Rules on rookie contracts

[Rich (Miami)]

Under rookie draft format it states: All contracts will be for 5 years. The first 4 will be guaranteed.

Under Releasing a player it states: Players on rookie contracts can be released without penalty at any time.

Can I get some clarification on this?

[Troy (Toronto)]

The gaurenteed is misleading. There is no gaurentee for salary on any rookie contract it's free to release them at any time.

It was just a bad way of explaining that the 5th year is an option.

[Troy (Toronto)]

Apr 29, 2015 21:43:25 GMT @tom said:

I am not a fan of the whole rookie structure. 14-15% of salary each year is devoted to rookies. As noted below in the shout box in 4 years 28.5% - 57% of salary will be devoted to drafted players (28.5% if you cut them all, 57% if you keep them all). Players drafted in rounds 1 and 2 will be paid more than the average rostered player (105/30=3.5) 3rd round picks will make nearly average. These numbers all seem out of line. If we can quickly restructure this that would be great. If not, do I have to use all my picks?

Sure. We can put up a poll

[Gregory (Houston)]

I put in the chat a somewhat less harsh sliding scale for NFL draftees if we want to take that as an option.

Picks 1~5 have a contract of 5M
5~10 have a contract of 4M
11~15 have a contract of 3M
15~20 have a contract of 2.5M
2nd Round has a contract of 2M
3rd Round has a contract of 1.75M
4th Round has a contract of 1.5M
5th Round has a contract of 1M

This mirrors the NFL better, where the #12 pick gets like 3M.