Setting a New Rookie Wage Scale

With the recent contract given to No. 1 overall draft pick Sam Bradford and the seemingly imminent holdout of Ndomakong Suh, it seems time to revisit the idea of a rookie wage scale.

Bradford just got the most guaranteed money of any player in NFL history.  An unproven rookie with injury concerns got $50 million guaranteed, $86 million in total.  He could break his neck in Week 1 and never play again and the St. Louis Rams are still on the hook for that $50 million.

Suh wants to be paid more than Matthew Stafford got last year.  He seems ready to hold out unless Detroit pays him like a No.1 pick, despite being picked second.  His agent claims that since most teams had him listed as their top player, he should be paid as if he were picked first overall.

These are the types of scenarios that a rookie wage scale would prevent.  Big money needs to go to veterans who have proven themselves as successful NFL players.  Untested rookie needs two or three years to prove themselves worthy of a contract that puts them in the top 10 in the NFL at their position.

I think all rookies should be paid based on their draft position.  This will allow them to get to camp on time and progress as they should, rather than risk enduring lengthy holdouts.  These holdouts are bad for the team that doesn't receive the services of its top pick and for the player who misses vital practice time.

Rookies should all receive a three year deal when they enter the NFL.  One third of that money should be guaranteed.  Basically when a team drafts a player they are committing to at least one year's worth a salary for that player.

The yearly base salary should be as follows:

#	Round 1	#	Round 2	#	Round 3
1	3,000,000.00	1	2,000,000.00	1	1,500,000.00
2	2,975,000.00	2	1,990,000.00	2	1,490,000.00
3	2,950,000.00	3	1,980,000.00	3	1,480,000.00
4	2,925,000.00	4	1,970,000.00	4	1,470,000.00
5	2,900,000.00	5	1,960,000.00	5	1,460,000.00
6	2,875,000.00	6	1,950,000.00	6	1,450,000.00
7	2,850,000.00	7	1,940,000.00	7	1,440,000.00
8	2,825,000.00	8	1,930,000.00	8	1,430,000.00
9	2,800,000.00	9	1,920,000.00	9	1,420,000.00
10	2,775,000.00	10	1,910,000.00	10	1,410,000.00
11	2,750,000.00	11	1,900,000.00	11	1,400,000.00
12	2,725,000.00	12	1,890,000.00	12	1,390,000.00
13	2,700,000.00	13	1,880,000.00	13	1,380,000.00
14	2,675,000.00	14	1,870,000.00	14	1,370,000.00
15	2,650,000.00	15	1,860,000.00	15	1,360,000.00
16	2,625,000.00	16	1,850,000.00	16	1,350,000.00
17	2,600,000.00	17	1,840,000.00	17	1,340,000.00
18	2,575,000.00	18	1,830,000.00	18	1,330,000.00
19	2,550,000.00	19	1,820,000.00	19	1,320,000.00
20	2,525,000.00	20	1,810,000.00	20	1,310,000.00
21	2,500,000.00	21	1,800,000.00	21	1,300,000.00
22	2,475,000.00	22	1,790,000.00	22	1,290,000.00
23	2,450,000.00	23	1,780,000.00	23	1,280,000.00
24	2,425,000.00	24	1,770,000.00	24	1,270,000.00
25	2,400,000.00	25	1,760,000.00	25	1,260,000.00
26	2,375,000.00	26	1,750,000.00	26	1,250,000.00
27	2,350,000.00	27	1,740,000.00	27	1,240,000.00
28	2,325,000.00	28	1,730,000.00	28	1,230,000.00
29	2,300,000.00	29	1,720,000.00	29	1,220,000.00
30	2,275,000.00	30	1,710,000.00	30	1,210,000.00
31	2,250,000.00	31	1,700,000.00	31	1,200,000.00
32	2,225,000.00	32	1,690,000.00	32	1,190,000.00

#	Round 4	#	Round 5	#	Round 6	#	Round 7
1	1,000,000.00	1	750,000.00	1	500,000.00	1	300,000.00
2	995,000.00	2	750,000.00	2	500,000.00	2	300,000.00
3	990,000.00	3	750,000.00	3	500,000.00	3	300,000.00
4	985,000.00	4	750,000.00	4	500,000.00	4	300,000.00
5	980,000.00	5	750,000.00	5	500,000.00	5	300,000.00
6	975,000.00	6	750,000.00	6	500,000.00	6	300,000.00
7	970,000.00	7	750,000.00	7	500,000.00	7	300,000.00
8	965,000.00	8	750,000.00	8	500,000.00	8	300,000.00
9	960,000.00	9	750,000.00	9	500,000.00	9	300,000.00
10	955,000.00	10	750,000.00	10	500,000.00	10	300,000.00
11	950,000.00	11	750,000.00	11	500,000.00	11	300,000.00
12	945,000.00	12	750,000.00	12	500,000.00	12	300,000.00
13	940,000.00	13	750,000.00	13	500,000.00	13	300,000.00
14	935,000.00	14	750,000.00	14	500,000.00	14	300,000.00
15	930,000.00	15	750,000.00	15	500,000.00	15	300,000.00
16	925,000.00	16	750,000.00	16	500,000.00	16	300,000.00
17	920,000.00	17	750,000.00	17	500,000.00	17	300,000.00
18	915,000.00	18	750,000.00	18	500,000.00	18	300,000.00
19	910,000.00	19	750,000.00	19	500,000.00	19	300,000.00
20	905,000.00	20	750,000.00	20	500,000.00	20	300,000.00
21	900,000.00	21	750,000.00	21	500,000.00	21	300,000.00
22	895,000.00	22	750,000.00	22	500,000.00	22	300,000.00
23	890,000.00	23	750,000.00	23	500,000.00	23	300,000.00
24	885,000.00	24	750,000.00	24	500,000.00	24	300,000.00
25	880,000.00	25	750,000.00	25	500,000.00	25	300,000.00
26	875,000.00	26	750,000.00	26	500,000.00	26	300,000.00
27	870,000.00	27	750,000.00	27	500,000.00	27	300,000.00
28	865,000.00	28	750,000.00	28	500,000.00	28	300,000.00
29	860,000.00	29	750,000.00	29	500,000.00	29	300,000.00
30	855,000.00	30	750,000.00	30	500,000.00	30	300,000.00
31	850,000.00	31	750,000.00	31	500,000.00	31	300,000.00
32	845,000.00	32	750,000.00	32	500,000.00	32	300,000.00

In addition to the base salary, the rookie of the year winners get a $250,000 bonus, Pro Bowlers get a $100,000 bonus for each appearance, and anyone who plays more than 50% of the team's plays for his side of the ball gets a $50,000 bonus each year.

After the initial three-year term, a player becomes an unrestricted free agent.  Players cannot hold out for a better contract during this initial three-year term.

This shouldn't be too hard to work into the new collective bargaining agreement.  Owners should like it because they won't be spending nearly as much money on unproven players.  The NFLPA should like it because more money will go towards current players.  The only group that would be against the idea is future NFL players, but they don't get a vote in the new CBA anyway.