Why Gene Upshaw does not want a rookie wage scale

Here is Gene Upshaw's reasoning for not wanting a rookie wage scale. Says Upshaw; "Every spring, the buzz from general managers is, 'We need to fix rookie compensation.' We addressed this issue by limiting rookie pool growth and fixing the maximum number of years a rookie could sign. The length of contracts severely limits players' ability to move money into future years. What the media doesn't report is that the rookie pool is part of the overall salary cap, and a player is only a rookie for one season. Clubs want the players to pay for mistakes teams make in drafting. We'll never agree to a rookie wage scale in such a short-career sport. "

What Upshaw fails to answer is in such a short-career sport why is it only the first ten guys drafted who get the security? What about the guys who have proven themselves? What about the mid-salary guys, usually special teams who makes the little plays for their teams. Nope to Gene it's all about the first 10 and making sure they get theirs.
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3 Comments On: "Why Gene Upshaw does not want a rookie wage scale"

 
Thats not what he is saying...he's just saying why should their be a limit to how much a rookie should make. If u know of team that is willing to pay a 15th overall pick or even a 33rd overall pick 30 million dollars in guranteed money then hey let him have it.

Because if you are a bad team, the current rookie system almost ensures your team will still be bad. Those teams like the Falcons, have so much money tied up in one player that the team has less money to sign two or three other guys for depth and or special teams. Even if they cut the guy like the Lions did with Charles Rogers and Mike Williams, they were still on the hook for those players and they could not use that money to sign veterans; costing other guys jobs because of the ridiculous system.
No one is saying these guys shouldn't get paid, teams shouldn't have to pay huge amounts for a guy with a 50/50 chance of helping your team. Upshaw needs to show that he cares about guys who belong to the union, not just guys who are going to belong.

If this system stays the way it is with guys like Matt Ryan, the THIRD pick in the draft getting 6 yrs / $72 M / $34.75 M guaranteed, maybe poorer teams that are drafting high should be trading those high picks for more and/or later picks. As I recall, Jimmy Johnson did that for a few years in Dallas and I think their team was successful for a while.

So get more picks in the 2nd/3rd round, which are cheaper. You may not get that franchise player, but Tom Brady was drafted in the 6th round, so if you can spot talent better than the other guys, you can do well.

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