m sure the players association could be enticed into this slotting system by changing the way money is being payed to these players by just shortening the contracts. Usually draft picks are signed to deals that are spread out over six and seven year deals, but if the years was shortened to four or five year deals before they hit free agency, the players association would rather have their players having a chance to hit free agency earlier than holding on to the way the draft is being run now with no slotting and where veterans are being cut every year for unproven highly paid young highly drafted players.

Sometihng else I’d like to see the league adopt is if a player has ten years of service with one club or in the league, then his salary becomes exempt from the salary cap of that club. This could help veterans finish their careers with the team they started out with and not end up being cut because of money/cap reasons and resigned by teams at a veteran base salary..

All good points, but doesnt eliminating the big rookie actually take away a barganing tool from the vets. I think it is a good thing when say Jamaal Brown can go to the bargaining table when his contract expires and say “look at all this money Jake Long is getting, you gotta put me in that neighborhood.” Maybe thats not the best example but you get the point.

Another thing to consider is, who is to say that the teams will spend the extra money on veterans. You know how the game works. If you are a high pick you get paid good for your first 4-5 years, you cash in big one time when that expires, then when that contract is up you are 31-32 years old and teams are leery of you. The best of the best players may get one more big 3 year deal but thats it. (Unless you are T.O. and your owner wants to win today.

I dont know why the veterans are worried. Jake Long maybe shouldnt make more than Walter Jones, but he should make more than Luke Pettigout.

If you want to get paid, all you gotta do is ball. Are there any true stars who arent gettin paid?

Chris Mortensen said there is $400 Million of cap space right now. Why arent the veterans getting that?

I think it should be a slotted scale, and teams should only do like maybe two year deals, and then when those are up, they can choose to tender them or extend them, or lose them without worrying about the long term ramifications of a 7 year deal with $36 million. I also think lowered guaranteed money is a necessary thing.