New Orleans Saints Forums - blackandgold.com - La'el Collins, What Do We Know?!?

It happened so fast and basically on draft night there was nothing that could been done.

smart move after day one saying if he is not drafted by the third he would not sign and sit out.

Round 1 for craps and giggles lets use or pick guesstimate
13 Saints Andrus Peat $10 mill +/-

- There is also an inherent difference between draftees picked within rounds 1-2 and those between 3-7.

- Rounds 1-2 salaries guaranteed

- “25% Increase Rule” - prohibits a rookie’s base salary plus bonus from increasing by more than 25% each year of their contract.

- first round players have exclusive fifth-year options

- players drafted between rounds 3 and 7 who are only eligible for a proven performance escalator (PPE).
Proven Performance Escalator allows players selected later in the draft to receive additional compensation assuming they participate in at least 35% of their team’s defensive or offensive plays during the first 3 years of their deal.

- The 4-year minimum base salaries for players in this year’s draft are as follows: $435,000 (Year 1), $525,000 (Year 2), $615,000 (Year 3), $705,000 (Year 4).

So each rookie drafted will get a 4-year deal,

whereas undrafted rookies are only eligible for 3-year contracts.

Now here is the kicker

***The league’s collective bargaining agreement also bars teams from giving rookies option bonuses, option exercise/non-exercise fees, as well as voidable years and salary advances… all of which are available to veterans.

2015 NFL Draft 1st Round Rookie Salary Projections - Forbes

UDFA

NFL limits their contracts to 3 year terms and puts a salary cap pool on all undrafted free agents a little bit over $75,000. While teams can exceed that amount they rarely do because then it hurts what they can pay their drafted players. That being said this is a big day where having a good agent shows its worth.

teams like the Patriots who give a small signing bonus and also guarantee base salary as a way to avoid the $75,000 limitation. Knowing these systems is important to getting the largest guarantee possible. so....

A team is limited to around $88,000 for UDFA signing bonuses

$1.5 million is approximately the value of the UDFA contract over three years.

Now a team can guarantee as much of that $1.5 million as they please. but most guarantee nothing. in this case they will

SO ........

So by not getting drafted Collins in the long run he will come out ahead or break even with players drafted.

More importantly he can actual receive a veterans contract benefits structure as early as 3 years before any first rounder in the draft. Year two of an UDFA contract is an option year were a team can redo that players contract. Thus by passing the PPE restrictions placed on all draft picks.

Even if held to a 3 year deal he still gets a full pro contract a full year before any picks in rounds 3 - 7 and a year before the picks in rounds 1 and most of round 2.

Now A team will have an incentive to extend the contract after two years if he is good and keep him testing the FA market. Because after the 3rd year, his is a restricted free agent. If the team tags him as such, they can assign a compensation value to another team's offer sheet (1st round pick...etc). His current team will have first right of refusal if he signs another team's tender.

The players insensitive to sign an extended contract after two years is?

Insert kicker here:
***The league’s collective bargaining agreement also bars teams from giving rookies option bonuses, option exercise/non-exercise fees, as well as voidable years and salary advances… all of which are available to veterans.

He has arrived at his pay day while all the other rookies are still waiting for from his draft class. He would be cashing in a full two years before any pick in round 1 and full 3 years before everyone else.

In Collins case if the saints gamble pays off they have there starter on the cheap for the last two years of this cap structure for the saints. Or at least the pick value attached to him in 2018. Odds are a first no less than the 2. Then again every one ends up busted. Collins is out of football and the saints wasted 1.75 mill over 3 years. Gotta spend money to make money and this is gambling without a doubt. I would gladly roll the dice on this one.

So depending on how you look at it given the way things worked out he has a risk to take and baring major injury stands a chance to actually be ahead of the game at the right time with the saints. The cap should be a mute issue in 2017. we have too many aging vets coming to the end of their contract that year that will be FA. to name a few

Drew Brees
Brodrick Bunkley
Marques Colston
David Hawthorne
Max Unger
Kenny Vaccaro
Ramon Humber
Justin Drescher
Terron Armstead
John Jenkins
Kasim Edebali

All those so called experts IMO are not telling the whole story or just do not get it. Only a couple of times have I heard this talked about.

If I was Collins and I had a to pick, I would do the same thing.

1 - Suck it up take the lesser contract guaranteed 3 yrs 1.75 mill + Bounus

2 - Insure the hell out of yourself. Lloyd's of London here I come

3 - If all goes as planned Cash in at the end of year two ahead of everyone else.;)

4 - Enjoy the kicker: By all odds you are coming out cash wise ahead everyone else in your draft class.

***The league’s collective bargaining agreement also bars teams from giving rookies option bonuses, option exercise/non-exercise fees, as well as voidable years and salary advances… all of which are available to veterans.