The NFL is not a single business. It is actually 32 separate businesses that agree to spend a minimum amount on players wages in order to form a competitive balance. This isn't the teamsters.
So, lets take your position to its logical conclusion. There is no internal positional caps but there is a team cap. Whats to keep QBs from eventually taking 50% or 75% of the cap leaving their teammates to divide up whats left over? Thats fair in a team sport?
When the NFLPA limited rookie wages, it set a precedent it could easily follow to do that with certain positions. The intent of the rookie wage cap was to get more money to veteran players. Rookies were getting too big a piece of the pie. However, the unintended consequence was that it freed up money that mostly went to veteran QBs. If I was the NFLPA, i'd raise the veteran minimum wage, shorten rookie contracts, and limit individual salaries as a % of the cap. Thats fair for everyone.........accept the agents who represent Qbs
Well, first off, a team would have to propose a contract that paid 50% of the Cap for a QB to be able to sign one. That is highly doubtful.
If I interviewed you and loved you as a potential employee, you can ask for $250K a year for non-skilled labor and I would tell you I appreciate your time but I will have to consider another applicant. Then you are completely free to see if someone else will pay you $250K for something most other people can do.
Or you can take the $15 an hour I am willing to pay and do the job to the best of your ability.
It's not like Dak, or any player, can FORCE a team to sign them. But if a team is willing to give a QB 50% of the Cap, well I would say the best of luck to them and would be interested to see if they could put together a competitive team afterwords.
As far as the NFLPA, if it was to negotiate the % stipulation for any position, I would be shocked.
But I have yet to see ANYTHING suggesting that would be the case, and again, it is completely against the Union's best interest to do so.
As a fan, I would love it because it would make signing players much simpler. "Hey top-tier QB, you can make the MAX of 10% of the salary cap." So simple, so easy.
But that is also very much anti-American and I do not want to live in a society that can set a limit to how much I can make. If I have special skills, I should be paid accordingly. And if I can only perform non-skilled labor, I better learn a new trait if I want to make more.
But in a free market, like free agency, you are able to maximize your earning potential by being in high demand. That is EXACTLY why players and the NFLPA fought for it in the first place.
And for that, I say good for the players.
It's up to the teams and businesses to do what is best for them. If they feel paying 50% of their budget to one person, well, they better be worth it. Otherwise find someone with a similar skill set that will play/work for what you are willing to pay.
