No NFL Rookie Wage Scale for 2010 Draft

Matthew Stafford (Image: Dennis Hodges)
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has informed ESPN and others on the record that the NFL will not implement a Rookie Wage Scale for the 2010 draft.

"There will be no change in our current [rookie pool] system, at least until 2011," Goodell told ESPN on Saturday. "I've explained that to some college head coaches, athletic directors and league commissioners. Any underclassman who is hearing differently is probably hearing it from an agent or from another source who is misinformed."

This means that Stafford and Moreno can think about their decision without the fear of losing tens of millions by sticking around for another year.

Unfortunately for David Hale of the Macon Telegraph, he wrote a story on this topic before Goodell made his announcement. Also a bummer for Mark John Clayton making such a strong prediction that there would be a rookie wage scale only to see Goodell state otherwise.

In Hale's article, he talks how much Stafford might have lost if the Rookie Wage scale had been implemented.

For Stafford, who has been projected by many draft analysts as the best quarterback available should he choose to forego his senior season, the salary hit would be significant. Ryan, who was taken third overall in 2008 by the Atlanta Falcons, is earning an average of $10 million per year, with $30 million of the contact guaranteed. Under the proposed salary cap, Stafford could be limited to as little as $3.25 million per year as a maximum in 2010, Clayton said.

Regardless, I hope Stafford and Moreno come back, but I'm still not expecting to see either of them in Athens next year. I hope I'm wrong.

PWD