Why do students play college sports? Pride, leadership, because it's fun? Or because after your senior season you can be paid to play it? Most college athletes, especially the great ones, aspire to move onto professional sports. However, has anyone check the average of the first overall pick in the NFL lately? Well on average over the past five years, 64.4 million, with 34.74 million guaranteed, has been shelled out to pay for these first overall draft picks. Sixty four million dollars, before even proving yourself on the field!! Absurd. Of course, when you're a veteran in the league, playing every game for years and proving yourself, I think you may be somewhat angered at the money these rookies are receiving. In fact the average salary for and NFL player only comes in around 770,000 (Mehta). Junk change compared to Sam Bradford's recent rookie contract worth 78 million, with 50 million simply guaranteed. Therefore the seemingly exponential advice of rookies contracts toward unprecedented levels forces the question of whether or no to implement a salary cap on rookie salaries.
There exists understandable reason to place a salary cap on rookie contracts. Many veterans, and coaches, believe a rookie salary cap will solve this problem of overpaying rookies. Bill Polian, president of the Indianapolis Colts stated, "That money should go to veteran players who have earned it in the National Football League. That’s a very stark example, but it exists. It's there, and it needs to be changed. And I don’t think many other people other than those such as agents who have a vested interest in the present system, would have a problem with that"(National Football Post). Even Rodger Goodell, the NFL commissioner said, “As a veteran player, you’ve proven your performance on an NFL field and that should be rewarded" (Wetzel), in favor of supporting proven veteran players over rookies.
Obviously there exists a problem, which intends to likely be fixed. However, one could argue against capping rookie contracts, on the basis that all NFL teams are already capped. Therefore, adding more regulation and overhead would only drive down popularity and transparency. Plus, isn't up to the team how they spend their money, even if their picks are not worthy of the cash? As well, economically speaking, college prospects may not go in the direction of playing in the NFL, but in the MLB or another profession sport providing more immediate cash. This debate will increasingly become more prominent as players receive more and more money. However, the popular choice become law, and as it seems capping rookie salary contracts seems to have acquired enough support.
"Bill Polian Critical of NFL Rookie Contract System | National Football Post." National Football Post | All Angles. All Access. Web. 13 Oct. 2010. <http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Bill-Polian-critical-of-NFL-rookie-contract-system.html>.
Mehta, Suketu. "NFL Player Salaries." Buzzle Web Portal: Intelligent Life on the Web. Web. 13 Oct. 2010. <http://www.buzzle.com/articles/nfl-player-salaries.html>.
, Dan. "Rookie Salaries out of This League - NFL - Yahoo! Sports." Yahoo! Sports - Sports News, Scores, Rumors, Fantasy Games, and More. Web. 12 Oct. 2010. <http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=dw-draftsalaries042408>.
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