Put a Lid on It

 As the draft quickly approaches, the unfortunate question on many people's minds will be: How much money will the number one pick get this year?


Last year Matthew Stafford banked $41.7 million in guaranteed money with an average salary of $12 million per season (if he reaches certain incentives). In total that puts him very close to the $14 million per season that Peyton Manning makes and gives Stafford about $8 million more in guarantees (the number that really counts) than Manning's contract, which Peyton signed in 2004.


This year the top pick could bring in roughly $45 million dollars in guaranteed money. This is all before he ever steps on an NFL field.


The NFL had a press release in January regarding a new rookie wage scale. The release states, "The NFL Players Association has presented a proposal that would include redirecting money paid to rookies into veterans' contracts instead. The union's plan would have a scale or cap for how much rookies would be paid, and the 32 teams would use the money saved from those contracts on established players. As much as $200 million could wind up in veterans' pockets."

Also included in the proposed new scale would be "a three-year maximum on rookie deals". The current maximum is six years. In the current scenario, teams with high draft picks that fail are stuck with salary cap issues and unable to bring in free agents.

The new wage scale would dramatically increase the amount of money available for teams to sign veterans. John Clayton of ESPN discussed how the new scale would have affected Stafford's contract,"Under the proposed salary cap, Stafford could (have been) limited to as little as $3.25 million per year as a maximum."

Until the league adopts this new rookie wage scale, we could continue to see teams like the Rams, Lions, Chiefs, and Browns struggle to be competitive if their rookies don't become the best player at their position. That is how they are paid, and that is how they have to perform. The system just doesn't work.




Every Morning Quarterback by Aharon Williams is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License

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One Big Bust

 I don't enjoy making fun of people. My title is even a little sensational. Unfortunately for Jamarcus Russell, it fits perfectly.


Adam Schefter recently reported that Russell weighed in at 290 pounds at Raiders camp. Combine that with the rumors that the Raiders were the team in hottest pursuit of Donovan McNabb, and I believe the writing is on the wall.


So if that is the case, one could ask the question: is Jamarcus Russell the greatest draft bust in NFL history? 


I discussed the unanimous incumbent for greatest draft bust, Ryan Leaf , in a recent post. To make a fair accessment, I believe we have to look at the other available players in Russell and Leaf's respective drafts.


In the 1998 draft, Leaf was coming off a huge season, in which he helped lead Washington State to the Rose Bowl. His immaturity problems were not known to the public, and the Colts liked him enough to print him a jersey with his name on the back. The consensus was Peyton Manning and Leaf were the top two players regardless of position. The only other player in that draft worthy of the top pick might have been cornerback Charles Woodson, who went to the Raiders with the fourth overall pick.


In the 2007 draft, wide receiver Calvin Johnson was widely considered the best player in the draft. Despite his injury concerns, Adrian Peterson was the type of freakish athlete that the Raiders covet. It was made known that the Raiders went into contract talks with not only Johnson and Russell, but also brought Brady Quinn into the bargaining process. Russell's weight issues and questionable work habits were widely publicized, despite the fact of him having an excellent junior season at LSU.

I hope Jamarcus can turn his career around, but with the competition from Bruce Gradkowski, the trade rumors about McNabb, and now Sage Rosenfels (ouch!), it seems that the Raiders have already moved on.


Some may argue the fact that since Leaf was expected to be great and Russell to be a bust, Leaf is the larger disappointment. When you compare the level of talent available to the Raiders at that pick, there is no argument in my book.  Russell is the worst draft pick in NFL history.


 


 Every Morning Quarterback by Aharon Williams is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at www.everymorningqb.com.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at www.everymorningqb.com.

Turning Over an Old Leaf

As the Draft draws near, Ryan Leaf’s name popped up in the news. He received ten years probation for breaking into an apartment to steal prescription drugs.

An unanimous choice for number one all-time Draft busts around the universe, Leaf has become nothing more than a cautionary tale. Being compared to Peyton Manning isn’t really fair to any player, but being selected right after him is criminal. I don’t know if anyone can really completely know the maturity of a 22-year-old man, and the Chargers made what was at the time a “no-brainer” selection of Leaf.

Reading about his continued downfall just reminded of the now infamous question that Bill Polian, General Manager of the Colts, asked both Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf. “If we were to make you the No. 1 overall pick, what’s the first thing you would do?” Peyton answered that he would request a playbook so he could immediately begin learning the Colts offense.  Leaf remarked that he would want to take his friends to Vegas for one last fling. That was the deciding factor between Manning and Leaf.

Some people thought he would be a better quarterback than Peyton Manning.  Now he doesn’t have to worry about that anymore:  his only concern is becoming a better Ryan Leaf.

Every Morning Quarterback by Aharon Williams is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Based on a work at www.everymorningqb.com. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at www.everymorningqb.com.