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NFL Rookie Negotiations Hit Unique Snag

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By ROY CUMMINGS

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 17, 2008

TAMPA - The push is on to get draft picks signed in time for the start of training camp, but the efforts of NFL teams, including the Buccaneers, are being met with some unusual resistance.

In addition to the usual squabbles, negotiations are being slowed this year by a dispute between the NFL Players Association and the NFL Management Council over the allocation of guaranteed payouts.

Because teams are prohibited from raising the base salary of rookies by more than 25 percent per year, they often meet the player's salary demands by including a guaranteed bonus in the latter years of the rookie contract.

The problem, which stems from the league's recent decision to opt out of the current basic agreement, lies in the fact that the latter years of a rookie contract now fall into what are expected to be uncapped years.

That means guaranteed payouts would have to be counted as part of the player's actual salary in the last capped year of the contract. That, though, would more than likely result in a violation of the 25-percent rule.

The players union is arguing that the reallocated bonuses should be made a part of the team salary, not the player's individual salary, and has advised agents not to finalize deals until the matter is resolved.

A hearing on the issue, which pertains primarily to first- and second-round draft picks, is set for Friday. A ruling, however, might not be handed down until next week.

If that proves to be the case, several teams, including the Bucs, will have only a couple of days to finalize contracts for their first- and second-round draft picks.

Bucs general manager Bruce Allen said the dispute shouldn't keep the Bucs from completing deals for their top two picks, cornerback Aqib Talib and wide receiver Dexter Jackson. But the issue has slowed the negotiation process.

The Bucs are believed to have had some discussions with the agent for Talib, their first-round pick, but those discussions might not have been substantive.

Talks aimed at signing Jackson, meanwhile, have not even begun.

The Bucs, who usually don't sign their top pick until the day he reports to camp, don't begin workouts until July 26, so there is still plenty of time to get deals done for Talib and Jackson.

Deals for their other picks should be in place by the time camp opens.

The Bucs already have signed defensive tackle Dre Moore (fourth round), linebacker Geno Hayes (sixth round) and running back Cory Boyd (seventh round).

A deal for offensive lineman Jeremy Zuttah (third round) is expected to be completed by the middle of next week, and talks aimed at signing quarterback Josh Johnson (sixth round) are believed to be moving along well.

Reporter Roy Cummings can be reached at (813) 259-7979 or rcummings@tampatrib.com.

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