The most important part of any new CBA - a rookie slotting system

A person familiar with the finances of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers says that last season, the team signed two free-agents, running back Noah Herron and defensive end Patrick Chukwurah, for contracts that totalled $25 million. Under the rules of the salary cap, the Buccaneers were charged that full amount for the players. But to actually earn that money, each player had to, among other things, block six punts apiece—an exceedingly difficult prospect. In the end, neither player ended up taking a single snap. Mr. Herron was paid $157,000 and Mr. Chukwurah $71,000, although the team's salary-cap number reflected the full value of their contracts. Tampa Bay, which ranked among the lowest teams in spending last season, has lost all six of its games. Tampa Bay and NFL officials declined to comment.

unless you can guarantee that the money saved from this would go to veterans, it will never happen. the one thing the union never wants to see is salaries cut

Or, to the retired players' medical expenses. That's another big issue.

A person familiar with the finances of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers says that last season, the team signed two free-agents, running back Noah Herron and defensive end Patrick Chukwurah, for contracts that totalled $25 million. Under the rules of the salary cap, the Buccaneers were charged that full amount for the players. But to actually earn that money, each player had to, among other things, block six punts apiece—an exceedingly difficult prospect. In the end, neither player ended up taking a single snap. Mr. Herron was paid $157,000 and Mr. Chukwurah $71,000, although the team's salary-cap number reflected the full value of their contracts. Tampa Bay, which ranked among the lowest teams in spending last season, has lost all six of its games. Tampa Bay and NFL officials declined to comment.

If a player blocks 6 punts in a season, he deserves $25,000,000 and a unicorn.

I dunno, I'm not familiar with the details, but couldn't they somehow make it so that the club pays the rookie 1st rounders in the first year a guaranteed a relatively modest amount and those that decide to keep the rookie player will then have to fetch the megabucks? Just a thought, but I know there's at least one avenue of abuse.

One consituency that does NOT agree here is the agents. They have been negaitve on this idea everytime it has come up.

Probably because they will lose money from signing the rookie first rounders. But the agents don't have say at the negotiating table, the players union and the owners do. And both the players and owners agree that rookie first round picks get too much money, which is why an agreement on that will eventually get done. I know the players want that extra money to be used on guys in free agency and I don't think the owners have any argument with that, they just want to stop giving huge cap busting contracts to rookies who haven't proven anything.

Why all the hubub? The league minimum is more than enough for any of these clowns. Why slot anything, it is the owners' money and if they are paying at least the agreed upon minimum wage then it is a fair deal.