Quote:I hear alot of people crying over money. If havent noticed though. What has happened is because of the Draft picks making less. FA had to make more.


So every year contracts will be bigger. As long as salary cap is constantly highered. The players union has made it that way.


Crying over FA contracts. So as the market increases the contracts have too as well. Or ya lose out simple as that.


Thats is why Jackson today seams huge but will seam normal next FA. Look at Jenkins contract.


It is the nature of the beast. And the award for good players. And I expect Vernons to be high as well. Probaly more or close to Jacksons.

 

Also, Under the previous CBA a player had to have 6 accrued seasons before they could become a FA.  In exchange for the money split the league wanted and the new rookie wage scale that number was reduced to 4 accrued seasons.  So now you have players who were drafted in 2012 that are ENTERING the effective prime of their careers hitting the open market.  

 

Also, with the increase in the cap, it makes it easier for teams to keep the players that they prioritize so the supply in the FA market is severely truncated.  

 

Those two factors have lead to geometric inflation.  That's why Olivier Vernon is going to make more than JJ Watt etc. etc. etc.  

 

that being said, as the FA market continues to inflate then the effective cap space is going to feel less and less excessive because it will cost that much more to sign other teams players.  

 

Now more than ever, it will be IMPERATIVE to hit on draft picks and have those picks perform well enough fast enough to merit being locked up as soon as they can negotiate a new deal with their team (after year 3 for draft picks) because signing two or three top level free agents can eat up 40-50 million with the emerging salary structure on the open market!

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