USA TODAY Sports NFL agent poll: Snead gets some respect

[MadGoat]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/spor...ins-bill-belichick-demaurice-smith/528741002/

USA TODAY Sports NFL columnist Jarrett Bell and NFL reporter Lindsay H. Jones have been polling agents this year to get a sense of how they view the league’s teams, executives and its issues, particularly those linked to labor relations and collective bargaining.

A total of 25 agents responded to a series of questions, with some choosing to abstain to certain portions of the survey. But most did provide opinions when asked which teams were most prepared during free agency, which decision-makers commanded the most respect (and the least), and more. Here is what their answers revealed:

(All agents participated under the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the questions.)

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I don't find it surprising that the agents hate the rookie wage scale. That was easy money for them .

 

[Psycho_X]

I don't find it surprising that the agents hate the rookie wage scale. That was easy money for them .

Yeah, I would put that as number 1 on the "Best thing" scale. Was complete bullshit a rookie who's never played a down in the NFL was making more than the majority of any veteran in the league.

 

[dieterbrock]

Hard to read anything from this without seeing the raw data, and even that wont say much.
The only honest answer has to be the rookie cap. I don't know why a rookie would even hire an agent to sign a virtually boiler plate contract,
And lol on "middle class players". That was the whole argument on increasing the cap/share. The idea was that the money would go to the vets but like we've seen that is far from what happens.
The top 10% of the players get the money

 

[wmc540]

Ozzie Newsome has not been a successful GM for years.

 

[jrry32]

Yeah, I would put that as number 1 on the "Best thing" scale. Was complete bullcrap a rookie who's never played a down in the NFL was making more than the majority of any veteran in the league.

Agreed. It made busts a double whammy. You had to eat a lot of money and deal with the wasted pick. Now, that money goes to vets who earned it.

 

[Mackeyser]

Yeah, I would put that as number 1 on the "Best thing" scale. Was complete bullcrap a rookie who's never played a down in the NFL was making more than the majority of any veteran in the league.

I agree.

At the same time, when they were negotiating the current wage scale, I was trying as a fan to advocate for the middle of the road vet...the guy who's good enough to get that second contract but isn't going to blow anyone away with crazy numbers... typically guys who make $2-6M/yr.

What they did by gutting the rookie wage scale is force salaries for all the players other than the stars down.

They still have to spend the cap and thus you have big winners and big losers.

How in heaven's name is LeGarrette Blount barely able to make a roster and get a little over minimum but, he's gotten what? 3 rings the last 4 years as a solid contributor?

I don't honestly know that they have to do, but I think if a guy is good enough to get to that second contract, then there should be mechanisms under the cap to pay the guy. And I mean in a meritocratic way.

Too many teams now (the Rams included with all the top heavy talent we have) are essentially going with stars and rookies or guys being paid like rookies.

That's why I advocated a top tier of contracts like in the NBA. With a fixed rookie pool and a limit on how much stars can earn, there'd be nowhere else for the money to go except to mid-tier talent. There's not enough top-tier talent for teams to stockpile that and do what the Rams and other teams have done.

In that respect, I appreciate the Patriot model, although much like communism, it's not practiced in its pure form. The Patriots cheat with respect to Brady's compensation (which makes his complaining about a contract renegotiation kinda hysterical) and use other methods to get production from their players that doesn't translate to the player being a player...in that, not that many players leave NE and go on to great success other places. Some, but not many.

The bottom line for me is that I'd prefer the players shared the wealth a bit, especially because currently teams are incentivized to focus on stars. This makes little sense because as the Pats have shown, a team with solid depth all across the team can handle injuries and adversity better than a team that has stars and huge dropoff after them.

Anyway, that's my take. I know plenty of folks don't like that idea, but I think it'd help. I mean I loves me some Aaron Donald. AND I want Jake McQuaide to get a decent wage.

 

[DaveFan'51]

Ozzie Newsome has not been a successful GM for years.

But they weren't grading his successfulness, they where grading his Respect level! Words mean something!

 

[OC--LeftCoast]

But they weren't grading his successfulness, they where grading his Respect level! Words mean something!

Yes indeed there does seem to be a fundamental shift these days in corporate focus

Used to be your actions determined your standing

Now it’s shifted to how well you talk your game

C’est la vie

 

[Ram65]

How in heaven's name is LeGarrette Blount barely able to make a roster and get a little over minimum but, he's gotten what? 3 rings the last 4 years as a solid contributor?

Check this out Mac, He is making more this year than any other year according to spotrac,,,,,,2 Million!

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/detroit-lions/legarrette-blount-6766/cash-earnings/

He is not the best example because he plays running back. He also has had some attitude problems IIRC. They just don't give running backs big long term deals because of injuries most of the time.

I haven't thought about this as much as you have. It 's a free market outside of the rookie deals and the F Tags. I don't like where it's going with the QB payments and even guys like Donald. Too top heavy money wise. I don't how you can get the middle guys more money unless you cap to to guy. That may not even work.

Anyway, that's my take. I know plenty of folks don't like that idea, but I think it'd help. I mean I loves me some Aaron Donald. AND I want Jake McQuaide to get a decent wage.

He got 3.525 3 year deal. Only 385K is guaranteed. Not bad but, if the Rams need money he could be cut at anytime. That's what happened to the Raiders punter. He still makes bank now in Denver IIRC. It's hard to control what everyone gets paid I'm with you that the stars are getting too much of the pie. I think it ruins the game year to year. What's going to happen when Goff has to get paid around 30 Million? That's after Donald, Gurley and Peters.

 

[nighttrain]

Check this out Mac, He is making more this year than any other year according to spotrac,,,,,,2 Million!

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/detroit-lions/legarrette-blount-6766/cash-earnings/

He is not the best example because he plays running back. He also has had some attitude problems IIRC. They just don't give running backs big long term deals because of injuries most of the time.

I haven't thought about this as much as you have. It 's a free market outside of the rookie deals and the F Tags. I don't like where it's going with the QB payments and even guys like Donald. Too top heavy money wise. I don't how you can get the middle guys more money unless you cap to to guy. That may not even work.



He got 3.525 3 year deal. Only 385K is guaranteed. Not bad but, if the Rams need money he could be cut at anytime. That's what happened to the Raiders punter. He still makes bank now in Denver IIRC. It's hard to control what everyone gets paid I'm with you that the stars are getting too much of the pie. I think it ruins the game year to year. What's going to happen when Goff has to get paid around 30 Million? That's after Donald, Gurley and Peters.

Ram Nation is screwed
train