Fins Draft Parker at #14

[MikeO]

The Dolphins signed their entire rookie class today to contracts. Impressive to sign the entire rookie class before the rookie mini-camp! Never seen it before.

Hickey and Tannenbaum put some serious work in!

[Dolphster]

Wow, that is awesome.  One less distraction for the rooks and the front office. 

[Brian Fein]

if nothing else it shows that they mean serious business and the players are here to work.  Good for them.

[Rich]

The Dolphins signed their entire rookie class today to contracts. Impressive to sign the entire rookie class before the rookie mini-camp! Never seen it before.

Hickey and Tannenbaum put some serious work in!

I'm not impressed by this. With the rookie scale, it shouldn't be difficult to sign rookies. That was part of the purpose.

This is actually a poor reflection on Ireland, who took forever to sign rookies because he wanted to be a tough negotiator or some shit like that.

That's how low Ireland set the bar, that people are impressed by Hickey and Tannenbaum doing something so elementary.

[MikeO]

I'm not impressed by this. With the rookie scale, it shouldn't be difficult to sign rookies.

So why hasn't every other team done this? If its so easy 32 teams should have their entire rookie class signed as of yesterday

[Rich]

So why hasn't every other team done this? If its so easy 32 teams should have their entire rookie class signed as of yesterday

That still doesn't make this impressive. The rookie scale was designed to slot players into contracts. There really isn't anything to negotiate.

[fyo]

That still doesn't make this impressive. The rookie scale was designed to slot players into contracts. There really isn't anything to negotiate.

That's not quite true. Base salary is pretty much fixed with the new CBA, but there are bonuses (signing, workout, roster, performance) and guarantees to work out.

Oh, and just to add: How much do you think a late-round draft pick makes if he DOESN'T make the team (final cuts, 53-man roster)?

[Rich]

That's not quite true. Base salary is pretty much fixed with the new CBA, but there are bonuses (signing, workout, roster, performance) and guarantees to work out.

Oh, and just to add: How much do you think a late-round draft pick makes if he DOESN'T make the team (final cuts, 53-man roster)?

Now, instead of each team having an allotment, each pick has a predetermined amount. In other words, a player and his agent know the exact dollar figures the moment he is drafted. They also know the length; every contract is for four years, with first-round picks subject to a team option for a fifth year, also at predetermined rates. As for salaries, the vast majority of drafted players have four years of non-guaranteed minimum salaries, accompanied by a signing bonus that’s not negotiated by the agent, but predetermined by the CBA.

http://mmqb.si.com/2014/05/22/nfl-rookie-contract-negotiations/

[Rich]

With no opportunity for negotiating, many players are questioning why they need to have an agent to handle rookie contracts. Indeed, one first-rounder in 2013, the Ravens’ Matt Elam, opted not to use (ahem, pay) an agent because there would be no difference in the numbers.

[Rich]

Preset contract numbers have made the pace of rookie signings in mid-May mimic the pace of rookie signings in mid-July in the NFL’s old way of doing business. The Bears, led by longtime contract negotiator Cliff Stein, signed their entire 2014 class of rookies in four days. The Raiders have already secured the fifth pick in the draft, Khalil Mack—a remarkably swift resolution for such a high pick. (I once negotiated the fifth pick of the draft, A.J. Hawk, in a three-month back-and-forth that resulted in a 63-page contract.) Indeed, where teams used to point to the start of training camp as a target date for having their picks signed, some teams are now targeting that date at the start of minicamp.

At 5 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, a mere 11 days since the 2014 draft concluded, more than half of the 256 selections were signed. The numbers, by rounds:

Round Picks Signed
1 7
2 12
3 11
4 28
5 27
6 32
7 34
  Total: 151

.
Rookie holdouts are now relics of a bygone era. While some negotiations will not resolve until the eve of training camp, the holdups will be about structure, not compensation. As a top union official told me, a “highly-trained monkey could negotiate these numbers.”

Like I said, this is the new norm. Only a doof like Ireland was missing that boat and trying to play hardball with rookies when there was no need.

[fyo]

^ True about signing bonuses. Other bonuses can still be negotiated (rtfa), as can the payout structure of the signing bonus (rtfa, although I'd expect late-round picks to get it all at once). Guarantees are also still fully negotiable (rtfa).

But thank you for that minor correction. Well noted.

[Rich]

But thank you for that minor correction. Well noted.

I don't consider that minor. The signing bonus is the largest commitment a team makes to a player and the money the player sees before anything else. It is the most important bonus in the contract.

Yeah you can guarantee salary, like the Cowboys did with Collins, on any rookie. But the fact is most teams don't really care too much because at the end of the day the cap hits are going to equal out the same.

[fyo]

Ironically, the issues surrounding contracts are probably a lot simpler for early picks. Whether you get $10k more guaranteed or not matters a whole heck of a lot more to a 7th round pick than a 2nd rounder.

And, to answer my question from before: Late round picks get nothing unless they make the final cuts, except for a few bucks during camp.

[fyo]

Yeah you can guarantee salary, like the Cowboys did with Collins, on any rookie. But the fact is most teams don't really care too much because at the end of the day the cap hits are going to equal out the same.

No, the cap hits are not the same. Guaranteed salary will count against the cap even if you cut the player. That's not the case with normal salary.

[Rich]

No, the cap hits are not the same. Guaranteed salary will count against the cap even if you cut the player. That's not the case with normal salary.

I get that, but how many teams are cutting their first round picks after one season?

Let's be practical, not hypothetical.