Mike Thomas Injury Update. Rapoport: he may need a week or two to finally play(Mod edit)

That will be perfectly fine as long as the NFL guarantees contracts fully at signing. You can't have it both ways where the team can cut someone at a moments notice or ask the players to restructure their contract virtually every year but the player is expected to honor the contract they signed to the letter.

NFL playing careers are short and the window to get paid is even shorter. NFL players are routinely cut with they underperform based on the value of their current contract. Why is it so unreasonable to ask for the market rate when a player outperforms their contract?

There's always a tension with NFL contracts. Big contracts have to have long lengths in order to fit them under the current salary cap. OTOH the cap grows virtually every year moving the market. A top player can easily move from #1 in salary at signing into the 20's or lower in year 5 or 6 even though they are still performing at the top of the league.

I understand that fans are all about the team. But fans need to understand that this is how players make a living. No reasonable person would ask a worker to stay in a lower paid position for the good of the company when the market is paying higher wages. So, why do we have that unrealistic expectation of athletes?

SFIAH
If you sign a contract that allows the team to cut you or restructure you, That’s on the player… If you don’t like that, don’t sign the contract. Teams cannot just “terminate a contract” unless the language in the contract allows it.

The teams is only executing the options agreed on in the contract. Try to negotiate a contract that allows the player opt out at the end of each season. Good luck!

That player option would never happen but stop blaming the team for executing options negotiated and agreed on by both parties.

I’m all for players getting every penny that can, then honor your contract/your word.