As the St. Louis Rams re-assume the catbird seat that goes along with holding the next pick in the 2010 draft for more than 10 minutes, they surely will be negotiating with possible trade partners. They also can, if they so choose, negotiate with possible picks.
But they can’t make a firm offer.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello tells us that the Rams “can discuss with potential draft choices their ability to sign the player, ranges of compensation, parameters, but they cannot make a specific contract offer or sign a player until he is selected.”
It’s unknown whether the Rams are indeed negotiating with anyone in advance of the start of round two. They ultimately engaged in no negotiations with quarterback Sam Bradford. Despite the P.R.-sensitive information that has come from Bradford’s camp, it’s our understanding that a conscious decision was made to hold firm and not talk contract until after the pick was made, and the leverage swung to the player.
Can’t wait for a Rookie Wage Scale…
No way Dez Bryant would have fallen that far if there was a wage scale in place…
Whatever the Rams do, they’ll still suck.
An outrageous idea, but if the Rams graded out Clausen (or McCoy) even close to Bradford, what about drafting another QB tonight, saving all that cash, and trading the rights to Bradford to Cleveland, or one of the interested teams.
Now they move to the Brown Room.
Take Lamarr Houston. His suit is due back by closing time today.
Teddy has to trade up and get sergio then in the 3rd brandon ghee. do it tedddy do it
YEAH! Another white quarterback holding a team by the balls!!! I love how this raping of NFL continues….ROOKIE CAP PLEASE!!!
The number one pick in the draft has always held an advantage over the rest of the field, and rightly so, they were also the worst team.
But under the new NFL draft 1st round on day 1, second round on day 2 format, the number one team, if they control the first pick in both rounds has an ungodly advantage.
18-hours to negotiate trades with other teams for players who slipped into the 2nd round is huge.
Negotiate a deal with Clausen and trade the rights of Bradford to the highest bidder. Should be able to get this years second and next years first and second at least.
For the high draft picks this year the leverage doesn’t swing to the player even after he’s been drafted. The player basically has two alternatives to signing. He can sit out a year and re-enter the draft, or he can try Canada.
This year is different. The threat of a lockout/work stoppage means that if he sits out a year, it could be not just one, but two years before he gets paid. To say nothing of the fact he’ll most likely be drafted much lower than what he was drafted this year.
This year is also different because even though there isn’t a rookie pay scale in place, everybody knows it is coming. When the next CBA is signed, lockout or no lockout, the player is going to be faced with a wage scale when he gets redrafted.
There’s no way a guy drafted high in the draft this year will ever recoup the money he’ll lose if he doesn’t sign. The unavoidable truth is that this year, the player has a whole lot more to lose by not signing than the team has to lose.
The Eagles would be willing to give them all their remaining picks plus their first in each of the next ten drafts in order to move up 2 friggin’ spots.
I think I’m missing something. 1st overall picks can sign a contract before the draft even starts, but you can’t make a firm offer to the 33rd pick? I dont see the difference. Arent the St. Louis Rams on the clock right now?