How could the NFL change the way players are paid?

[ralphc1]

Everybody complains about the salary cap that doesn't allow teams to keep all of their good players as they are forced to overpay their best players. I've tried to think of other ways to handle it. What if, instead of each team hiring players, the NFL hires players like a corporation hires employees. The corporation distributes employees as needed to their various locations. The NFL could determine which team they play for as they do now with a draft of rookies. Teams could trade players coaches and draft picks to get build their teams.

The NFL and players set up a performance based ranking system so players and coaches get paid by how good they are in a particular season, not how good they were in the past or could be in the future. There would be no caps for teams. Performance would be based on the ability to select and use the players. To promote parity, there could be a veteran draft where teams could protect a certain number of players.

Could something like this work? It would mean there is a single employer, the NFL instead of 32 individual teams.

What other way could they allow teams to keep the talent they draft? Free agency came about because there are 32 employers and employees can't be forced to work for a certain one. With only one employer, you go where they send you.

 

[ProBoxingInsidr]

the money is gonna drop when all these tv contracts expire. viewership is going down and i wonder if espn especially will keep paying so much considering they are firing all their employees. they already charge about as much as they can to actually go to the games. i cant believe people allow themselves to be gouged like that.

 

[Fluffernutter]

the money is gonna drop when all these tv contracts expire. viewership is going down and i wonder if espn especially will keep paying so much considering they are firing all their employees. they already charge about as much as they can to actually go to the games. i cant believe people allow themselves to be gouged like that.

Plus, more cord cutting from the public.

 

[MadSquabbles500]

I dont think players like this. They want their freedom to choose who and where they want to play.

 

[TheRuthlessOne]

They could do guaranteed contracts

But every deal would be like a 1 year or 2 year deal

 

[ralphc1]

They could do guaranteed contracts

But every deal would be like a 1 year or 2 year deal

I'm looking for a way to pay the best players the most money while allowing teams to stay together. Free agency has forced teams to overpay many players which does not allow them to keep many of the players they drafted.

Guaranteed contracts with a salary cap are worse than the current system as teams would be paying players who don't play.

No salary cap would end the league as a few teams would buy all of the players.

 

[GSP_37]

The other day I saw in the paper some less than super spectacular baseball player was getting $20 mil per year. That's out of control.

 

[ralphc1]

The other day I saw in the paper some less than super spectacular baseball player was getting $20 mil per year. That's out of control.

It's what free agency does, especially without a salary cap. They do play 162 games so it's only $123,000 per game.

 

[Nesk]

Could something like this work? It would mean there is a single employer, the NFL instead of 32 individual teams.

MLS has a similar System.

 

[Nesk]

.

 

[Revolver]

So players couldn't decide where they wanted to play? lmao.

 

[Corona]

Did somebody say “the corporation?”

Spoiler

 

[ralphc1]

So players couldn't decide where they wanted to play? lmao.

Players don't really get a choice now. Rookies are drafted and stay with that team for 4 years or less if they get cut. Players can get 3 more years with a franchise tag designation. If they get to free agency, they likely only have one or two teams with the money to pay them. A player may want to stay with their current team but that team can't afford to pay them what they're worth because of the salary cap. Merit pay would pay a player by performance no matter what team they play for. Teams that lose good players to free agency are currently compensated with draft picks. To keep a player, teams have to sign them to long term contracts with a signing bonus that forces the team to keep the player on the roster for two or more years to spread that bonus out. The player can't even be traded because the bonus liability stays with the team.

 

[Philo-Publius]

Everybody complains about the salary cap that doesn't allow teams to keep all of their good players as they are forced to overpay their best players. I've tried to think of other ways to handle it. What if, instead of each team hiring players, the NFL hires players like a corporation hires employees. The corporation distributes employees as needed to their various locations. The NFL could determine which team they play for as they do now with a draft of rookies. Teams could trade players coaches and draft picks to get build their teams.

The NFL and players set up a performance based ranking system so players and coaches get paid by how good they are in a particular season, not how good they were in the past or could be in the future. There would be no caps for teams. Performance would be based on the ability to select and use the players. To promote parity, there could be a veteran draft where teams could protect a certain number of players.

Could something like this work? It would mean there is a single employer, the NFL instead of 32 individual teams.

What other way could they allow teams to keep the talent they draft? Free agency came about because there are 32 employers and employees can't be forced to work for a certain one. With only one employer, you go where they send you.

I say, give all players base salaries based on position and years of experience. Then give them huge bonuses for stats (e.g., a sizeable bonus for each touchdown scored). Standardize it across the league.

 

[mb23100]

While this is a horrible idea I would be all for it if I was a Browns fan

 

[Fluffernutter]

What if they just get rid of the salary cap and let the owners outbid each other?

 

[ralphc1]

What if they just get rid of the salary cap and let the owners outbid each other?

Think baseball. One or two teams have all of the best talent. No way to build a team.

 

[ralphc1]

I say, give all players base salaries based on position and years of experience. Then give them huge bonuses for stats (e.g., a sizeable bonus for each touchdown scored). Standardize it across the league.

This is what I had in mind. Possibly have the players rank other players. Offensive players rank defensive players and defensive players rank offensive players. Dirty players would get low rankings so there would be more incentive to play a clean game.

 

[Terry Noonan]

NFL players are spoiled. Paid a stipend during training camps, get 1/3rd of all their jersey sales, and get paid for post seasons.

Minimum salary of $440,000. Lol. Give me a break.

 

[manlyseaeagle]

Let all NFL players stay on the field for a full 60 minutes or what have you and no offensive/Defensive and specialist teams and just have a subs bench.