The new NFL collective bargaining agreement was not kind for rookies looking to cash-in, though it has all but eliminated hold-outs. Rookies are now locked in to a dollar amount, cutting back on the bloated contracts for high first-round picks. For the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, Cam Newton, the new CBA could not have been worse.
Cam Newton Contract Takes A $56 Million Hit Because Of New CBA
Comparing Newton's contract, which was signed on Friday, to Sam Bradford's contract is astonishing. Bradford was inked by the St. Louis Rams after being taken first in last year's draft.
Cam Newton's contract is worth $56 million less in overall money and $28 million less in guaranteed money than Sam Bradford's deal.
Is it cool to call this the JaMarcus Russell rule? Sure, let's call it the JaMarcus Russell rule.
Gone are the days of massive, record-breaking rookie contracts. The rookie scale was an important piece in the NFL lockout negotiations, but one that was far from a deal-breaking. In fact, an agreement on the rookie pay issue came weeks before the lockout was settled, with little resistance from the players’ side.
For more on Newton’s new home, head over to Cat Scratch Reader.
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