The way the NFL re-structured its pay system in the 2011 CBA, less money would be heaped on rookies, and more of the revenue pie would be shifted to veteran players who had earned a pay raise based on their play on the field, not their reputation coming out of college.
Before 2011, some first round rookies were getting paid a lot more money than some veteran starters who had proven to be valuable assets. So since 2011, the focus on how players were paid changed, and I think it was for the better.
But IMO, many fans see the big dollar second contracts that many veteran players get as an indication that the player then has to play even better than in the past to “justify” their pay raise. But actually the second contract is seen by both the owners and players as both a reward for good play and a way to retain that talent in the future at market value.
Here are some points on why I believe the big second contract is misunderstood:
- Most players who play very well on their rookie contracts are producing at a high level while also being paid well below market value. This is especially true of players drafted in the middle to late rounds who play very well on rookie deals.
- The second contract is an adjustment of pay to better fit the players perceived value, not necessarily their actual value.
- Most second contracts have “parachutes” built in for the owners to get out of the deal in the long term if certain conditions warrant. In other words, it gives the owners flexibility to not pay all of the original proposed amount.
I mention “fan misunderstandings about second contracts” because sometimes I think fans are unduly harsh on some players after getting a second deal. DeMarcus Lawrence is a good example of this.
IMO, DLaw has continued to play at a very high level. Fans tend to judge a player based solely on certain stats like sacks. Across the league, DLaw is a very respected player by offensive coordinators and is usually ranked in the top ten of defensive lineman by both players and pundits.
That’s not to say every second contract player continues to play well. Jay Ratliff, Miles Austin, Doug Free, Tyrone Crawford, and Zeke are IMO some examples of guys who were paid more than their long term value. Some of the good second contracts recently include Tyron Smith, Zack Martin, DLaw, and perhaps La’el Collins. We will see about Dak.
Bottom line for me is, a bigger paycheck for a pro football player is more complex than it used to be. Judging a player on stats vs dollars is not always accurate.
