They really need to address 'holdouts' in the new CBA.

[Highlandfire]

I am at the point I say Fkem. I hope there is a strike next year and the owners take back the league. These guys are paid WAY too much as is. 'but but but the NFL makes a few billion each year'. Yeah well you don't see a developer at Microsoft getting paid 20 mill guaranteed do you?

Screw em' they are employees and should be treated as such. Drop the salaries, cap the rookies, fine the poo outta guys that hold out, drop the salary cap and be done with it.

[R0CKnR0LLA]

If you set a cap on what rookies can make based on where they are drafted then there's no reason to hold out. It's the same reason why you don't see 2nd or later rounders hold out. The contract is pretty much set, there's not much wiggle room up or down.

[CatMan72]

A rookie pay scale would fix allot of things, having to fork over 50 million guaranteed to a kid that hasn't even played a down in the NFL is totally absurd.

[pepaw]

I agree with the rookie contracts. Early first rounders are paid way too much.

However if a player that played a position with short life expectancy such as RB and was top 3 in the league such as D Will and 27 years old with a lockout looming I would not be mad at all if D will held out. But the next CBA complicates things, he's in a tight spot.

[Montsta]

A rookie cap would do a world of good. I really like the contract Houston just gave Andre Johnson. $7MM base each year with escalators if he is top 5/10 in the major receiving categories. Only drawback to that is if you're SS and you're QB is Jake Delhomme and he starts screwing you out of big $$$ cuz he sucks.

[Panthro]

I'll support players who hold out when they start giving back money they don't earn due to poor performance or injury. Until then they should play out their contract or go get a job doing something that pays better.

I'd agree if their contracts were guaranteed like the NBA or MLB

[natty]

Holding out is the one of the only bargaining chip players have and it's pretty weak at that. Fans say they are making sooo much money so it shouldn't matter but put yourself in the players' shoes. You get paid $100K at your job and perform just as well as a guy that makes $400K - yeah you're well above the poverty line and living nice but you could be getting a hell of a lot more. It's business people. Some players are off base with their demands but that's also the case in other businesses of being inflating their self worth(*cough*salesmen*cough*).

[Snake]

What they need to reign in is rookie spending... That alone is what is driving up the inflation of league salaries...

The players Union will never except a Rookie cap though. Way too many people making money off of them.

[pantherclaw]

Rookie salery cap will only fix the rookie hold outs.

There is a right way to go about getting a new contract extension, then there are the ones whom should just go ahead and quit. They quit on their team, their team mates. Why stop there? They think they are owed so much more.

You sign the contract, ya live up to it. Ya do the things expected of ya, or else why would anyone want to give you a damn raise? I can think of several players who got contract extensions withouut having to threaten anything. Piss and moan all ya want about the owners, but ya sign a contract, ya live with it. Ya can still negotiate for another extension, but do it right. Show up, work your ass off, do what is expected of you and MORE, and the teams will be much more giving, as you are showing them the player they want to have.

[Panthro]

You want a better contract? Don't sign one for 7 flippin years.