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"I love Sam Bradford, and I hope he’s great, but he probably made somewhere between $40 and $45 m...

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"I love Sam Bradford, and I hope he’s great, but he probably made somewhere between $40 and $45 million the night before last," said Goodell, speaking to a group of select fans who won a random lottery to ask the commissioner questions. "He has not even hit the field yet and that’s a guaranteed contract. So if Sam Bradford can’t play, what good does that do any other NFL player? As much as I like these young rookies, and I do think they’re terrific, it’s crazy to give someone who hasn’t proven themselves on the NFL field $45 million. "I think over these three days, we will give $600 million in guaranteed money to these rookies that you’re hearing their names. $600 million. And if let’s just say half of them don’t make it and the money is equivalent to this, that’s $300 million out the door. It doesn’t go to veterans, it doesn’t go to owners. It goes to somebody who couldn’t play the game. That’s wasting money." I agree 100%. A rookie salary cap is necessary. without it, they're essentially telling rookies "you earned your money in college. come play for 10 years, or bust out and collect a fat paycheck." Hate to say it, but how many of us wouldn't be tempted to take the check and let ourselves bust out of the league? still getting paid.

http://blogs.nfl.com/2010/04/25/goodell-rookie-salary-structure-is-wasting-money/