Imagine watching an NBA draft lottery in which teams hoped and prayed they wouldn't win the No. 1 selection. Rather than being elated the ping pong ball bounced its way, the winning team would actually be disappointed. Seems far-fetched? Well, if the NBA handled the compensation for players drafted in the top half of the first round like the NFL does, such a scenario would be very likely. The contracts given to the top picks in the NFL draft have become so cost-prohibitive that almost every team in the top five would prefer to trade down. They see that as a much better alternative than doling out $20 million or more in guarantees to a player who has yet to play one down in the NFL, and thus represents an even greater risk than any free agent ever would. Paying rookies that type of money devalues the picks, alienates veteran players and significantly increases the owners' angst. It's a systemic flaw that is hurting the most popular professional sports league in the U.S. Missing the point The draft was established in the interest of parity, one of the basic tenets of the league. In an attempt to maintain a competitive balance, the worst teams from the previous season are given the first selections, ostensibly with the intention of giving them the chance to select the best available players. The problem is that the money associated with selecting the first couple of picks becomes an almost unbearable burden should the player turn out to be a bust, always a possibility when selecting 22-year-olds fresh out of college. In fact, the money given to the top picks necessitates that they become a premier player rather quickly. Just becoming a starter likely does not recoup the initial investment the organization has made. Make a mistake with a top five pick at any position, but particularly at quarterback, and an organization can be set back years. The Cleveland Browns have felt the pain of selecting Tim Couch, Courtney Brown and Gerard Warren for years and are just finally starting to recover. Rather than helping a team turn things around, the current system has as much potential to beat a bad team back down to the canvas while they struggle to get to their feet. The numbers don't add up Though the Dolphins are attempting to leverage their candidates for the No. 1 pick in this year's draft into taking less than the $35 million guaranteed that many projected the top player would receive, it is still likely the No. 1 pick will sign a contract that includes in excess of $30 million guaranteed. No matter which player is taken, as long as it isn't a quarterback, he will immediately become the highest-paid player in guaranteed compensation at his position ... in the history of the NFL. Dwight Freeney signed a six-year, $72 million contract in July 2007 with the Colts that rewarded him for his consistent dominance as a pass rusher over his first five seasons in the NFL. The $30 million he received up front was worth it to a franchise that had seen him amass 56 ½ sacks and 27 forced fumbles over the life of his first contract. The problem is that college pass-rushers Chris Long and Vernon Gholston will likely leap-frog him in terms of guaranteed compensation should either one be the first-overall selection this month. Good read LINK to rest of story http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/ross_tucker/04/17/rookies/index.html
