Here's the real problem with salaries

[JPostSam]

With all the talk about the collapse of the running back market and the insane salaries given to (fill in the blank -- be it player or position), there's an element of player salaries that is not discussed nearly enough:

The NFL salary table is incredibly top heavy.

Dak's salary takes up nearly 18% of the team's salary cap this year. (This is not a Dak thread. This is not a Dak thread. This is not a Dak thread.)

The top 3 salaries on the roster take up more than 35% of the salary cap.

That leaves 65% of the cap -- less, actually, because of dead money -- for the remaining 50 players on the roster.

There are 35 players on this team earning less than $1 million per year. I know, no one here is crying for them. But when you have 35 players on one team earning less, combined, than 1 player on that same team, something is wrong.

Understand: This is not a Cowboys problem. This is an every team in the NFL problem.

What's more: Salaries increase for players after their 4th year in the league. But how long is the average career? Less than 4 years. So, rosters are always going to be top heavy. A few will earn more in one season than most of their teammates will earn in their entire careers.

Saquon says he doesn't want to be an "a-hole" to his teammates. But, guess what? Every star players is already telling his lower tier teammates that their pockets don't matter. Every. Darn. Day.

Why should we care? Because this is a team sport, but the top heavy contract structure destroys teams. It encourages teams to jettison good players, who have attracted fans to the team -- not because they aren't good anymore, but because they aren't affordable anymore. It encourages players to leave teams for a huge contract elsewhere -- that will only be broken in a year or two. It shortens careers, because good players can't be paid like great players, and cheap players don't have to be good. It starves young players and leaves young men broken at age 25, without the financial resources that start players have to care for themselves.

How can this be fixed?

Make it so that no single player can earn more than 10% of the cap.

Make it so that the top 3 contracts, combined, can't be more than 20% of the cap.

Make it so that no player earns less than 1/2 of 1% of the cap. (Currently, the minimum is 1/10 of 1 percent).

Make player more equitable, and players and teams and fans will all win.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

People are just emotional right now especially the RB's.....

At the end of the day the QB position is important. More important than 10 percent of the salary cap. Micah Parsons is more important the the guy next to him. It's just what it is. The NFL doesn't see it as a problem and it's really not one. There may be an issue with running backs down the line but then don't play the position. Go play another position because you see where the market is going if you're a up and coming guy.

 

[big dog cowboy]

There are 35 players on this team earning less than $1 million per year. I know, no one here is crying for them. But when you have 35 players on one team earning less, combined, than 1 player on that same team, something is wrong.

Well when you put it that way I'd say there is.

 

[Kingofholland]

With all the talk about the collapse of the running back market and the insane salaries given to (fill in the blank -- be it player or position), there's an element of player salaries that is not discussed nearly enough:

The NFL salary table is incredibly top heavy.

Dak's salary takes up nearly 18% of the team's salary cap this year. (This is not a Dak thread. This is not a Dak thread. This is not a Dak thread.)

The top 3 salaries on the roster take up more than 35% of the salary cap.

That leaves 65% of the cap -- less, actually, because of dead money -- for the remaining 50 players on the roster.

There are 35 players on this team earning less than $1 million per year. I know, no one here is crying for them. But when you have 35 players on one team earning less, combined, than 1 player on that same team, something is wrong.

Understand: This is not a Cowboys problem. This is an every team in the NFL problem.

What's more: Salaries increase for players after their 4th year in the league. But how long is the average career? Less than 4 years. So, rosters are always going to be top heavy. A few will earn more in one season than most of their teammates will earn in their entire careers.

Saquon says he doesn't want to be an "a-hole" to his teammates. But, guess what? Every star players is already telling his lower tier teammates that their pockets don't matter. Every. Darn. Day.

Why should we care? Because this is a team sport, but the top heavy contract structure destroys teams. It encourages teams to jettison good players, who have attracted fans to the team -- not because they aren't good anymore, but because they aren't affordable anymore. It encourages players to leave teams for a huge contract elsewhere -- that will only be broken in a year or two. It shortens careers, because good players can't be paid like great players, and cheap players don't have to be good. It starves young players and leaves young men broken at age 25, without the financial resources that start players have to care for themselves.

How can this be fixed?

Make it so that no single player can earn more than 10% of the cap.

Make it so that the top 3 contracts, combined, can't be more than 20% of the cap.

Make it so that no player earns less than 1/2 of 1% of the cap. (Currently, the minimum is 1/10 of 1 percent).

Make player more equitable, and players and teams and fans will all win.

In the NFL you have very little chance unless you have a QB so I get the weighting on the QB in relation to the cap. If you have a top QB it makes a ton of sense, they make the players around them better. So paying a top QB 50+ million is probably more valuable than paying 2 elite players at other positions. Where the issue comes in is when you pay pretty good QBs top QB money then it becomes a question if you're better off paying 2 top players 20+ million at other positions and hoping you could find a rookie or stop gap guy to play well enough with the talent around him to win.

 

[Corso]

The problem with salaries is the cap and the 8 zillion complicated ways to wrap around it.

 

[Havic]

When you have other positions sky rocketing in value (WR) the most recent, others positions will ultimately be de-valued.

 

[acr731]

(This is not a Dak thread. This is not a Dak thread. This is not a Dak thread.)

It will be.....

It will be.....

It will be.....

 

[erod]

So your answer is to ask QBs and the Micah Parsonses to take less for the greater good?

Good luck.

 

[TheCritic]

If this bothers you, try on the fact that Jerry Jones bought the entire Dallas Cowboys organization for $140 million. Less than Dak's 4 year $160 million deal!

 

[kskboys]

With all the talk about the collapse of the running back market and the insane salaries given to (fill in the blank -- be it player or position), there's an element of player salaries that is not discussed nearly enough:

The NFL salary table is incredibly top heavy.

Dak's salary takes up nearly 18% of the team's salary cap this year. (This is not a Dak thread. This is not a Dak thread. This is not a Dak thread.)

The top 3 salaries on the roster take up more than 35% of the salary cap.

That leaves 65% of the cap -- less, actually, because of dead money -- for the remaining 50 players on the roster.

There are 35 players on this team earning less than $1 million per year. I know, no one here is crying for them. But when you have 35 players on one team earning less, combined, than 1 player on that same team, something is wrong.

Understand: This is not a Cowboys problem. This is an every team in the NFL problem.

What's more: Salaries increase for players after their 4th year in the league. But how long is the average career? Less than 4 years. So, rosters are always going to be top heavy. A few will earn more in one season than most of their teammates will earn in their entire careers.

Saquon says he doesn't want to be an "a-hole" to his teammates. But, guess what? Every star players is already telling his lower tier teammates that their pockets don't matter. Every. Darn. Day.

Why should we care? Because this is a team sport, but the top heavy contract structure destroys teams. It encourages teams to jettison good players, who have attracted fans to the team -- not because they aren't good anymore, but because they aren't affordable anymore. It encourages players to leave teams for a huge contract elsewhere -- that will only be broken in a year or two. It shortens careers, because good players can't be paid like great players, and cheap players don't have to be good. It starves young players and leaves young men broken at age 25, without the financial resources that start players have to care for themselves.

How can this be fixed?

Make it so that no single player can earn more than 10% of the cap.

Make it so that the top 3 contracts, combined, can't be more than 20% of the cap.

Make it so that no player earns less than 1/2 of 1% of the cap. (Currently, the minimum is 1/10 of 1 percent).

Make player more equitable, and players and teams and fans will all win.

Correction: The average career is 3-4 years when you count the players who don't make it, who aren't good enough.

The actuall career length for starter quality players is prolly around 10-12 years.

 

[dckid]

With all the talk about the collapse of the running back market and the insane salaries given to (fill in the blank -- be it player or position), there's an element of player salaries that is not discussed nearly enough:

The NFL salary table is incredibly top heavy.

Dak's salary takes up nearly 18% of the team's salary cap this year. (This is not a Dak thread. This is not a Dak thread. This is not a Dak thread.)

The top 3 salaries on the roster take up more than 35% of the salary cap.

That leaves 65% of the cap -- less, actually, because of dead money -- for the remaining 50 players on the roster.

There are 35 players on this team earning less than $1 million per year. I know, no one here is crying for them. But when you have 35 players on one team earning less, combined, than 1 player on that same team, something is wrong.

Understand: This is not a Cowboys problem. This is an every team in the NFL problem.

What's more: Salaries increase for players after their 4th year in the league. But how long is the average career? Less than 4 years. So, rosters are always going to be top heavy. A few will earn more in one season than most of their teammates will earn in their entire careers.

Saquon says he doesn't want to be an "a-hole" to his teammates. But, guess what? Every star players is already telling his lower tier teammates that their pockets don't matter. Every. Darn. Day.

Why should we care? Because this is a team sport, but the top heavy contract structure destroys teams. It encourages teams to jettison good players, who have attracted fans to the team -- not because they aren't good anymore, but because they aren't affordable anymore. It encourages players to leave teams for a huge contract elsewhere -- that will only be broken in a year or two. It shortens careers, because good players can't be paid like great players, and cheap players don't have to be good. It starves young players and leaves young men broken at age 25, without the financial resources that start players have to care for themselves.

How can this be fixed?

Make it so that no single player can earn more than 10% of the cap.

Make it so that the top 3 contracts, combined, can't be more than 20% of the cap.

Make it so that no player earns less than 1/2 of 1% of the cap. (Currently, the minimum is 1/10 of 1 percent).

Make player more equitable, and players and teams and fans will all win.

Good thoughts, but we want to add even more rules to a bad salary restricted system.
Truth is that the franchise tag is extremely unfair and it prevents that player from reaching true free agency. The revenue share is 51 49 in favor of the owners, the 2011 CBA prevented the rookies from making a metric ton of money.

Running back problem will not be solved, another truth is... there are too many good running back in the league and more come out every year. That will not change.
When you can draft Pacheco, Pollard, Kenneth Walker, Khalil Herbert types from round 2-7 why pay Barkley? I mean heck I would not even have drafted Barkley.

Today the Bears signed Cole Kment to a 4 year 50 million dollar contract, supply and demand. Every team has a RB or more. TE's are more rare.

 

[StarBoyz83]

So your answer is to ask QBs and the Micah Parsonses to take less for the greater good?

Good luck.

Rodgers just took a ton less. Didn't expect that at all!

 

[erod]

Rodgers just took a ton less. Didn't expect that at all!

But he already got his.

 

[DandyDon52]

With all the talk about the collapse of the running back market and the insane salaries given to (fill in the blank -- be it player or position), there's an element of player salaries that is not discussed nearly enough:

The NFL salary table is incredibly top heavy.

Dak's salary takes up nearly 18% of the team's salary cap this year. (This is not a Dak thread. This is not a Dak thread. This is not a Dak thread.)

The top 3 salaries on the roster take up more than 35% of the salary cap.

That leaves 65% of the cap -- less, actually, because of dead money -- for the remaining 50 players on the roster.

There are 35 players on this team earning less than $1 million per year. I know, no one here is crying for them. But when you have 35 players on one team earning less, combined, than 1 player on that same team, something is wrong.

Understand: This is not a Cowboys problem. This is an every team in the NFL problem.

What's more: Salaries increase for players after their 4th year in the league. But how long is the average career? Less than 4 years. So, rosters are always going to be top heavy. A few will earn more in one season than most of their teammates will earn in their entire careers.

Saquon says he doesn't want to be an "a-hole" to his teammates. But, guess what? Every star players is already telling his lower tier teammates that their pockets don't matter. Every. Darn. Day.

Why should we care? Because this is a team sport, but the top heavy contract structure destroys teams. It encourages teams to jettison good players, who have attracted fans to the team -- not because they aren't good anymore, but because they aren't affordable anymore. It encourages players to leave teams for a huge contract elsewhere -- that will only be broken in a year or two. It shortens careers, because good players can't be paid like great players, and cheap players don't have to be good. It starves young players and leaves young men broken at age 25, without the financial resources that start players have to care for themselves.

How can this be fixed?

Make it so that no single player can earn more than 10% of the cap.

Make it so that the top 3 contracts, combined, can't be more than 20% of the cap.

Make it so that no player earns less than 1/2 of 1% of the cap. (Currently, the minimum is 1/10 of 1 percent).

Make player more equitable, and players and teams and fans will all win.

I have brought this up for years, but nobody cares lol.
It should be fixed, but it wont be.
Stupid owners, and corrupt players union.
They all want to give all the gold to their stars, and the rest are just peasants.

 

[America's Cowboy]

With all the talk about the collapse of the running back market and the insane salaries given to (fill in the blank -- be it player or position), there's an element of player salaries that is not discussed nearly enough:

The NFL salary table is incredibly top heavy.

Dak's salary takes up nearly 18% of the team's salary cap this year. (This is not a Dak thread. This is not a Dak thread. This is not a Dak thread.)

The top 3 salaries on the roster take up more than 35% of the salary cap.

That leaves 65% of the cap -- less, actually, because of dead money -- for the remaining 50 players on the roster.

There are 35 players on this team earning less than $1 million per year. I know, no one here is crying for them. But when you have 35 players on one team earning less, combined, than 1 player on that same team, something is wrong.

Understand: This is not a Cowboys problem. This is an every team in the NFL problem.

What's more: Salaries increase for players after their 4th year in the league. But how long is the average career? Less than 4 years. So, rosters are always going to be top heavy. A few will earn more in one season than most of their teammates will earn in their entire careers.

Saquon says he doesn't want to be an "a-hole" to his teammates. But, guess what? Every star players is already telling his lower tier teammates that their pockets don't matter. Every. Darn. Day.

Why should we care? Because this is a team sport, but the top heavy contract structure destroys teams. It encourages teams to jettison good players, who have attracted fans to the team -- not because they aren't good anymore, but because they aren't affordable anymore. It encourages players to leave teams for a huge contract elsewhere -- that will only be broken in a year or two. It shortens careers, because good players can't be paid like great players, and cheap players don't have to be good. It starves young players and leaves young men broken at age 25, without the financial resources that start players have to care for themselves.

How can this be fixed?

Make it so that no single player can earn more than 10% of the cap.

Make it so that the top 3 contracts, combined, can't be more than 20% of the cap.

Make it so that no player earns less than 1/2 of 1% of the cap. (Currently, the minimum is 1/10 of 1 percent).

Make player more equitable, and players and teams and fans will all win.

100% totally agree!!!

This is what I was saying in another thread and why I've been complaining about the ever-increasing crazy and ridiculous waaay overpaid QB salaries. They are destroying teams, players and the game of football.

 

[buybuydandavis]

How can this be fixed?

Make it so that no single player can earn more than 10% of the cap.
...
Make it so that no player earns less than 1/2 of 1% of the cap. (Currently, the minimum is 1/10 of 1 percent).

The first would be hard to do in isolation. It would encourage more pretend accounting. Even more front loaded bonuses for years that never happen on the back end. I think that's toxic to the league.

But maybe you could make more progress from the bottom up. Not just raise the minimum salary, but maybe raise the bottom half. I dunno.

They designed a game where the offense is all about the QB. So that's where the money goes.

 

[T-RO]

Why should we care? Because this is a team sport, but the top heavy contract structure destroys teams.

This is grandiose nonsense. There is no evidence of this whatsoever.

It encourages teams to jettison good players, who have attracted fans to the team -- not because they aren't good anymore, but because they aren't affordable anymore. It encourages players to leave teams for a huge contract elsewhere -- that will only be broken in a year or two.

The salary cap does this, not the disparity between positions

It shortens careers, because good players can't be paid like great players, and cheap players don't have to be good.

If everyone was making just 100k, you'd find no shortage of good players. Men love the game and men love fame.

It starves young players and leaves young men broken at age 25, without the financial resources that start players have to care for themselves.

Good gawd, can you hear your own language? Overwrought drivel. Making 500k in a year or two sets anyone up for lifetime financial success. Gotta manage your money and your career after football.

 

[T-RO]

The players association can easily get the pie distributed a bit more evenly. It's 100% in their court. Not my concern. Not a fan's worry.

I'm not feeling bad for anyone making $2 mil a year....or even the minimum $600k a year playing football for half the year. If the players want to address it in the next collective bargaining agreement...it's up to them 100%.

 

[noshame]

The key is stellar drafting and personnel development.
We are getting there on drafting, just need a few tweaks in the staff. You pay a few stars like a franchise QB, if you have one, spending the rest on OL,DL, and DB.

 

[Flamma]

With all the talk about the collapse of the running back market and the insane salaries given to (fill in the blank -- be it player or position), there's an element of player salaries that is not discussed nearly enough:

The NFL salary table is incredibly top heavy.

Dak's salary takes up nearly 18% of the team's salary cap this year. (This is not a Dak thread. This is not a Dak thread. This is not a Dak thread.)

The top 3 salaries on the roster take up more than 35% of the salary cap.

That leaves 65% of the cap -- less, actually, because of dead money -- for the remaining 50 players on the roster.

There are 35 players on this team earning less than $1 million per year. I know, no one here is crying for them. But when you have 35 players on one team earning less, combined, than 1 player on that same team, something is wrong.

Understand: This is not a Cowboys problem. This is an every team in the NFL problem.

What's more: Salaries increase for players after their 4th year in the league. But how long is the average career? Less than 4 years. So, rosters are always going to be top heavy. A few will earn more in one season than most of their teammates will earn in their entire careers.

Saquon says he doesn't want to be an "a-hole" to his teammates. But, guess what? Every star players is already telling his lower tier teammates that their pockets don't matter. Every. Darn. Day.

Why should we care? Because this is a team sport, but the top heavy contract structure destroys teams. It encourages teams to jettison good players, who have attracted fans to the team -- not because they aren't good anymore, but because they aren't affordable anymore. It encourages players to leave teams for a huge contract elsewhere -- that will only be broken in a year or two. It shortens careers, because good players can't be paid like great players, and cheap players don't have to be good. It starves young players and leaves young men broken at age 25, without the financial resources that start players have to care for themselves.

How can this be fixed?

Make it so that no single player can earn more than 10% of the cap.

Make it so that the top 3 contracts, combined, can't be more than 20% of the cap.

Make it so that no player earns less than 1/2 of 1% of the cap. (Currently, the minimum is 1/10 of 1 percent).

Make player more equitable, and players and teams and fans will all win.

I get what you're saying, it's just the math I have issue with. Dak is an 11.5% cap hit. The top 3 players add up to 23.5% against the cap. If I had to guess, your numbers are probably closer to average salary for each player. That's not what goes against the cap.