What an "uncapped" season will mean
The NFL is perfect. That is my opinion. My reasoning is simple. It doesn't matter how big "my" city is. It doesn't matter what television deal my team has. This all could change. We have all heard it. If the NFLPA and the Owners do not hammer out a new collective bargaining agreement, or CBA, 2010 could be an uncapped season. Money will be flowing and players will be striking it rich. Jerry Jones and Dan Snyder will be buying anything that isn't nailed down.
Right? Not exactly. There is a ton of interesting side pieces to the mythical uncapped season. I have laid out some issues that will hopefully give fans a better idea what the "uncapped" season can mean to the NFL.
Free Agency:
This has been discussed before, but I think that I should touch on it again. Under the current deal, if a player accrues 4 NFL seasons, the player could be eligible for free agency. Without the new CBA, that number then jumps from four seasons to six seasons. That takes out a massive chunk of players that would be free agents. Players from the 2005 NFL draft that signed 5 year contracts (Braylon Edwards) or guys from the 2006 NFL Draft that signed 4 year contracts (D'Qwell Jackson) would not be available. Great for those teams, but it thins out the rest of the market. Other players that this effects is DMeco Ryans, Eric Wright, Sidney Rice, Steve Smith, LaMarr Woodley, Elvis Dumervil amongst many others. The free agent class starts to look a little thin.
Tags:
As of now, your team can only use one tag every off-season. Franchise (the average of the top 5 players at the position) or the rarely used transition (the average of the top 10 players at a position). That's it. If the uncapped season happens, every team will be allowed to use three tags. So even if a player has put in six seasons, the team has three tags in which to keep its veteran players. This, further dries up the already thin market. It is quickly looking like it isn't the cash grab that so many fans, players and agents envisioned.
No Salary Cap/No Salary Floor:
There is a reason why many players are clamoring for a new CBA to be reached. Desmond Clark, a decent player, but not a superstar, has laid out the reasons in his own words. Teams like the Jaguars and Lions, two teams that have had issues selling tickets this season, may not see a reason in paying for lesser players. Today, a fourth year veteran is paid a minimum of 510k. Next season, why should an owner who is struggling to sell tickets, pay ten back-ups 5.1 million (510k x 10 players)? In stead he can sign ten players from the UFL or off the street for 100k. A minor move like that would save an owner over four million dollars and it would cost 10 players a job, just because of time served in the NFL.
Who should the NFLPA be listening to? The Mario Williams type player who could be on the verge of a major pay day, or the hordes of Blake Costanzo's? After all, the majority of NFL players do not get paid the "big" dollars. The salary floor has stopped the NFL from having Florida Marlin like situations. Without it, there would be nothing stopping an owner from cutting all costs.
Final Eight Restrictions:
This is where it really starts to get funky. Imagine for a second that the final eight teams in the playoffs this season are the Pats, Steelers, Colts, Chargers, Cowboys, Vikings, Saints and Cardinals. Since these would be the "final eight" teams the NFL would not allow these eight teams to sign any free agents, UNTIL they lost a player of their own.
For example. Let us assume that the Browns decided to sign free agent Steve Breaston. The Browns signed Breaston for 4 years and 25 million. The Cardinals would then be allowed to sign ONE free agent and only for 25 million dollars. Other teams would use this info, and bid against the Cards knowing that Arizona had no wiggle room.
This clause of course was to discourage owners to splurge to try and fix that final hole to win a Super Bowl. Sounds good if you are a Browns fan, but if you are a Pats fan this should scare the hell out of you. Granted these teams will have all three tags to use on players, but some players would be left hanging.
Draft:
It is widely believed that this will be the last cash grab for draftees. Many agents, owners and players think that the days of the 50 million dollar bonus for a number one pick is nearing its end. That means that this years draft will be full of underclassmen that may not be ready, but enter anyway to make sure that they get a piece of the pie. Don't be suprised to see a lot of juniors make the jump even if they are thought to be only 2nd or 3rd rounders.
I really hope we never see an uncapped season. I think that if the owners get a taste of an uncapped season, we as football fans will never get it back. After all, why would Jerry Jones share his wealth with Green Bay? The NFL could be headed for a baseball type system. I personally think that baseball is ruined. I have lost all love I had for the sport. No longer can I watch as my favorite players are sold to the highest bidder. Why such a stupid system is in place when a much better, equal, fair system has turned the NFL into the king of all American sports? Let us hope that cooler heads will prevail and a CBA will be reached before the dreaded "uncapped" season is here.
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Comments
Thanks for the writeup man. I’m still confused on one thing though.
I didn’t even know there was a clause restricting final 8 teams from splurging.
Once again we are expected to believe we have options, when in fact it´s all about no choice. I would say, we develop some alternatives to cap or no cap.
That´s a typical strategy to use what you have to make the alternative attractive.
So it´s neither nor and then or and and.
And there is a magic word in this equation. It´s “value”. The tower of Babel you are describing was built on “price”.
The main thing wrong with the cap, is orchestrating good players to count against bad players´ salaries. This was a fallacy, and constitutes an adverse contract situation. Each and every instance is punishable, that´s why they´re so intent on getting us the next predicament.
Let me just add one sentiment.
I think most people agree, that if the salary cap was only that, a consensual agreement among NFL clubs, regarding the spending limit, it would be a good thing.
But Bernie19Kosar´s post aptly illustrates, is that it is highly convoluted with add ons, connotations and annotations. And that they are shopping an alternative on us, that is a bad mirror image of the former predicament.
great summary of the situation, this really cleared up a lot for me. I agree 100% that this sport needs the salary cap, but if no progress has been made yet i just don’t see anything getting done. Does anybody know the exact date by which they have to have a new cba?
I do not know the exact date, but I think it is the middle of March 2010.
The lockout would not occur until the 2011 season.
by Bernie19Kosar on Nov 28, 2009 3:23 PM EST up reply actions
Personally, I think the NBA’s system is the best. It allows teams to keep their stars. It allows teams/owners/cities that are successful to push the cap if they are close to a title. It caps the salaries of rookies and what can be given to one player. The contracts are guaranteed.
I’d like a soft cap overall, a hard floor, and a specific hard cap on individual contracts (rookie slotting and/or maximum deals).
fka "DaytonDogg". Now a contributor to SBN's Dawgs By Nature. www.dawgsbynature.com
I think that the NBA has the best rookie system.
If there was a cheap slotting system in place, the number one pick would once again no longer be seen as a burden, but a tool to help a team climb out of the cellar.
by Bernie19Kosar on Nov 28, 2009 3:22 PM EST up reply actions
I actually think the NBA has the best system as well, though I used to be on the fence about it. The rookie system is so far and away superior to the NFL that it overcomes minor annoyances like the trading system. After all, trades in the NFL are more rare than in the NBA anyway.
I think that the NBA has the best rookie system.
that is the problem in then NFL, too much spend on #1 draft picks, NBA rookie system would be good for NFL. BTW great article B19K
wbaron
Thank you. The more we know about the CBA the better we can discuss it here.
by Bernie19Kosar on Dec 3, 2009 7:10 PM EST up reply actions
Great write-up. I learned a lot reading this. I liked the Steve Breaston example… I hope it comes true! (not the 25 mil part but the Browns picking him up part). I do think the league/player’s union should do some thing about the money situation for the high picks. I don’t think anyone likes the results except for the few players that get picked in the top 10 or so. I think veterans are jealous of the up-front money (since the rookies haven’t even proven they can play in the NFL yet) and the owners hate the risk portion of having to shell out so much on a potential bust.
Brownsyup
The simple fact that the Browns have been looking to cut corners to save money (trading down, trading away Winslow+Edwards, not resigning Cribbs to a larger contract) marks that they’re looking to make the most of a possibly uncapped season. Wouldn’t it be great to bring in Shawn Merriman and Steve Smith (NYG)?
Of course that applies if we manage to get a new CBA in place too. It’ll allow us to resign Jackson and Wright as well as any players (as few as they might be) that are interested in Cleveland.
Merriman and Smith? That’s your wish list?
I haven’t looked at the FA list yet, but I wouldn’t be all that high on those two.
fka "DaytonDogg". Now a contributor to SBN's Dawgs By Nature. www.dawgsbynature.com
Just the first two names at the top of my mind. Still think they’re good talents though.
by BrownDawg1409 on Nov 29, 2009 8:06 PM EST up reply actions
Giant Fan here
This was a great write up very informative. In regards to S. Smith he is not a FA at the end of this season he’ll be a FA in 2010 his rookie year was 07. S. Smith has been the only consistant player on this team and he’s still getting better. He’s not an overwhelming #1 he’s more like a 1A but if you team him up with a big WR you’d be set in the passing game.
USFL redeux
That is what happened to the USFL owners wanting the prestige of winning a championship spent the league into the poor house with whacked out salaries. While I don’t think such a dire result would happen to the NFL it still could ruin a few small market teams.
Doug B
An uncapped year would actually be better for small market teams
The Dan Snyder’s and Jerry Jones’ of the NFL are already sticking it to small market teams by building massive revenue streams they don’t share, but cause the cap to go up. All those new luxury boxes in New York and Dallas means everyone has to spend more on the salary cap, but most teams have the same money to do it.
Also, it’ll be a case of careful what you wish for with players. While some FA will get massive contracts, most will see their salaries get a massive cut.
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by Jonathan Loesche on Nov 29, 2009 10:30 AM EST reply actions
Also, it really means the draft becomes THE source for talent
Like it was back in the day. If players can’t become free agents until their 6th year, teams practically have a stranglehold on players in their prime.
Big Cat Country Radio, Every Wednesday Night at 10 PM EST
by Jonathan Loesche on Nov 29, 2009 10:33 AM EST up reply actions
God i hate you brown bastards
but that was a great read. I will rec on it’s simple layout and content. Very nice!!!! I really hope it doesn’t happen like that. I, like you, can no longer watch baseball because of this. C’mon CBA!
Bring a towel to the game. Black or gold or yellow. If you don't have one buy one, If you can't buy one, dye one!!!
by SoCalSteelerFan on Dec 1, 2009 12:54 AM EST reply actions 1 recs

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