By Rick Horrow and Karla Swatek
April 19, 2013
The NFL Draft kicks off Thursday night in New York City, and it’s been years since a draft had so much parity and uncertainty amongst the top picks. In the past, this would have been a huge issue for teams with one of the first few picks, since the top rookies received contracts paying them upwards of $10 million annually. With the new collective bargaining agreement, ratified in 2011, limits the amount of rookie deals. Whoever ends up being the top pick can expect to receive a four-year deal worth $22 million. That’s significantly less than the six-year, $78 million contract Sam Bradford signed before the new draft rules went into effect.
The draft has also seen technological changes over the last few years. As scouts travel the country evaluating prospects, it’s important as ever for them to maintain contact with their general manager. Products like Citrix GoToMeeting for video conferencing help make that possible when scouts are on the road.
