CFZ My Dream NFL format

[MarcusRock]

okay, but it still doesn’t change the fact that most of them are dumb athletes that received free college tuition and took away a spot at a university that should have been given to a real student seeking a degree.

fools and their money are soon parted anyway but that’s not my concern…..it’s just that some of them are so damn lazy and feel no obligation to perform for their employers. This is the modern day “professional athlete”

nursed ego not withstanding

Target hit. And you say all this as a union worker. Lol.

 

[charron]

I made a post like this awhile ago. I'm tired of seeing every season another player has set the market. Cap each position off at an affordable number so all teams can shop

There is a reason few guys who set the market reach the final year of their deal with that team. Outside of QB's, and that seems to be changing too.

 

[RodeoJake]

If I could change the landscape of the NFL as far as contracts go then this would be my dream NFL. The salary cap and FA as we know it would change. This is just a rough idea so I know there's flaws in it but try reading it to get the general idea.
-every draft pick would be immediately under contract. 1st round is a 6 year deal, 2nd round 5 year deal and 3-7 rounds and UFA are on a 4 year deal.
- every player makes a minimum wage. So all players make the same amount. Once a player has played a certain %of snaps then he goes to the next tier.
-the next tier is starters and contributors have a system of metrics, numbers, stats, etc that would determine their value and they would be paid accordingly.
-every season the NFL would release a salary cap number for each position. So the best QB in this system would make 50 million, the 2nd QB would make 48 million and on down the line depending on your end of the season grade.
-injured players who contributed but had season ending injuries, ala Michael Gallup, would be paid on a projection of their metrics.
- when a contract is up the team can decide to keep or release the player. So kind of like when an expansion draft comes. Every team would be able to designate half of their FAs as keepers and the other half exposed.

So in my dream system teams would be rewarded for drafting well. So in my system for this year we entered FA with 12 or so FAs. We then could say we are keeping 6 and exposing 6 for other teams. That would mean Jayron, Gregory, Anger, etc would be retained and if they ball out next year then they'll be well paid. If Gregory gets high all the time and sucks then he won't get paid. In my system the players would be more motivated to play harder since it directly correlates with their paychecks.

Also in my system if you have someone like Dak Prescott who explodes his rookie year, then his rookie year he makes 35 or so million. He doesn't have to risk his body hoping he doesn't get injured before he gets paid. Also in my system if Zeke is the 31st best RB in the league then we don't have to pay him 18 million.

I'm just brainstorming on a way to reward teams for drafting well and then reward players for playing well and giving them some form of guaranteed money in case of injury on a rookie contract. Also I feel this would help motivate players to play hard and stay out of trouble.

Also i know that most people would like this, especially agents, and there's some kinks that would have to be worked out but that would be my wish for the NFL. The NFL was funner back in the 70s and 80s before FA hit. Teams that drafted well usually lasted. IMO I wish we could get back to a system like that but also a system were the players can make serious bank if they play well.

This would only make it easier for the Joneses to keep the same players that couldn't get it done.

 

[jazzcat22]

The FA setup sounds similar to the Plan B FA system from the early 90's.

 

[Jake]

If I could change the landscape of the NFL as far as contracts go then this would be my dream NFL. The salary cap and FA as we know it would change. This is just a rough idea so I know there's flaws in it but try reading it to get the general idea.
-every draft pick would be immediately under contract. 1st round is a 6 year deal, 2nd round 5 year deal and 3-7 rounds and UFA are on a 4 year deal.
- every player makes a minimum wage. So all players make the same amount. Once a player has played a certain %of snaps then he goes to the next tier.
-the next tier is starters and contributors have a system of metrics, numbers, stats, etc that would determine their value and they would be paid accordingly.
-every season the NFL would release a salary cap number for each position. So the best QB in this system would make 50 million, the 2nd QB would make 48 million and on down the line depending on your end of the season grade.
-injured players who contributed but had season ending injuries, ala Michael Gallup, would be paid on a projection of their metrics.
- when a contract is up the team can decide to keep or release the player. So kind of like when an expansion draft comes. Every team would be able to designate half of their FAs as keepers and the other half exposed.

So in my dream system teams would be rewarded for drafting well. So in my system for this year we entered FA with 12 or so FAs. We then could say we are keeping 6 and exposing 6 for other teams. That would mean Jayron, Gregory, Anger, etc would be retained and if they ball out next year then they'll be well paid. If Gregory gets high all the time and sucks then he won't get paid. In my system the players would be more motivated to play harder since it directly correlates with their paychecks.

Also in my system if you have someone like Dak Prescott who explodes his rookie year, then his rookie year he makes 35 or so million. He doesn't have to risk his body hoping he doesn't get injured before he gets paid. Also in my system if Zeke is the 31st best RB in the league then we don't have to pay him 18 million.

I'm just brainstorming on a way to reward teams for drafting well and then reward players for playing well and giving them some form of guaranteed money in case of injury on a rookie contract. Also I feel this would help motivate players to play hard and stay out of trouble.

Also i know that most people would like this, especially agents, and there's some kinks that would have to be worked out but that would be my wish for the NFL. The NFL was funner back in the 70s and 80s before FA hit. Teams that drafted well usually lasted. IMO I wish we could get back to a system like that but also a system were the players can make serious bank if they play well.

I share your frustration, but the system isn't the problem. The Jones boys jobs-for-life front office structure is the real issue.

They don't know how to build a championship team, make poor roster decisions, and they aren't going to fire themselves.

 

[Cowboys22]

All that needs to change is that player's salaries should count 100% against the cap if not drafted by that team and 80-90% against the cap if drafted by the team. Allow teams to keep the players they drafted that they want to keep. Put an emphasis on drafting well and developing and retaining those players instead of ever ballooning ridiculous salaries for a few players that wreck a team's cap and has a trickledown negative impact on other players.

 

[FanofJerry]

The percentage reduction based on your own drafted players makes sense.

Are you suggesting this be the case and every drafted player allow a cap reduction? I only ask because quickly looking at Cowboys roster...Dak, Zeke and Lawrence...you are already looking at savings that would allow you to sign another star. I did the math at 85%.

I get that every team would have equal ability to accomplish this...but thats a pretty nice reward if you hit.

I guess what I am getting at is...maybe they should do the above but you can only designate a certain number of players for cap reductions...not any and all drafted players. Im sure there are holes in my suggestion too.

 

[plymkr]

I'd like to see a rule where the contract for a player you drafted counts less against your cap.

Me too, like the Larry Bird rule is basketball

 

[acr731]

And watch players develop a "me first" attitude so they can get paid which is also what fans whine about. Sorry y'all. Players deserve their share of the pot. This isn't the good ol' days when owners kept the lion's share of money while players risked their health for peanuts and kept fans comfortable that "dumb athletes" didn't out-earn them by the gazillions. Time to evolve and nurse that ego elsewhere.

My dream scenario has nothing to do with making sure the players get their fair share - if they perform at their best level every week they will get that and much more.

How many times have we seen over the years where a player busts their rear, gets their first big pay day, then drops off the face of the earth until its time for the next contract? DLaw is a perfect example. He told the world that Jerry didn't give him his huge contract, he earned it. Ok, then the next question should be has he earned his pay since the contract was awarded? The answer is 'HELL NO'. Our QB - he admitted after the season ended that he didn't play his best ball. Why not? He just got paid a ton to do what? Play his best ball. Why didn't he step up and show the world that he deserved the stupid contract he got? I have my reasons....

My idea would eliminate (and maybe even force out of the league) the lazy players who stop giving 100% after they get paid. That shouldn't be a problem with anyone.

 

[plymkr]

sorry, on the surface this may sound reasonable...but its not.

first, I am sure in the last CBA they discussed longer term contracts for rookies so they have them for longer, cheaper, but they settled on 5-4 numbers. not much of a difference. but they also agreed there will be a rookie salary cap.

and you can't have a 1st rounder make same as a 7th rounder. should Micah parsons who had huge impact and was clearly best defender on the team make same as some guy from 7th round who was on the bench and never active on game day....makes zero sense.

and how would you rank best QB? take a poll? based on QBR? or QB Rating? how do you determine that? its going to be an argument that never ends. what about DTs? 3-4 vs. 4-3. how about safties and CBs and LBs. what about a DT whose job is to occupy OL mena nd allow a LB to make tackles, vs. one who job is to rush the passer...performance criteria is subjective to the player position, role on the team and the system they play in. not only that, my performance also depends on my teammates. if they suck, my pay day is impacted. who wants that!?

and you can't force players to stay, that's what the CBA did to allow player movement. tha't how it was before the salary cap era. they were kind of forced to stay with their teams and the team had all the leverage.


the salary cap already takes care of most of what you said. manage your salary cap, and teams all have the same salary cap and same 53 players under contract. . you mix and match based on player demands and you fit them under your cap and build a team.

this system you described clearly favors the owners and not the players. owners take no risk and players carry all the risk. nobody would agree to it, if I was a player, I would never agree to this in the CBA. what NFL has done is have no guranteed contracts, although now they are leaning more into gauranteed dollars, which is increasing the risk to owners. what they may need to do is limit the amount of gaurantees in a contract based on total contract value. they did this with signing bonuses where you can't pay out over a certain percentage in bonus, done to allow more cash strapped teams to compete with teams who have money.

I don't find a lot of wrong with current system. few tweaks and its good. smart teams. smart managers. smart owners build winners. Jerry and Stephen suck.

No under my dream system the 7th rounder would make a million base salary as well as Parsons. But that 7th rounder stayed on the bench. So we'll use Ball and Parsons as examples. Both players come into the season guaranteed 1 million. Ball never touched the field so he makes a million. Parsons dominated the league so he would make 20-22 million.

So players would be rewarded for having career years without the teams worrying about resetting the market. Also it would protect someone like Parsons while he's on his rookie contract so if he had a devastating injury and couldn't get signed to a 2nd contract he would still cash in for his performance.

My main idea is players that drafted by the team could have some level of protection by the team. So you get a break on players you draft. Also with that the player can get paid well prior to the second contract. I know my idea has flaws but that's the basic blueprint. Teams get rewarded for drafting well and players get rewarded for playing well and fans get to enjoy it without worrying about their favorite player leaving the team.

 

[plymkr]

My dream scenario has nothing to do with making sure the players get their fair share - if they perform at their best level every week they will get that and much more.

How many times have we seen over the years where a player busts their rear, gets their first big pay day, then drops off the face of the earth until its time for the next contract? DLaw is a perfect example. He told the world that Jerry didn't give him his huge contract, he earned it. Ok, then the next question should be has he earned his pay since the contract was awarded? The answer is 'HELL NO'. Our QB - he admitted after the season ended that he didn't play his best ball. Why not? He just got paid a ton to do what? Play his best ball. Why didn't he step up and show the world that he deserved the stupid contract he got? I have my reasons....

My idea would eliminate (and maybe even force out of the league) the lazy players who stop giving 100% after they get paid. That shouldn't be a problem with anyone.

Yeah that's what I'm thinking. A system were the player's play dictates their pay but on a yearly basis. So no more getting lazy after you sign a big contract. That would eliminate that. It would weed out the lazy players.

So in theory Joe Thomas doesn't waste years of his career blocking for Johnny Manziel.

 

[plymkr]

The best format they could use is to give a discount to signing players you drafted. For example, give Diggs an extension, only 50% of that counts against the cap. This would put more stress on the draft. It would also allow for teams to build great teams without any disadvantage to poorer teams.

Right. Exactly. I agree. Something that puts more on the teams that draft well. I would like a system like this too.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

No under my dream system the 7th rounder would make a million base salary as well as Parsons. But that 7th rounder stayed on the bench. So we'll use Ball and Parsons as examples. Both players come into the season guaranteed 1 million. Ball never touched the field so he makes a million. Parsons dominated the league so he would make 20-22 million.

So players would be rewarded for having career years without the teams worrying about resetting the market. Also it would protect someone like Parsons while he's on his rookie contract so if he had a devastating injury and couldn't get signed to a 2nd contract he would still cash in for his performance.

My main idea is players that drafted by the team could have some level of protection by the team. So you get a break on players you draft. Also with that the player can get paid well prior to the second contract. I know my idea has flaws but that's the basic blueprint. Teams get rewarded for drafting well and players get rewarded for playing well and fans get to enjoy it without worrying about their favorite player leaving the team.

again, based on what production metrics are you going to rank? if Parsons made 20-22 and a LT was drafted 3rd over all, how do you compare LT performance vs. parsons to dole it out? how does a LT out perform a LB? you talked about ranking almost every player in every position. now you are wanting to rank players in different positions against each other. this makes zero sense at all.

why instead of a complicated system you are trying to implement that's only creating more questions, more problems and a me first approach to a team game, have performance clauses in the contract, it can even be standard. guess what they have some of those in place already, they can just expand on that, so if a player out performed expectations, then he gets paid, so the question is what are those expectations (what are expectations parameters for a center or a guard or a NT).

so this way a 7th rounder, ending up starting and out performing his 7th round status then he gets paid based on his performance above expectations. the question is then are there different expectations for a 5th rounder, vs. 6th rounder, vs. 7th rounder and how do you dole out money. not only that, Lawrence went to a really crappy team as the first over all pick and his performance against his peers and other players depend on craapy WRs, TEs, running game and OL, and to top it off, a coach that was fired half way through the year. this will force players to want to go play only for a few coaches and certain teams as chances of them getting paid more is higher.

if I was a player, I wouldn't agree to your method, because it makes me carry all the risks. owners get all the benefit and none of the risks

I am not opposed to giving teams some level of protection to keep their players. I think that's something that has to improve. best Idea I have heard is to count a lesser percentage of the contract value against the cap of the team he was drafted by. that allows teams to compete and keep their own players. right now that mechanism they put in place a franchise tag and transition tag that allows teams to keep players they really want and can't agree with and ensure the player gets paid top 5 of his position.

sorry, I know you are trying, but it makes no sense.

 

[Flamma]

Right. Exactly. I agree. Something that puts more on the teams that draft well. I would like a system like this too.

They won't do anything like this because it will cost the owners more money. Believe me, it is all about the money.

 

[DandyDon52]

If I could change the landscape of the NFL as far as contracts go then this would be my dream NFL. The salary cap and FA as we know it would change. This is just a rough idea so I know there's flaws in it but try reading it to get the general idea.
-every draft pick would be immediately under contract. 1st round is a 6 year deal, 2nd round 5 year deal and 3-7 rounds and UFA are on a 4 year deal.
- every player makes a minimum wage. So all players make the same amount. Once a player has played a certain %of snaps then he goes to the next tier.
-the next tier is starters and contributors have a system of metrics, numbers, stats, etc that would determine their value and they would be paid accordingly.
-every season the NFL would release a salary cap number for each position. So the best QB in this system would make 50 million, the 2nd QB would make 48 million and on down the line depending on your end of the season grade.
-injured players who contributed but had season ending injuries, ala Michael Gallup, would be paid on a projection of their metrics.
- when a contract is up the team can decide to keep or release the player. So kind of like when an expansion draft comes. Every team would be able to designate half of their FAs as keepers and the other half exposed.

So in my dream system teams would be rewarded for drafting well. So in my system for this year we entered FA with 12 or so FAs. We then could say we are keeping 6 and exposing 6 for other teams. That would mean Jayron, Gregory, Anger, etc would be retained and if they ball out next year then they'll be well paid. If Gregory gets high all the time and sucks then he won't get paid. In my system the players would be more motivated to play harder since it directly correlates with their paychecks.

Also in my system if you have someone like Dak Prescott who explodes his rookie year, then his rookie year he makes 35 or so million. He doesn't have to risk his body hoping he doesn't get injured before he gets paid. Also in my system if Zeke is the 31st best RB in the league then we don't have to pay him 18 million.

I'm just brainstorming on a way to reward teams for drafting well and then reward players for playing well and giving them some form of guaranteed money in case of injury on a rookie contract. Also I feel this would help motivate players to play hard and stay out of trouble.

Also i know that most people would like this, especially agents, and there's some kinks that would have to be worked out but that would be my wish for the NFL. The NFL was funner back in the 70s and 80s before FA hit. Teams that drafted well usually lasted. IMO I wish we could get back to a system like that but also a system were the players can make serious bank if they play well.

yeah I thought up something similar few years ago, but not as detailed.
My basic idea was that like you every player gets a min wage of say 1 mil.
Then the WHOLE SALARY CAP AMOUNT is paid out each year to players based on how well they played.
If injured, then like you a projection, but not as much as if they had actually played.
QB's might make the most, but not so much more.
Even out the pay among all the players.

As it is now a few guys make all the money and then dont achieve much. Game is now all about the money and not winning.

Some guys who have made a bunch of money already want that ring, like A donald in last years playoffs and SB showed he wanted that ring. So did kupp and stafford.
But not enough players actually want that, they want the money.

The nfl is now the highest paid profession in the world, and you dont even have to be smart to make 20-50 mil a year,
it is a joke and a reflection of our insane society !

 

[DandyDon52]

They won't do anything like this because it will cost the owners more money. Believe me, it is all about the money.

no it could be done with existing cap, just no rolling over, no pushing money into future, all of the cap is paid out each year to the players
in a fair fashion.
There could also be a bonus cap which only teams that make playoffs can use.
The further a team goes the bigger that cap gets , so a SB winning team/players would make a lot more than the teams that dont make playoffs.
This would also encourage teams to try hard to make playoffs and win once there.

 

[MarcusRock]

My dream scenario has nothing to do with making sure the players get their fair share - if they perform at their best level every week they will get that and much more but why consider the counter-evidence when there's slant to be had?

How many times have we seen over the years where a player busts their rear, gets their first big pay day, then drops off the face of the earth until its time for the next contract? DLaw is a perfect example. He told the world that Jerry didn't give him his huge contract, he earned it. Ok, then the next question should be has he earned his pay since the contract was awarded? The answer is 'HELL NO'. Our QB - he admitted after the season ended that he didn't play his best ball. Why not? He just got paid a ton to do what? Play his best ball. Why didn't he step up and show the world that he deserved the stupid contract he got? I have my reasons....

My idea would eliminate (and maybe even force out of the league) the lazy players who stop giving 100% after they get paid. That shouldn't be a problem with anyone.

The problem is it's based on the urban legend of "contract year" that people repeat ad nauseam because it's convenient to claim moral superiority for previously stated gazillion dollars. Did Aaron Donald have contract year syndrome? Danielle Hunter? Hopkins? Russell Wilson? Aaron Rodgers? Devante Adams, Tyreek Hill? Of course there's more.

What you are attempting to do with this, in addition to what else I claim is at play, is severely limit risk, which you cannot do. You can either get the players I mentioned above or you can miscalculate and get others who don't live up to it. Funny that when it doesn't work out the narrative defaults to "lazy player" rather than an "inept front office" who let themselves get cornered by players maybe not worth it but who have all the leverage because the front office didn't prepare to replace them. Sound like a front office you know? You think Zeke or DLaw are lazy? As I said, I understand the need to think they are. Just calling it out.

 

[plymkr]

yeah I thought up something similar few years ago, but not as detailed.
My basic idea was that like you every player gets a min wage of say 1 mil.
Then the WHOLE SALARY CAP AMOUNT is paid out each year to players based on how well they played.
If injured, then like you a projection, but not as much as if they had actually played.
QB's might make the most, but not so much more.
Even out the pay among all the players.

As it is now a few guys make all the money and then dont achieve much. Game is now all about the money and not winning.

Some guys who have made a bunch of money already want that ring, like A donald in last years playoffs and SB showed he wanted that ring. So did kupp and stafford.
But not enough players actually want that, they want the money.

The nfl is now the highest paid profession in the world, and you dont even have to be smart to make 20-50 mil a year,
it is a joke and a reflection of our insane society !

Yeah I like that idea too. I wish they could tweak or change the current system to a more secure system for the players and more fan friendly for us.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

yeah I thought up something similar few years ago, but not as detailed.
My basic idea was that like you every player gets a min wage of say 1 mil.
Then the WHOLE SALARY CAP AMOUNT is paid out each year to players based on how well they played.
If injured, then like you a projection, but not as much as if they had actually played.
QB's might make the most, but not so much more.
Even out the pay among all the players.

As it is now a few guys make all the money and then dont achieve much. Game is now all about the money and not winning.

Some guys who have made a bunch of money already want that ring, like A donald in last years playoffs and SB showed he wanted that ring. So did kupp and stafford.
But not enough players actually want that, they want the money.

The nfl is now the highest paid profession in the world, and you dont even have to be smart to make 20-50 mil a year,
it is a joke and a reflection of our insane society !

define how well for a center, guard and NT...is it number of starts? sacks? tackles? what if my role is to occupy OL men while LBs make the tackles and make all the money based on their tackling performance? what if the players on my team suck (ala Lawrence being with Jags), and his coach got fired half way through the year....

it doesn't work, because in that system the players take all the risks and owners take non of it.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

The problem is it's based on the urban legend of "contract year" that people repeat ad nauseam because it's convenient to claim moral superiority for previously stated gazillion dollars. Did Aaron Donald have contract year syndrome? Danielle Hunter? Hopkins? Russell Wilson? Aaron Rodgers? Devante Adams, Tyreek Hill? Of course there's more.

What you are attempting to do with this, in addition to what else I claim is at play, is severely limit risk, which you cannot do. You can either get the players I mentioned above or you can miscalculate and get others who don't live up to it. Funny that when it doesn't work out the narrative defaults to "lazy player" rather than an "inept front office" who let themselves get cornered by players maybe not worth it but who have all the leverage because the front office didn't prepare to replace them. Sound like a front office you know? You think Zeke or DLaw are lazy? As I said, I understand the need to think they are. Just calling it out.

exactly. its building a system to accomodate the few bad ones as opposed to all the others who don't have those issues and as you said, they never get talked about.