Draft Notes

I wish I could say I had a true horse in the race tomorrow for the Steelers draft.  Sadly I don’t.  I think I’m cool with them going after the best available.  The most sensical rumors I’ve heard thus far came from Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.  (I’m nice like that son!)

Eddie B said that they’re looking at a defensive lineman.  They have a very good D-Line right now, but everyone there is over age 30.  I’m cool with that.  The boys always gotta reload and they know the right way to do it.

I also wouldn’t be mad if they got a DB or someone for the OL.  I’m interested to see if they move that pick though.  If memory serves, they’ve moved up the last couple years to get the guys they wanted.  I wouldn’t be mad if they moved down if there’s no one high enough on their board.  Though with a pick that late, it’s kinda like drafting in the second round anyways. 

I think there’s a much larger problem at hand though for these franchises and drafting.  Matthew Stafford juist signed a contract with the Lions to become the number one pick in this year’s draft.  The deal is worth $78M with some $41M guaranteed.  Really?  Reall?!?  A guy who’s never played a snap.  A guy who has a 40% chance of failing (the statistic for underclassmen quarterbacks in the draft).  That guy is worth so much fucking money?

They keep talking about how this is going to be a deal point of the next CBA.  We’re heading for the uncapped year next year if they don’t get the deal done.  The talking heads on the tube have mentioned the inanity of the top picks who get so much money.  About how the guys who are established in the league should be the ones getting so much money.

It’s a topic worth the discussion.  I’d love to see some of the guys walking off over this issue.  It’s the one time I’d side with the millionaires.  If you’re one of the first 5-8 picks in the draft you never have to prove yourself to get that life changing money.  Then you have the guys who play their way into that role and if they’re lucky enough to not get hurt, they’ll get that life changing money in their second contract.

I remember hearing one time that the average NFL career was 3 years.  You’re eligible for a pension after 4 years.  These guys put themselves (knowingly) on the line week in and week out.  They should definitely be rewarded.  But only after they’ve proven it time and again.  cap the contract to a 3-year maximum length and bring down the dough.  Yea, there will be guys who outperform that initial contract.  But a guy like Ryan Leaf won’t fuck up a franchise for half a decade.