Rams have signed no rookies

[Guiness]

As in years past, they are waiting until they can give them all some financial counseling.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/05/30/rams-picks-are-all-unsigned-with-financial-counseling-coming-first/

Sounds like a pretty good idea. As the article says, not much to negotiate on the contract side anymore, so they are not worried about getting them signed on time. I wonder how it worked for the OTA's, I imagine they got them all some insurance.

[red]

Should be mandatory for every team to do that

Still won't stop stupid players from pissing everything away though

[Patler]

Should be mandatory for every team to do that

Still won't stop stupid players from pissing everything away though

Why should it be mandatory for the teams to do it? Is it mandatory for your employer or mine to educate us on finances? Is it mandatory on the state to give a financial education to lottery winners?

I don't think it is really anyone's responsibility, but if you think it needs to be mandatory on someone, why not make it the players' union? That is the organization that is supposed to be working in the best interests of the players.

I think it is a great thing that the Rams do it, but I absolutely do not think it is their obligation, nor should it be.

If anyone should be held more accountable, it's the agents. They negotiate the financial terms for their clients, they should have a moral obligation to educate them on what it means, and more importantly, what it doesn't mean for their life in the future.

[Guiness]

Why should it be mandatory for the teams to do it? Is it mandatory for your employer or mine to educate us on finances? Is it mandatory on the state to give a financial education to lottery winners?

I don't think it is really anyone's responsibility, but if you think it needs to be mandatory on someone, why not make it the players' union? That is the organization that is supposed to be working in the best interests of the players.

I think it is a great thing that the Rams do it, but I absolutely do not think it is their obligation, nor should it be.

If anyone should be held more accountable, it's the agents. They negotiate the financial terms for their clients, they should have a moral obligation to educate them on what it means, and more importantly, what it doesn't mean for their life in the future.

I think it's an admirable step by the Rams, and agree the player's union would be well served to work at expanding it. Agents? Well, could be a conflict of interest there. They should be working for their clients, but I'm not sure the guy who's negotiating your contract should also be the guy who tells you what you should do with the money you're getting on the deal he just worked out for you - wouldn't be a reach for him to recommend an investment planner who gave him a cut of the fees...

[pbmax]

Why should it be mandatory for the teams to do it? Is it mandatory for your employer or mine to educate us on finances? Is it mandatory on the state to give a financial education to lottery winners?

I don't think it is really anyone's responsibility, but if you think it needs to be mandatory on someone, why not make it the players' union? That is the organization that is supposed to be working in the best interests of the players.

I think it is a great thing that the Rams do it, but I absolutely do not think it is their obligation, nor should it be.

If anyone should be held more accountable, it's the agents. They negotiate the financial terms for their clients, they should have a moral obligation to educate them on what it means, and more importantly, what it doesn't mean for their life in the future.

The Players Union does do it, the Rookie Symposium is part of that and eventually all rookies get the presentations. The agents should do it (many do) and the teams should as well. Whether its mandatory or not, the team stands to gain as much as the employee. take Tyron Smith and his family of gift-seekers for instance:

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/page/hotread141125/dallas-cowboys-tyron-smith-gets-control-battling-family-money

He signed a very long term (second) deal with the Boys that didn't seem to be in line with his market value and many speculated it was so he could cash out the family and be done with them. A player not having the skills to deal with his own family isn't going to be as productive. And that long term deal might come back and bite each side in the butt.

[Patler]

The Players Union does do it, the Rookie Symposium is part of that and eventually all rookies get the presentations. The agents should do it (many do) and the teams should as well. Whether its mandatory or not, the team stands to gain as much as the employee. take Tyron Smith and his family of gift-seekers for instance:

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/page/hotread141125/dallas-cowboys-tyron-smith-gets-control-battling-family-money

He signed a very long term (second) deal with the Boys that didn't seem to be in line with his market value and many speculated it was so he could cash out the family and be done with them. A player not having the skills to deal with his own family isn't going to be as productive. And that long term deal might come back and bite each side in the butt.

I know the union makes a token effort, but they could do a lot more.

Some agents do, but I think they should have an ethical obligation to do more, just as other professionals do. Some agents completely wash their hands of the duty, and I think that is wrong. Professional standards should require at least the attempt to do more. Ultimately, following the advice will always be up to the players.

I think it is nice if the teams do something, but it's not their job. I think they need to start acting more like any other employer, and if a player screws up financially and doesn't do well at his job as a result, get rid of him and move on to the next one, just as other employers do. By and large, most players are fungible commodities, just like most workers are in any other field.

Players have to wean themselves from their teams taking care of them, and find their own support systems for that. Otherwise, it never ends. Might as well do that at the transitions from "amateur" in college to paid professional thereafter.

[pbmax]

I think the evidence is clearly on the side of the teams not agreeing with you the players are fungible commodities.

[Patler]

I think the evidence is clearly on the side of the teams not agreeing with you the players are fungible commodities.

Sure they have. Vets being let go for cheaper younger players is the name of the game. Supply far outpaces demand for the run of the mill NFL player. Rosters change by 20% a year, the average career is less than a drafted rookie's contract.

[pbmax]

Sure they have. Vets being let go for cheaper younger players is the name of the game. Supply far outpaces demand for the run of the mill NFL player. Rosters change by 20% a year, the average career is less than a drafted rookie's contract.

So for 80% of the roster, its not just a sprocket. But an asset to maintain, develop and protect. And we are mainly not talking about run of the mill players. If it weren't for the highly paid elite players and draft picks, no one would be worried about squandered fortunes.

Once you decide to try to protect the elite players, the marginal cost of improving the productivity of the other players (and probably your locker room) is low.

[Patler]

It's not the same 20% recycled every year. The average NFL career is less than 4 years, so the average NFL player is not developed, nor probably worth developing. He is simply replaced by a somewhat younger version of himself. It is the guys who play just a year, or two or three who make up the vast majority of the whatever % of all NFL player who have no money within x years of their last games in the NFL. Sure, there are the stories now and then of highly paid, long time NFLers who go broke, but that is true of athletes in all pro sports, entertainers, big lottery winners and even business men and entrepeneurs. A lot of wealthy people go broke, not just NFL players. No one nursemaids all the others, and there should be no obligation for the NFL teams to do it either.

Tyrone Smith's story is not uncommon. The biggest leaches are often immediate family members. Educating the player will not stop that, but might help them recognize and preempt where it can lead. Smith did that. Not sure education would have changed anything much with him, because most suddenly wealthy try to help out family members initially, from what I have seen. Smith got out in pretty good shape.

[pbmax]

Perhaps not the same 20 but its the bottom of the roster and older players that churn, not the core. And that means that a plurality of the team are together for multiple years. Its still in the interest for the team to make sure the elite can perform without distractions that can be avoided, and thus, sensible to provide whatever training, support or warnings that it can.

I do agree that such warnings will only help a few and won't stem the tide of problems. Instant wealth related problems can't be solved with a powerpoint presentation and a stern talk. But you don't need much of an edge on the competition to realize a tangible benefit. Tyron Smith was a win for the Cowboys, even if that weird second contract of his turns out to be a problem in the future.

[mraynrand]

Its still in the interest for the team to make sure the elite can perform without distractions that can be avoided, and thus, sensible to provide whatever training, support or warnings that it can.

It's a business decision; like preventative maintenance. Or offering exercise, health classes, quit smoking treatment for office workers. But there's no doubt that the bottom line is ever on the mind.

[Patler]

It's a business decision; like preventative maintenance. Or offering exercise, health classes, quit smoking treatment for office workers. But there's no doubt that the bottom line is ever on the mind.

Yup. I agree with that. If a team thinks it will help them, they will do it. The only thing I objected to was Red's suggestion that it should be mandatory for every team. I think it should be left to each team to decide if they want to, or not.

[Fritz]

I'd be the kind of owner who would offer the rooks a different kind of training program, featuring such topics as:

- How and where to find discreet, disease-free hookers

- How to beat the NFL PED tests

- How to write a good pre-nup for your new fiance

- How to speak to the press and not say anything

- How to keep marital woes out of the media

- What to say when you visit a children's hospital

- Developing your own touchdown dance, without the penalty

I would be a responsible owner.

[Cheesehead Craig]

I would be a responsible owner.

But can we expect some DUIs and inappropriate touching at the office?