Another potential way to tackle the revenue-sharing problem is to introduce a rookie wage scale. As Professor Cramer puts it: Having untested players "who don't even shave yet making tens of millions of dollars" isn't in the best interest of the league.
Under Mr. Smith, the NFLPA has stepped back its opposition on the rookie wage scale, opening the door to pay restraints similar to what the National Basketball Association has, where each pick in the draft order has a preset salary affixed to it.
For this concession, Smith wants rookie contracts to be a maximum of three years – allowing players quicker access to potentially bigger contracts through free agency. The league wants rookie contracts to be a minimum of five years.
