Is Alfred Morris due a major payday?

[drocksthaparty]

I like what Alfred Morris has done in the NFL since he entered, but it is cool to see his name getting love in the media. He is going to get a payday.

http://nfldraftdiamonds.com/five-non-qu ... r-pay-day/

[Mississippi Hog]

Fortunately, due to the new rookie wage scale, he can't reneg. his contract until after the third year, so we get one more year with him at pennies.

[Countertrey]

It would make good sense for the team to start work on his contract early... this kid is character, and will respond to a display of top down loyalty.

[Mississippi Hog]

It would be, but they cannot do anything until next offseason. CBA rules

[frankcal20]

Correct. They can't even start working on it with the agent. Example is Russell Wilson in Seattle. He's playing for like $500k this coming season. Most QB's who win a SB are going to easily get $1m per game/$16m year and a lot of that will be up front but b/c of the CBA rules, players can't negotiate until they're in their 4th year. 1st round picks give teams a 5th year option but that's it.

[Irn-Bru]

Correct. They can't even start working on it with the agent. Example is Russell Wilson in Seattle. He's playing for like $500k this coming season. Most QB's who win a SB are going to easily get $1m per game/$16m year and a lot of that will be up front but b/c of the CBA rules, players can't negotiate until they're in their 4th year. 1st round picks give teams a 5th year option but that's it.

Meanwhile a 10-year vet punter will make 2-3 times as much as Wilson next year because Wilson "never played a down in the NFL" before he was drafted and was thus unproven and doesn't deserve a better deal. Apparently.

[Deadskins]

Correct. They can't even start working on it with the agent. Example is Russell Wilson in Seattle. He's playing for like $500k this coming season. Most QB's who win a SB are going to easily get $1m per game/$16m year and a lot of that will be up front but b/c of the CBA rules, players can't negotiate until they're in their 4th year. 1st round picks give teams a 5th year option but that's it.

Meanwhile a 10-year vet punter will make 2-3 times as much as Wilson next year because Wilson "never played a down in the NFL" before he was drafted and was thus unproven and doesn't deserve a better deal. Apparently.

I'm ok with that. There are not many professions where you come in fresh out of college (and may not have even earned a degree) and are given a salary where you make more than anyone else in the company.

[riggofan]

I'm ok with that. There are not many professions where you come in fresh out of college (and may not have even earned a degree) and are given a salary where you make more than anyone else in the company.

Me, too. For every Russell Wilson, there are a dozen+ Jamarcus Russell's, Sam Bradford's and Derek Carr's. Wilson will get his big payday soon, and he will have earned it.

[markshark84]

It would make good sense for the team to start work on his contract early... this kid is character, and will respond to a display of top down loyalty.

I agree, but all contract negotiations should be done for the period after his contract expires. His contract runs through 2015 so we have time. If we don't take advantage of his contract thru 2015, it will make it more difficult to sign other FAs.

We should do what is necessary to keep him here until he's at least 28-29. I would start the negotiation process in the beginning of 2015 and try to get him signed to a 4 year deal --- since NFL contracts aren't gauranteed. I'd try to structure the contract so there wouldn't be a huge salary cap hit if we cut him after 3 years into the contract. Hard to say seeing how he's my favorite player, but that's the nature of the business.

[riggofan]

Love Alfred Morris! But RB is not a position where I would spend a lot of money.

[Irn-Bru]

Correct. They can't even start working on it with the agent. Example is Russell Wilson in Seattle. He's playing for like $500k this coming season. Most QB's who win a SB are going to easily get $1m per game/$16m year and a lot of that will be up front but b/c of the CBA rules, players can't negotiate until they're in their 4th year. 1st round picks give teams a 5th year option but that's it.

Meanwhile a 10-year vet punter will make 2-3 times as much as Wilson next year because Wilson "never played a down in the NFL" before he was drafted and was thus unproven and doesn't deserve a better deal. Apparently.

I'm ok with that. There are not many professions where you come in fresh out of college (and may not have even earned a degree) and are given a salary where you make more than anyone else in the company.

There are not many professions where you come in fresh out of college and are immediately providing more value to the company than almost anyone else. Pro football is one of them.

Wilson and many of his contemporaries are getting ripped off. They already have to put in 2-3 years of risky labor in college for much less compensation than they are worth. Then the NFL exacerbates the problem with its new rookie contract structures. Sure, the lucky few who make it to their first contract extension will make up part of it, and the fewer still who have a long career will probably come out ahead in the long run. But a lot of people in the meantime won't ever get that far.

[Irn-Bru]

Love Alfred Morris! But RB is not a position where I would spend a lot of money.

Agreed. The NFL has changed quite a bit in the last 10-15 years, and this might be the most dramatic of those changes: decent to good RBs aren't worth their weight in gold anymore. I find this sad, but I really think it's true. And it's been the inevitable trend for as long as the rule changes have favored "exciting" offense, a project that's been decades and decades in the making.

[Irn-Bru]

I'm ok with that. There are not many professions where you come in fresh out of college (and may not have even earned a degree) and are given a salary where you make more than anyone else in the company.

Me, too. For every Russell Wilson, there are a dozen+ Jamarcus Russell's, Sam Bradford's and Derek Carr's.

Not anymore. A journeyman vet kicker that the Panthers cut in 2012 was making more at the time than Cam freakin' Newton.

Wilson will get his big payday soon, and he will have earned it.

Yes, and he is one of the lucky ones. Good for him, but . . .

[yupchagee]

The NFLPA agreed to a CBA that shafted rookies. Those rookies didn't get to vote.

[Countertrey]

Pendula swing... it's what they do. Rookie pay WAS out of control, and did need to be reigned in. The infrequent rook who was actually deserving of the 10 mil payday was overshadowed by the flash player who would never be worth 3 million, but got it anyway.

The real injustice is to those like Morris, who turn out to be worth more than they got... but because of the NFL's exemption, the league owners and the player's union can collude to keep him earning pennies on the dollar.

[Deadskins]

Wilson and many of his contemporaries are getting ripped off. They already have to put in 2-3 years of risky labor in college for much less compensation than they are worth. Then the NFL exacerbates the problem with its new rookie contract structures. Sure, the lucky few who make it to their first contract extension will make up part of it, and the fewer still who have a long career will probably come out ahead in the long run. But a lot of people in the meantime won't ever get that far.

That's what insurance is for. There are no guarantees that they will make it in the NFL, anyway, and they should prepare for their future with that in mind. They need to be thinking about their careers after football, before they enter the draft.

[riggofan]

Love Alfred Morris! But RB is not a position where I would spend a lot of money.

Agreed. The NFL has changed quite a bit in the last 10-15 years, and this might be the most dramatic of those changes: decent to good RBs aren't worth their weight in gold anymore. I find this sad, but I really think it's true. And it's been the inevitable trend for as long as the rule changes have favored "exciting" offense, a project that's been decades and decades in the making.

Exactly. I think you have to keep the shelf stocked with young, capable RBs or you risk paying a guy like Chris Johnson way too much money just in time for his inevitable injury or decline.

[Chris Luva Luva]

Wilson and many of his contemporaries are getting ripped off. They already have to put in 2-3 years of risky labor in college for much less compensation than they are worth. Then the NFL exacerbates the problem with its new rookie contract structures. Sure, the lucky few who make it to their first contract extension will make up part of it, and the fewer still who have a long career will probably come out ahead in the long run. But a lot of people in the meantime won't ever get that far.

That's what insurance is for. There are no guarantees that they will make it in the NFL, anyway, and they should prepare for their future with that in mind. They need to be thinking about their careers after football, before they enter the draft.

That's what insurance is for? WTF does that even mean? That's complete BS. Why? Because you wouldn't work under those same circumstances. While I agree that most players need to do a better job of preparing for their lives after football that has nothing to do with many players not being paid their worth...


That being said, the new guys need to thank the NFLPA and their team members for allowing the NFL to complete dominate them in negotiations.

[Deadskins]

That's what insurance is for? WTF does that even mean? That's complete BS. Why?

That means that young players should buy insurance against the possibility of injury. Many players already do, so no, it's not complete BS. It's sound planning for playing a sport where a career ending injury is a very real possibility.

[Chris Luva Luva]

That's what insurance is for? WTF does that even mean? That's complete BS. Why?

That means that young players should buy insurance against the possibility of injury. Many players already do, so no, it's not complete BS. It's sound planning for playing a sport where a career ending injury is a very real possibility.

But that is not a solution to the problem. Buying insurance does not resolve the issue of players not being paid what they're worth. Alfred could be paid what he's worth and get the proper insurance to protect himself.


But as I said, the players signed onto the deal.

[Irn-Bru]

That's what insurance is for? WTF does that even mean? That's complete BS. Why?

That means that young players should buy insurance against the possibility of injury. Many players already do, so no, it's not complete BS. It's sound planning for playing a sport where a career ending injury is a very real possibility.

But that is not a solution to the problem. Buying insurance does not resolve the issue of players not being paid what they're worth. Alfred could be paid what he's worth and get the proper insurance to protect himself.

Agreed. Insurance actually causes players to bear more risk than they should in the form of high premiums. It's a way to hedge against injuries, but these gymnastics "solve" a problem that shouldn't exist in the first place. Just pay the damn players what they're worth to begin with.

[riggofan]

Agreed. Insurance actually causes players to bear more risk than they should in the form of high premiums. It's a way to hedge against injuries, but these gymnastics "solve" a problem that shouldn't exist in the first place. Just pay the damn players what they're worth to begin with.

But isn't THAT the problem they were trying to solve to begin with, with the rookie pay scale? Trying to avoid situations like paying Sam Bradford $86 million before he has ever played a snap in the NFL?

I'm just not entirely sure what solution you guys are advocating. What would 6th round pick Alfred Morris be paid in this scenario? If people knew what he was worth to begin with, would he have been a 6th round pick?

[Deadskins]

They probably should have had a clause that allows a player to renegotiate early if he reaches certain performance levels. But like Chris said, they signed off on the deal as is. Players can make extra on the side with endorsement deals though, so the high achievers do have other sources of revenue other than just salary.

[cowboykillerzRGiii]

Bingo!
Rgiii is already set for life with his subway and adidas endorsements. Wilson probably would've made a very similar wage even w out the rookie scale so it's a moot point. Earn your pay day like the vets do. Players are being rewarded much more handsomely then ever before. High risk reward if you got the goods.
I'd take undrafted rookie pay anyway! Some of these rooks rarely see the field anyhow

[Chris Luva Luva]

But isn't THAT the problem they were trying to solve to begin with, with the rookie pay scale? Trying to avoid situations like paying Sam Bradford $86 million before he has ever played a snap in the NFL?

Yes and they solved that issue but it's causing other issues.

I'm just not entirely sure what solution you guys are advocating. What would 6th round pick Alfred Morris be paid in this scenario? If people knew what he was worth to begin with, would he have been a 6th round pick?

Personally, I'd like to see a player like Alfred be able to petition for a new contract sooner. RB's get used up and tossed to the side by nature of the today's NFL... Every position is not treated the same.

They probably should have had a clause that allows a player to renegotiate early if he reaches certain performance levels.

Something like this.

But like Chris said, they signed off on the deal as is.

The players at the time signed off, Alfred didn't. Russel didn't. It's a raw deal, and it's up to them and their counterparts to get a more fair deal during the next CBA talks.

Players can make extra on the side with endorsement deals though, so the high achievers do have other sources of revenue other than just salary.

It's not that easy. You can't just walk to the mall and get an endorsement deal. It's not just about being a high achiever...

Bingo!
Rgiii is already set for life with his subway and adidas endorsements.

Is he? You know the details of the contract?

Earn your pay day like the vets do.

What does this even mean? Earn it. They have earned it, that's what we're saying. Alfred isn't a one-time wonder, neither is Russel. They have multiple years left on contracts that doesn't reflect their contributions to the team.

Players are being rewarded much more handsomely then ever before.

Again, this has nothing to do with being paid your worth... That statement doesn't even include things like cost of living and inflation. So the f*** what that Alfred makes more money than a 6th round pick in the draft of 1960 of the GreenBay Packers... It's apples to oranges.

High risk reward if you got the goods.

Easy to say when it's not your health, your body or your livelihood.

I'd take undrafted rookie pay anyway! Some of these rooks rarely see the field anyhow

Nobody really cares what you'd take, or what I'd take. The honest truth is that you wouldn't take less than your worth at your current job, and if you are that's a personal problem. There isn't a man or woman on this board that would accept a fraction of their earning potential for 3 years. You'd switch jobs in a heart beat. It's so easy to tell someone else to "suck it up" when it's not your money.