by John Czarnecki

Money for nothing

Our NFL Czar details how the bigger paydays to first-round QBs the last decade may lead to a rookie salary cap one day.

At the recent NFL meetings, Goodell said that he felt even stronger about implementing a rookie wage scale. He broached the subject publicly at last year's draft and even supported Tennessee center Kevin Mawae, a 15-year veteran and union activist, when he questioned the record $34.5 million in guaranteed money given quarterback Matt Ryan, Atlanta's first-round pick last year. Ryan received more than the two players taken ahead of him, OT Jake Long of Miami and DE Chris Long of St. Louis.

I was privy to an interesting argument at the owners' meeting between a couple management people and several top agents, who debated whether Ryan's contract ruined the so-called slotting scale in the first round or whether the player simply received the so-called "quarterback premium." In hindsight, if Ryan, who was Rookie of the Year, becomes a true franchise quarterback, Falcons owner Arthur Blank may believe it was money well spent. However, Ryan was the third player taken last year, the Kansas City Chiefs own the third slot this year and will have to deal with those financial consequences.

Maybe two-time Super Bowl champ Ben Roethlisberger should ask his agent to enter him into the draft again somehow. (Jamie Squire / Getty Images)

The NFL is bracing for the potential of Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford collecting more than was in Ryan's deal should the Lions select him with the first overall pick or even if the Seahawks grab him with the fourth pick. It's a problematic position and a major reason why teams don't like being at the top of the draft anymore. It's not only risky business, but it's also very expensive. I mean, $36 million in guaranteed money isn't out of the question should Stafford go in the top four.

And what's interesting about that $36 million number? Well, that's what Pittsburgh gave quarterback Ben Roethlisberger last year on a contract extension — and Big Ben has won two Super Bowls.

"The money should go to the players that have produced at the NFL level," Goodell said. "You want to make sure the system rewards the players that perform and I think that's what we have to figure out in the next collective bargaining agreement. How do we pay the players fairly?"

There is no question that salaries have mushroomed in the NFL in conjunction with the network TV contracts and the league's stadium expansion. In 1989, Troy Aikman was the first player taken and he received $11 million over six seasons. Granted, Aikman's deal was pre-salary cap and free agency.

Skip ahead to 1998, and Peyton Manning was the first player taken and he received an $11.6 million signing bonus, or Aikman's total package. However, that was also the year when Ryan Leaf received $11.25 million in guaranteed money as the second choice and Andre Wadsworth got $10 million as the third choice. Leaf, whose five-year deal was worth $31.25 million, is considered one of the draft's biggest busts and knee injuries made sure that Wadsworth was another bust. The next season produced three major quarterback draft busts in Tim Couch (No. 1 overall), Akili Smith (No. 3) and Cade McNown (No. 12).

In this decade, the salaries have risen dramatically. Remember, David Carr? Well, Houston drafted him No. 1 overall in 2002 and gave him an $11 million signing bonus. In 2006, they paid Carr an $8 million bonus to "buy back" reasonable base salaries for 2006 through 2008 because Carr voided those years in his original contract through play-time incentives. The Texans did that, rather than draft Vince Young. Carr was in Carolina as a backup in 2007. By 2004, Eli Manning received $20 million in guarantees, followed by $24 million for Alex Smith in 2005 and then $32 million for JaMarcus Russell in 2007.

Goodell could be pushing the rookie wage scale because it makes sense to many fans. It's a solid public stance should negotiating get ugly between himself and Smith, whose background is as a white-collar criminal defense lawyer. Remember, Smith replaces the late Gene Upshaw, who was a Hall of Fame player and person.

The NBA's rookie scale virtually assures there is no holdout like Russell's, a move that ruined his rookie season and may ultimately ruin his NFL career. Consider that LeBron James, the NBA's best player, signed a three-year deal out of high school for $12.96 million over three years, or $4.32 million a season. Without question, LeBron proved his worth on the professional court and received a five-year, $80 million contract in 2006.

There is no question that NFL owners will pay proven talent. Raiders owner Al Davis just gave All-Pro cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha $28.5 million over two seasons. Washington owner Daniel Snyder just gave defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth $41 million in guaranteed money.

The interesting part about a rookie wage scale, though, is that most of the teams love the slotting system when it comes to picks 10 through 252. The Patriots believe they got a very favorable contract with linebacker Jerod Mayo last year, the 10th player drafted. San Francisco's best player may be linebacker Patrick Willis, but because he was selected 11th overall in 2007 he's earning $2 million a season. On the open market, Willis may be a $7 million linebacker. It's just the top of the draft that is ugly for NFL teams.

This year the NFL salary cap is at $127 million per club. It was at $102 million just four seasons ago. The NFL is a $7.5 billion industry, but management has been slashing employees while also hiring young head coaches for $2.5 million when so many of their veteran peers are in the $5 million range. Two of the game's highest-paid coaches of all-time, Mike Holmgren and Mike Shanahan, are unemployed, although Shanny is being paid not to work this season.

The bottom line is that owners want to cut back in their financial benefits to all players. Reducing salaries sounds like a deal breaker for Smith and the union. However, maybe veteran players will consider a rookie scale to be a better formula in order to maintain or increase veteran minimums, etc. It sounds like a long shot, but Goodell has to start somewhere.