Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC
The Firm
201-896-4100 info@sh-law.comFirm News
Author: Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC
Date: January 19, 2015
The Firm
201-896-4100 info@sh-law.comIn the words of my colleague Andy Ross, teams become a “league of Pinocchios” this time of year. While media pundits often try to guess who will end up on what team by the end of the NFL draft, the backroom trading that goes on makes this a difficult prospect indeed.
Players who are preparing for the draft often have a lot of questions about trading. While agents don’t have a massive role at this particular stage of the onboarding process, I will attempt to answer some of the more common questions here.
While there aren’t many explicit restrictions in place as to when a team can or cannot trade a player, NFL teams almost always trade for current players, draft picks or a combination of the two categories. This tradition is in sharp contrast to European soccer leagues, where players are often traded in all cash deals.
Some of these deals get extremely complex. In 2009, the Chicago Bears traded their first and third round selections for 2009, their first round selection for 2010 and a player to the Denver Broncos in order to procure quarterback Jay Cutler.
Players’ contracts are, to a large degree, determined by the collective bargaining agreement between the Player’s Union and the NFL. One of the stipulations of this CBA is that almost all rookie contracts are four years long.
There is a little bit of wiggle room in these negotiations, and some subtleties likewise exist in terms of a player’s ability to explore other options before the end of his first four years, but we’ll discuss those in the next section of this series. The simple takeaway is that most players who are picked in the NFL Draft should expect to play for that team for the next four years if they are not traded to another team.
Most of the time when a player refuses to sign with the team that drafts him, money is at the heart of the issue in one way or another. However, every so often a player is strongly disinclined to play for a team. In this situation, there are two possible outcomes.
NFL Draft picks are limited, so if a player absolutely refuses to play for a team, he will probably be traded. This allows the team to get some value out of him, as a player who will not sign is a waste of a draft pick. In 2004, Eli Manning was drafted by the San Diego Chargers who had the first overall pick, despite knowing that he did not want to play for their team. After some backroom talks and very awkward moments, Manning was traded to the Giants for Phillip Rivers and several top draft picks.
The other option is to refuse to sign outright and to enter the draft the following year. This is extremely rare, however, and could potentially cause other teams to view the player unfavorably.
The NFL Draft is an exciting, unpredictable time for players. Those that are not picked can still end up on NFL teams under certain circumstances, and some have even gone on to be very successful as free agents. Kurt Warner, for example, has played in several Super Bowls despite having never been drafted. I’ll discuss this more in part 4 of this series. In part 3, I will be explaining the steps that come next for players picked in the NFL Draft and what a good agent can do to ensure their success.
Will they? Won’t they? What’s your opinion on the NFL Draft? Feel free to leave your thoughts on the NFL draft in the comment section below.
No Aspect of the advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court. Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.
Scarinci Hollenbeck Partner Nathanya G. Simon named by ROI-NJ to the “ROI Influencers: Women in Business” list for fourth consecutive year Scarinci Hollenbeck Partner Nathanya G. Simon has been named by ROI-NJ to the “ROI Influencers: Women in Business” list for 2025. After four decades of practice, Nathanya’s pioneering influence in the field of special […]
Author: Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC
Congratulations Angela Turiano on appointment as Director of Legislative Affairs for SHRM Princeton April 17, 2025 – Little Falls, NJ – Scarinci & Hollenbeck, LLC congratulates Partner Angela Turiano on her appointment as Director of Legislative Affairs for SHRM Princeton. Along with serving as a member of SHRM Princeton’s leadership team, Angela will monitor pending legislative, regulatory, […]
Author: Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC
Congratulations Brittany P. Tarabour for Nomination as Three-Year Trustee of the Monmouth Bar Association Red Bank, NJ – April 9, 2025 – Scarinci & Hollenbeck, LLC proudly congratulates Brittany P. Tarabour on her nomination by the Monmouth Bar Association to serve as a Three-Year Trustee. Founded in 1908, the Monmouth Bar Association is dedicated to […]
Author: Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC
Scarinci Hollenbeck Partner Ron Bienstock Featured on Bloomberg Law Podcast to Discuss Dua Lipa Copyright Infringement Lawsuits Little Falls, NJ – April 8, 2025 – Scarinci & Hollenbeck, LLC Partner and Chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property and Entertainment & Media departments Ronald S. Bienstock was recently featured on the Bloomberg Law podcast to discuss […]
Author: Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC
Scarinci Hollenbeck Attorneys From Little Falls and Red Bank Named to 2025 New Jersey Super Lawyers List Little Falls, NJ – April 2, 2025 – Scarinci & Hollenbeck, LLC attorneys from both NJ offices were named to the 2025 New Jersey Super Lawyers and Rising Stars list. Each attorney was chosen in recognition of their […]
Author: Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC
On Thursday, April 3, 2025, Partner Angela Turiano will make her fifth appearance as a mock arbitrator for the Securities Arbitration Clinic at the prestigious Fordham School of Law. Angela will draw on her years of experience to provide feedback to these future lawyers after making opening presentations and closing arguments, with the goal of […]
Author: Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC
No Aspect of the advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court. Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.
Consider subscribing to our Firm Insights mailing list by clicking the button below so you can keep up to date with the firm`s latest articles covering various legal topics.
Stay informed and inspired with the latest updates, insights, and events from Scarinci Hollenbeck. Our resource library provides valuable content across a range of categories to keep you connected and ahead of the curve.
Let`s get in touch!
Sign up to get the latest from the Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC attorneys!