Apply Market Value adjustment to overpriced players as well

[fffrontoffice]

For the league to consider...

Given players receive salary boosts based on being underpaid compared to market value, what if salaries for players who are overpaid can be bumped down similar to "contract restructuring" for real players/teams who want to be more competitive and free up salary cap?

High Level Proposal

As part of annual player market value adjustments, the owner of a player being paid X% over market value has the option to lower the salary to <equation to be discussed> and add Z years to contract.

The exact numbers are open for discussion. More ideas include a different scale based on number of years you are willing to add to their contract, possibly impacting termination penalty (e.g. introduces "guaranteed salary" where termination

Example Proposal To illustrate with actual numbers:

• Owner can restructure a player's contract as follows:
  • 1 extra year = 67% over MV
  • 2 extra years = 50% over MV
  • 3 extra years = 33% over MV
• The difference between current salary and new salary becomes the amount guaranteed in the new contract.
• Guaranteed salary is a fixed amount that will be taken from owner's cap space for remainder of contract regardless of being dropped, traded, or retired.
• Because trading a player with a portion of their salary guaranteed becomes less of a cap space burden for the receiving team, players whose contract has been restructured this way is not able to be traded in the final year of their contract.

Player Example Alvin Kamara signed for $270 and 2 years. Next year, his MV before the season comes in at $150 and is being paid $120/80% over MV. The owner has an option to adjust the salary based on number of years willing to extend: 1 year = $250, 2 years = $225, 3 years = $200. The difference between current salary and adjusted becomes fully guaranteed for the life of the contract. If we take the 1 year/$250 option, that $20 difference is guaranteed, so if you drop him, it will be $20 + 50% of salary at drop making it a little more painful to release players who re-negotiate their contract this way. The guaranteed salary also stays with the team through trades, so in this example if Kamara is traded away at $250 cap w/ $20 guaranteed, then Kamara is on the receiving team's balance sheet for $230 of cap space. The team trading Kamara away will continue to have $20 of cap space on their financial sheet for the extra year regardless of Kamara being traded away.

Advantages

• Encourages signing longer contracts knowing there will be some form of safety net if the player either tanks or you had to stretch in the live auction.
• Depending on specific numbers/percentages, should not be too powerful of a tool as the owner has to consider tying up cap space and roster space longer term.
• Allows owners more options for keeping a player they like for longer.

Disadvantages / Considerations

• May see an increase in auction prices (1st year salary) knowing that winning a player and getting contract rights is valuable since there can be an adjustment later on.
• What else?

[willy4short]

Initially I didn't like this because I think the turnover in our league is important and a really fun aspect of our league. Having said that, I think this is structured with just enough drawbacks that I think it would work. Cool idea.

OFFICIAL VOTE: - Vote YES in favor of the option to restructure a contract for a player being paid way over M.V.

[fffrontoffice]

Verdict from rules discussion: Votes split 5/5 to do something here. Not enough support. Closing.