Thread: Live Mock on ESPN.com

For all those bored at work

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft0...age=scoutsmock

I noticed that they said the commissioner said that the Rams couldn't negotiate now that the Dolphins have taken Jake Long. I think that's a shortsighted mistake. I know it will ruin the suspense of draft day a little bit, but I think anything that can be done to help correct the market imbalance with the pay scale at the top of the draft is a good idea.

Jerod Mayo, LB, Tennessee
Never easy to be in the Broncos' draft room and you never know what will be on the card that the commissioner reads. While Mayo is a little unexpected (we warned you), it makes perfect sense for this team. The run defense struggled last season and the Broncos need to move D.J. Williams back to weakside linebacker. It's hard to find weaknesses in Mayo's game. He's versatile and will move inside and immediately strengthen this unit.

DUMB DUMB DUMB

Originally Posted by Fan in Exile

I noticed that they said the commissioner said that the Rams couldn't negotiate now that the Dolphins have taken Jake Long. I think that's a shortsighted mistake. I know it will ruin the suspense of draft day a little bit, but I think anything that can be done to help correct the market imbalance with the pay scale at the top of the draft is a good idea.

By allowing them to negotiate early won't change the pay scale. The league has to enforce a slotting system like basketball.

Originally Posted by MissouriBronc

By allowing them to negotiate early won't change the pay scale. The league has to enforce a slotting system like basketball.

It's certainly a step better than anything they've got right now. It would give the team more pressure with the player at number 2 and then if done well it would give every other team more pressure with their picks. If the early picks take smaller contracts then the later picks have to as well.

Better to do both in my opinion but it has to start somewhere.

Originally Posted by Fan in Exile

It's certainly a step better than anything they've got right now. It would give the team more pressure with the player at number 2 and then if done well it would give every other team more pressure with their picks. If the early picks take smaller contracts then the later picks have to as well.

Better to do both in my opinion but it has to start somewhere.

But that doesn't have anything to do with negotiating before the draft. They already do the same thing after the draft.

Dear god...I hope those fools at ESPN are wrong on this one. Jared Mayo at 12??? Seriously?

Originally Posted by MissouriBronc

But that doesn't have anything to do with negotiating before the draft. They already do the same thing after the draft.

The teams have more leverage before the draft because they can always decide to pick another player that means that they should be able to get a better contract. After the draft they are stuck with the guy and don't have that leverage.

Originally Posted by Fan in Exile

The teams have more leverage before the draft because they can always decide to pick another player that means that they should be able to get a better contract. After the draft they are stuck with the guy and don't have that leverage.

Then why have a draft...we'll just make this a FA free for all.

Mayo went from being a early 3rd rounder to a top 12 pick within a few months........funny how things work out in the minds of many.

I think Mayo is a late 1st rounder/early 2nd rounder.... anything before that is a huge reach.

Especially for a team who made considerable offseason moves at the LB position. No way we select Mayo at 12.

Originally Posted by MissouriBronc

Then why have a draft...we'll just make this a FA free for all.

There are certainly many people and I'm one of them who believe that idea has a fair amount of merit to it.

One of the problems with it though is that the draft is supposed to help out the bad teams to help the league achieve parity. Since the highest picks tend to cost so much that they defeat this goal, I think it would be a good idea to give the top teams more leverage to help bring things back in line with the stated goals.

Originally Posted by Fan in Exile

There are certainly many people and I'm one of them who believe that idea has a fair amount of merit to it.

One of the problems with it though is that the draft is supposed to help out the bad teams to help the league achieve parity. Since the highest picks tend to cost so much that they defeat this goal, I think it would be a good idea to give the top teams more leverage to help bring things back in line with the stated goals.

Well, especially with the Long pick, he clearly didn't help lower any costs. He's the highest paid O-lineman in the league.

If you are really worried about salary, institute a slotting system.

Originally Posted by MissouriBronc

Well, especially with the Long pick, he clearly didn't help lower any costs. He's the highest paid O-lineman in the league.

If you are really worried about salary, institute a slotting system.

It is a little better than Russell's contract last year but a year shorter so that could be a wash. I would say that the dolphins missed the boat on this one. By that I mean the contract looks more team oriented than league oriented.

I would agree with you about the slotting system as I've said. But at the same time that at best won't be around for years, this is something that could have been started now and would have been a step in the right direction.