re: NFL "Late Round" Rookie Salary Differences: 2008 to 2013

I just read that using pre-current CBA stats, fewer than 50% of players drafted 4th round stuck long enough to have received a 2nd contract in the current CBA. As the article pointed out, that number likely grew once new talent became cheaper thus making it make even less sense for an NFL team to keep a journeyman player into 2nd contract status.

In the previous system, a player moving from round 4 type status to say late round 2 status would have seen a huge jump in pay. He didn't need to get to the first round for this. Hence, there was some incentive to stay and try to move up.

There is still obviously a bit more pay but, that incentive has been decreased in the current CBA. Once a player realizes that he is probably not going to get to 1st round type money, he then moves to other variables.

IE, possible injury that could actually reduce or eliminate his value.

While we hear a lot about the "2nd contract", I don't think that would be much of a driving force if you consider that less than 50% will ever see it. The driving force I think is fear of injury. THAT is the greatest risk in terms of dollars.

Basically, now that the LARGE incentive in $$ for higher rounds went away, other factors like the possibility of making ZERO money have grown in the player's psyche. It was always a worry, but now it's a bigger one.

So, you figure some of the worries about stayin that existed before are still there and some of the incentives to stay have been reduced............viola'