Reddog
ASFN Lifer
The landscape of the NFL will change dramatically for even younger veteran players because of the CBA's Rookie Cap. When a player like Brees reportedly wants 20M per year and it forces them to leave players like Colston and Nicks unprotected the value of draft picks will go way up because they can yield cheaper players and the number of exorbitant FA contracts for 2nd/3rd contract players will go down because teams won’t be able to manage a cap with too many high priced players.
The team that drafts well and cultivates hidden gems that are undrafted along with serviceable and affordable vets will be the winners. They will still build around a couple high-priced stars like Fitz, Brees etc but when you start looking at the cost of paying a deep roster like Dockett, Cambell, Washington teams will be hard-pressed to extend first contract players sooner than they have to and I think there will be way more annual roster turn than in years past.
Guys like Dan Williams will be replaced by a cheaper alternative from the draft when his initial contract is ready to expire unless he is playing lights out. In years past an above average performance was rewarded with a retention contract in these situations but now the good to very good players may have their value lowered in the FA market.
As fans we want to look at the always ballooning TV contract as an endless supply but I think this will become a league of a few well paid superstars and then a roster of more affordable guys. "Affordable" by NFL standards is still an insane amount of money. Think about guys like Stewart Bradley when you think about what’s affordable, what should be expected in return for that investment and how patient you are waiting for the fruits of that investment.
As insane as we all think the Saints comments about Brees being "very good" were, I think it is just the beginning of trying to reprogram the players, agents and fans to be more realistic about compensation. The saints are the first to have to jump on the PR grenade.
The team that drafts well and cultivates hidden gems that are undrafted along with serviceable and affordable vets will be the winners. They will still build around a couple high-priced stars like Fitz, Brees etc but when you start looking at the cost of paying a deep roster like Dockett, Cambell, Washington teams will be hard-pressed to extend first contract players sooner than they have to and I think there will be way more annual roster turn than in years past.
Guys like Dan Williams will be replaced by a cheaper alternative from the draft when his initial contract is ready to expire unless he is playing lights out. In years past an above average performance was rewarded with a retention contract in these situations but now the good to very good players may have their value lowered in the FA market.
As fans we want to look at the always ballooning TV contract as an endless supply but I think this will become a league of a few well paid superstars and then a roster of more affordable guys. "Affordable" by NFL standards is still an insane amount of money. Think about guys like Stewart Bradley when you think about what’s affordable, what should be expected in return for that investment and how patient you are waiting for the fruits of that investment.
As insane as we all think the Saints comments about Brees being "very good" were, I think it is just the beginning of trying to reprogram the players, agents and fans to be more realistic about compensation. The saints are the first to have to jump on the PR grenade.
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