For years, there has been a debate about whether the highest paid players in the NFL should have contracts that are tied to a percentage of the salary cap. This would ensure that their deals remain relevant as the cap continues to increase. However, the NFL Management Council has consistently resisted this idea, despite attempts by players like Kirk Cousins and Darrelle Revis to negotiate such contracts in the past. The league is now considering a different approach – a potential unofficial “quarterback cap.”
According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, there have been discussions among certain owners about implementing a cap on quarterback contracts. The idea is to prevent quarterback salaries from surpassing a certain percentage of the team’s salary cap. While this concept has not gained much traction yet, it would essentially mean that all teams would agree not to offer quarterbacks deals that exceed a certain level.
This unofficial cap would prevent situations where a quarterback like Dak Prescott could demand a higher salary by threatening to enter free agency. Instead, teams would be limited to offering the same maximum deal, similar to a max contract in the NBA. This idea has emerged in response to concerns raised by owners when the Browns gave Deshaun Watson a lucrative fully-guaranteed contract.
If teams were to collectively establish a secret agreement to cap quarterback pay, it would likely violate the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Negotiating a league-wide cap on quarterback salaries would require involvement from the NFL Players Association, which may lead to discussions about creating separate bargaining units for different positions.
The potential implementation of a quarterback cap could also lead to legal challenges from the players’ union. Any evidence of collusion among owners to limit quarterback earnings could result in a significant legal battle between the NFL and the players. Currently, there is already a collusion case pending against the league regarding fully-guaranteed contracts for veteran quarterbacks, and a quarterback cap would likely intensify these legal disputes.
As discussions around a potential quarterback cap continue, it will be important to monitor the contracts offered to quarterbacks in the league and the salary cap implications of these deals. The outcome of these negotiations could set a precedent for how player contracts are structured in the future and may have lasting implications for the relationship between NFL management and players.