How Much Money Do 3rd Round Nfl Draft Picks Make

Britten Whoul1972 · Monday, November 15, 2021

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Topic: NFL ROOKIE SALARIES, NFL DRAFT position, and MONEY explained (Read 222207 times)

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One topic we banter about all the time and there is LOTS of confusion around here is college scholarships, DI vs other D's, academic eligibility, signing vs verbal, NCAA req's, etc. Fun banter, and even for those that KNOW what is going on, it is still confusing.

Another topic that I know I have always been confused on is once the players go through the draft in the NFL, what money do they make? What about free agent signings? What about Scout Team/Practice Squad?

Here is a link that does a GREAT job in explaining in detail what the 2012 class dealt with.

http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2012/5/4/2998379/dallas-cowboys-undrafted-free-agents-how-much-will-they-get-paid

Couple things i got out of the article, and a couple things i got out of sitting through some specific meetings at my current favorite DI school.

1. All rookies get paid the minimum of $390,000 IF YOU MAKE THE TEAM. Thats $22, 941 per week for 17 weeks.
2. GUARANTEED CONTRACTS ARE only given to the top 4 rounds, very few/some in round 5. Round 5 and down, the only GUARANTEED money is the signing bonus. YES THAT IS TRUE.

3. Average signing bonus:(I may be off by a few percentage points but... you get the scope)
1st - Between $3MM and $10MM depending where in the draft order. Average, lets say, is $5MM
2nd - $1MM to $2.2MM
3rd - $700K
4th - $550K
5th - $ 175K
6th - $50k
7th - $40K
Remember, point number 2. The 4 year rookie contracts being signed, when you get to 5th round and beyond, only GUARANTEED MONEY is the bonus. YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE TEAM TO GET PAID. Rounds 1-4, it is usually a 2-4 year guarantee.
4. Free agents sign a contract with No guarantee and very little to know bonus. Average is less than $4K per undrafted Free Agent. Yes, $4k BONUS. Some may get $10k, but only 1-2 of these per team. Thats barely enough to give a down payment on an apartment.

5. When minicamp starts, ALL ROOKIES get $850 a week in Per DIem, and free room/board. (veterans with more than 3 years get $1600/week )
6. You dont get paid during camp. Your salary doesnt start till you make the team, and you get paid for 17 weeks.
7. If you make the 8 man SCOUT TEAM, but dont make the 53 man roster, you get paid about $5500/week for the 17 weeks. ($90K+) That is DOUBLE or more, what a STARTER in the Canadian Football League makes(or the European football league)
8. If you dont make the team, or the scout team, you are SHIZNIT out of luck.

Phillip Thomas(Fresno State) - 4th round pick - Probably got a $500,000 payday and a say,1- 2 year guarantee contract(maybe more) Not bad for the young man.
TJMcDonald(U$C) - 3rd Round - Probably got a $800,000 bonus, and a 3-4 year guarantee at league minimum salary. Thats a $2.0MM+ payday. Congrats to the young man.
Marques Wilson(Washington State) - 7th round(2nd from last in regular draft before compensatory picks were thrown on the table) Probably got a $35-$40K signing bonus max. No guarantees of any salary.
Tyler Bray - Free Agent - $10K bonus(probably) No guarantees of any salary.

THe NFL and the Players just signed the new salary structure and contract that basically put numbers like this into STONE. I think the Min Salary goes up 4% each year. Bonuses may also, dont know.

What this comes down to is this. If you get drafted in the first 5 rounds, you are sitting fairly well. If you dont get drafted in the first 5 rounds, you really dont make any money guaranteed.(enough to buy a new car, and keep $10K in a savings account) IF/WHEN you make the team, then you are good for ONE YEAR, and hopefully hard work will pay off(but save your frikkin money) and you can parlay that into a few years(2.8 year average) in the NFL.

This is interesting information. If you do an analysis of the money, you really dont make BUPKUS until you MAKE THE TEAM, and even then, a majority make the minimum for 2 years then are out.

Now using this information, I would love to continue this with the people that think the NCAA should PAY PLAYERS. When the average DI college football player is getting roughly $50,000/year paid for, plus benefits above and beyond that for 4 years, plus a sheepskin you can use to make something of yourself after college and sports. A college player is already getting paid more than 5-7th round draft picks and Free Agents, who end up NOT making the team. How the heck can one justify paying a KID even MORE MONEY, above and beyond what the PROS may not make the team. Makes no financial sense whatsoever.Just thought this was interesting stuff.

« Last Edit: May 03, 2013, 06:16:36 AM by OriginalCVFan »

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"Victory is often achieved in inches, timed in seconds, and denied through mistakes. A true champion learns, through sweat and sacrifice, that he can overcome these mistakes. For a true champion, the thrill of victory is ample reward for the hardships of training." Vince Lombardi

I just like to KNOW what i am talking about before i talk about it, so i like to LEARN before i speak.

So many people speak, without KNOWING, or POST while only knowing 10% of the info. This is one subject i see so much DISINFORMATION ON, and standing in the bleachers on Friday nights for HS games, and also Saturday college games, you hear so much RANDOM STUFF that is not usually anywhere near the REALITY, that I like to do research BEFORE speaking!

THanks for your support MHS.

M.Barkley lost $10MM in guaranteed money by not coming out LAST YEAR. M.Wilson and TBray probably lost a large chunk as well for NOT staying another year. The future may hold bigger and better things for all, but for the moment, with this information, its very easy to see there really isnt any money for college athletes unless you are drafted in rounds 1-5, and if those below 1-5 dont make the team, they darn well better have finished college because they will be working at COSTCO to make ends meet(if they are lucky)

good stuff! thanks for sharing :u:

Im shocked those that support paying college athletes MORE havent jumped on this one trying to argue their point.

When the facts and the reality of the situation are put into perspective, the point they are trying to make is made MOOT. College athletes already are getting more financial benefit than PRO FOOTBALL PLAYERS THAT ARE GOOD ENOUGH TO GET DRAFTED(WHo still have to EARN a spot on the team to make any money)

When you put the argument into REALITY, instead of a sound bite(which is all the argument for paying NCAA athletes is, a sound bite for people who dont take everything into account before forming an opinion) their argument becomes a losing position.

Im shocked those that support paying college athletes MORE havent jumped on this one trying to argue their point.
When the facts and the reality of the situation are put into perspective, the point they are trying to make is made MOOT. College athletes already are getting more financial benefit than PRO FOOTBALL PLAYERS THAT ARE GOOD ENOUGH TO GET DRAFTED(WHo still have to EARN a spot on the team to make any money)

When you put the argument into REALITY, instead of a sound bite(which is all the argument for paying NCAA athletes is, a sound bite for people who dont take everything into account before forming an opinion) their argument becomes a losing position.

Not sure who was saying the players should be "paid". Certainly wasn't me. I said the NCAA is EXPLOITING the players and making BILLIONS off of them, then claiming the "expense" of school based on HUGELY trumped up tuition fees as the school's payment to the players....to that I call BS.....IF you want to put things in perspective let's get real on the actual "costs" the schools have in respect to the players vs. the amount of money the schools are bringing in......

The NFL Players Association is a counter balance to the NFL owners and negotiates on behalf of the players to a wage scale based on what costs the teams and league actually have and what profit spread is after that and how those funds are then split. NCAA and the collegiate athletes have no such counter balance in place....it's hurray for the NCAA and no one else. Million dollar to multi-million dollar salaries to coaches and school administration, decked out offices, beautiful homes, expense accounts, etc. while the player get a dorm room (which most often suck), a meal card to a cafeteria, a small book allowance, tuition (a lot of the time only partially paid), and restrictions up the ying-yang....now please support how the NCAA isn't exploiting the football and basketball players while reaping billions off their sweat and hard work...

Edit: And if the collegiate player gets injured while helping make billions for the schools and NCAA and is then no longer able to pay, all the schooling assistance is no longer available and the kid is left with nothing but medical bills and in most instances no way to pay for the balance of his education....those scholies are year to year, like you have pointed out in the past.....

« Last Edit: May 03, 2013, 08:14:57 AM by Just_A_Fan »

Not sure who was saying the players should be "paid". Certainly wasn't me. I said the NCAA is EXPLOITING the players and making BILLIONS off of them, then claiming the "expense" of school based on HUGELY trumped up tuition fees as the school's payment to the players....to that I call BS.....IF you want to put things in perspective let's get real on the actual "costs" the schools have in respect to the players vs. the amount of money the schools are bringing in......
The NFL Players Association is a counter balance to the NFL owners and negotiates on behalf of the players to a wage scale based on what costs the teams and league actually have and what profit spread is after that and how those funds are then split. NCAA and the collegiate athletes have no such counter balance in place....it's hurray for the NCAA and no one else. Million dollar to multi-million dollar salaries to coaches and school administration, decked out offices, beautiful homes, expense accounts, etc. while the player get a dorm room (which most often suck), a meal card to a cafeteria, a small book allowance, tuition (a lot of the time only partially paid), and restrictions up the ying-yang....now please support how the NCAA isn't exploiting the football and basketball players while reaping billions off their sweat and hard work...

Edit: And if the collegiate player gets injured while helping make billions for the schools and NCAA and is then no longer able to pay, all the schooling assistance is no longer available and the kid is left with nothing but medical bills and in most instances no way to pay for the balance of his education....those scholies are year to year, like you have pointed out in the past.....

Did you just make a case FOR having a union??? What just happened?!?!?!

Did you just make a case FOR having a union??? What just happened?!?!?!

No, I was making a comparison of checks and balances that exit in the NFL and do not exist in the NCAA (mostly public schools, most with huge tax payer funding already). Public unions have the same issue, no checks and balances. Never have you heard me say I'm against PRIVATE sector unions as there is a market place counter balance in company management. Public sector unions are bad from top to bottom because that counter weight doesn't exist. So long as the government doesn't enact laws on the private side that put the unions in a more favorable position (which unfortunately has happened) the market should find equilibrium between employer and labor all by its little lonesome....

Never have you heard me say I'm against PRIVATE sector unions as there is a market place counter balance in company management.

Maybe I'm thinking of other posters......I know there was a lively discussion about Hostess a while back....

Just got a call from a friend saying Marquess Wilson just signed a 4-year, 2.2 million dollar contract with the Bears! $50k signing bonus and no guaranteed money but we're pretty excited around Redskin Country! Go get'em Marquess!!

Thats great.

THe $50K bonus confirms the information the NFL and the Recruiting/Compliance guy was telling us about.

Most NFL teams sign all their DRAFTED players to 4 year contracts and the NOT GUARANTEED part (he has to make the team) falls into place since he was 7th round. I might question the $2.2MM, since most 1st rounders only get signed to the NFL minimum of $390/year, the same as most 7th rounders. That would be 1.56MM 4 year contract. Unless the bears do something different than other teams i didnt think anyone got contracts for more tha $390 a year for 4 years.

EIther way, your info confirms what was written by the Cowboys article and also what i said. Good luck to the man.

Thats great.
THe $50K bonus confirms the information the NFL and the Recruiting/Compliance guy was telling us about.

Most NFL teams sign all their DRAFTED players to 4 year contracts and the NOT GUARANTEED part (he has to make the team) falls into place since he was 7th round. I might question the $2.2MM, since most 1st rounders only get signed to the NFL minimum of $390/year, the same as most 7th rounders. That would be 1.56MM 4 year contract. Unless the bears do something different than other teams i didnt think anyone got contracts for more tha $390 a year for 4 years.

EIther way, your info confirms what was written by the Cowboys article and also what i said. Good luck to the man.

FIRST rounders only get league minimum??? That doesn't sound right.....are you sure??

Thats great.
THe $50K bonus confirms the information the NFL and the Recruiting/Compliance guy was telling us about.

Most NFL teams sign all their DRAFTED players to 4 year contracts and the NOT GUARANTEED part (he has to make the team) falls into place since he was 7th round. I might question the $2.2MM, since most 1st rounders only get signed to the NFL minimum of $390/year, the same as most 7th rounders. That would be 1.56MM 4 year contract. Unless the bears do something different than other teams i didnt think anyone got contracts for more tha $390 a year for 4 years.

EIther way, your info confirms what was written by the Cowboys article and also what i said. Good luck to the man.

Agree with Diesel, that doesn't sound right for first rounders only getting the league minimum.....I know he last CBA was tweak by the senior players to cut down on the ridiculous rookie contracts that were being given, but league minimum for the number on pick is ringing hollow for some reason......

Maybe I'm thinking of other posters......I know there was a lively discussion about Hostess a while back....

Yep, it was how a union was so Fng stupid it crashed the company and all the other union jobs were lost because of unions unbridled greed....unfortunately those one sided laws that give unions the upper hand in the market prevented management from going elsewhere for its labor needs....you will recall the Teamsters were furious with the bakers unions because the Teamsters and another union had made reasonable concessions so the company could move forward....the bakers didn't so everyone lost heir jobs......said these guys were stupid, pointed out that unions are not all they a portrayed as being, but never said they shouldn't be allowed to exist....though laws that require a person to join a union in order to work at a company are unjust and should never be allowed....

Unions have made Detroit what it is today

Unions have made Detroit what it is today

Actually that isn't quite fair. Unions bought off the politicians that put laws in place that gave most the power to the unions in bargaining arrangements and FORCED people to join unions and pay the unions if they wanted to work (legalized extortion).....had the government stayed out of the fray and let the market find its own equilibrium between the companies and labor we more than likely would not see Detroit the way it is today....crony capitalism and crony unionism don't work as they deny market forces from working properly.....when the unions were granted so much power by the politicians they ran rampant, coerced agreements that never could be met long term by the companies (and the unions knew it), but they garnered power and didn't care....the companies on the other hand let them get away with murder because at the time they were making good money and didn't look down the road like they should have....plenty of blame to go around in the auto industry on all sides....

Agree with Diesel, that doesn't sound right for first rounders only getting the league minimum.....I know he last CBA was tweak by the senior players to cut down on the ridiculous rookie contracts that were being given, but league minimum for the number on pick is ringing hollow for some reason......

Doesnt sound right. But it is. SInce the kids getting the contracts in the first thru 4th rounds are all 'guaranteed' money contracts(part of the new deal in the last 2 years, or the TWEAKING mentioned)

I agree with you based upon my FORMER UNDERSTANDING of the situations however, since I have had to sit through some meetings and seminars(fancy word for meeting) and also when a lot of information comes out to be public....(LOOK AT THE ARTICLE I POSTED EARLIER< THE COWBOYS PUBLICLY POSTED THEIR 1st thru 7th round PICKS in 2012(first year of the NEW AGREEMENT) EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM MAKE THE NFL MINIMUM, and since the money is 'GUARANTEED" the teams just give the difference to them IN THE SIGNING BONUS UP FRONT. THe NFL compliance dude at UCLA pretty much said the same thing, unless i heard differently. There may be "EXCEPTIONS" which there always are, but I was presenting the STANDARD.

Dont shoot the messenger, just passing along direct information.

Doesnt sound right. But it is. SInce the kids getting the contracts in the first thru 4th rounds are all 'guaranteed' money contracts(part of the new deal in the last 2 years, or the TWEAKING mentioned)
I agree with you based upon my FORMER UNDERSTANDING of the situations however, since I have had to sit through some meetings and seminars(fancy word for meeting) and also when a lot of information comes out to be public....(LOOK AT THE ARTICLE I POSTED EARLIER< THE COWBOYS PUBLICLY POSTED THEIR 1st thru 7th round PICKS in 2012(first year of the NEW AGREEMENT) EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM MAKE THE NFL MINIMUM, and since the money is 'GUARANTEED" the teams just give the difference to them IN THE SIGNING BONUS UP FRONT. THe NFL compliance dude at UCLA pretty much said the same thing, unless i heard differently. There may be "EXCEPTIONS" which there always are, but I was presenting the STANDARD.

Dont shoot the messenger, just passing along direct information.

Thanks for the further explanation....I didn't catch that they were making up the difference in the annual amount in the bonus...did they explain "why" the decision in the new CBA was to go this route....and isn't there a cap on bonus money too?

Yes, there is a cap.

Interesting the one seminar i sat through when it talked about hiring an agent. One comment still stuck out.

"The days of the agent being able to negotiate $ and bonus are done. For the drafted and free agent rookie, the money is already scripted. You hire an agent to take care of your business, not to negotiate money."

So the major difference is that the 4-year contract is guaranteed, regardless if they ever suit up? And of course the signing bonus (also guaranteed) is vastly different for the first rounder.....so that means a first rounder is basically guaranteed a four year paid contract regardless if they ever play a down, right? While the 7th rounder can be cut at any point and their contract is null and void......