Proposal to the National Football League:
The Atlanta Falcons traded up to grab one of the most exciting players college football has ever seen. Michael Vick could turn out to be one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history.
He could also end up being a worse draft choice than Ryan Leaf. Leaf was looked at coming out of Washington State as having a stronger arm and better size than Peyton Manning.
Manning has become one of the best quarterbacks in the league and Leaf is playing for his 3rd team this year. There are no guarantees on draft day.
For that very reason, NFL rookies should not be recieving $50 million contracts before they ever strap in their shoulder pads.
The combination of huge contracts and long holdouts make it difficult for rookies to be successful from day one.
Maximizing rookie contracts as they now do in the NBA, will allow for shorter holdouts and more money to fix other weaknesses on a ballclub.
The NFL wants parody. I am all for that. I don't think every professional league should be the same. With 53 players under contract, spreading the talent is a good thing.
But draft day is not a guarantee. Nobody knows how good or fast a player will adjust to the pro game out of college.
Nobody knows how a player will handle playing football professionally from an emotional or psychological standpoint.
A lot of the draft is luck. Take a look at the success of undrafted quarterbacks such as Jeff Garcia and Kurt Warner. Now try and remember the names David Klinger, Trent Dilfer, Heath Shuler, and Leaf.
All four were selected in the top six. All four played awful for the teams who drafted them. Only Dilfer has shown any promise since leaving his first team. Klinger and Shuler are already out of pro football. Leaf may soon be next.
That is just a few of the countless top 10 picks who have not lived up to the hype and the money.
Maximizing rookie contracts is a rule I feel should be mandated in all professional sports. Teams know what they are getting when they sign a 10 year veteran to a big contract. Nobody knows how a rookie will handle it.
If a rookie wants to make the same money as a veteran, let him wear Nikes or drink Sprite.
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