What's the point of player contracts in the NFL?

[milk-milk-lemonade]

When the owners can cut the player instead of paying them what they're owed?

Am I missing something?

[WOLF]

When the owners can cut the player instead of paying them what they're owed?

Am I missing something?

A good agent will get a player a signing bonus and front load the contract. Often a 4 year/32 million dollar contract will really be a 4 million bonus for a signing a piece of paper, 10 million year one, 8 million year two, 6 million year three, and 4 million year four.

So the team can walk away from the contract at any time, BUT the player, at very least, has reaped a signing bonus before ever having set foot on the field, and if he's cut walks away with a chunk of change and is free to sign elsewhere.

Seems to have worked well for both sides. The NFL has had more labor peace than any other league and they're the only one without guaranteed contracts. Having said that, the NFLPA hasn't had leadership as strong as, say, MLB, for the past several decades.

[johnk5150]

Unlike the other 3 sports the salary cap makes teams think before just hammering checks to players that don't deserve it.

I love the NFL structure. 95% of the time the players making the most money are the ones that deserve it.

[CapSpauldingsChicken]

I'm sick of players who sign 6 year contracts and hold out after year 3 because they are underpaid. It goes both ways.

I think all rookies should sign 3 year deals with Free Agency after year 4 to give teams a year of exclusive rights. After year 4 I think all contracts should be limited to 3 years to help cut down on the overpaid/underpaid nonsense. Most contracts for stars are renegotiated a year before they expire thus no player should have to suffer the indignity of only making 7 million dollars a year for very long and on the flip side teams don't have to eat 5 years of a bad contract when that All Pro defensive end puts on 35 pounds and loses his motivation.

[bigbuttskinner]

I'm sick of players who sign 6 year contracts and hold out after year 3 because they are underpaid. It goes both ways.

I think all rookies should sign 3 year deals with Free Agency after year 4 to give teams a year of exclusive rights. After year 4 I think all contracts should be limited to 3 years to help cut down on the overpaid/underpaid nonsense. Most contracts for stars are renegotiated a year before they expire thus no player should have to suffer the indignity of only making 7 million dollars a year for very long and on the flip side teams don't have to eat 5 years of a bad contract when that All Pro defensive end puts on 35 pounds and loses his motivation.

That is really bad. What the hell?