Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez, an 11-time Pro Bowler in 14 NFL seasons, recently discussed the potential benefits of a rookie wage system.
“I think that would cut down on a lot of problems if you let these rookies come in and earn that money,” Gonzalez said Tuesday on Sports Talk Radio 610 in Houston. “That’s kind of similar to what the NBA does. There is a cap.
“For a rookie to come in and make $60-70 million guaranteed, I say — and everybody can agree with that — is absolutely ridiculous,” Gonzalez said. “They have not played a down on that field. You might as well take that money and give that to the veterans and maybe that solves some type of problem where we do give back a little bit to the ownership.
“Like I said, that’s just my opinion. I don’t know what’s going on with these negotiations. Maybe it has been bought up. Maybe they can’t do it for whatever reason, but it seems like the common-sense answer right there.”
In the ongoing labor dispute, the owners have proposed diverting $300 million from rookies selected in the first round of the draft to veterans and player benefits.
The Falcons have drafted 10 players in the first round since 2000. Those 10 players signed for $118,416,250 in guaranteed compensation.
The players are: 2010, 19th, Sean Weatherspoon, $10.45 million; 2009, 24th, Peria Jerry, $7.55 million; 2008, third, Matt Ryan $34.75 million; 2008, 21st, Sam Baker, $8.1 million; 2007, eighth, Jamaal Anderson, $15.36 million; 2005, 27th, Roddy White, $4.7 million; 2004, eighth, DeAngelo Hall, $12.64 million; 2004, 29th, Michael Jenkins, $3.99 million; 2002, 18th, T.J. Duckett, $5.56 million; 2001, first, Michael Vick, $15.3 million.
Only four of those 10 players — Hall, Ryan, Vick and White — have been selected to a Pro Bowl as a Falcon.
Anderson has played four seasons and has totaled 105 tackles and 4.5 sacks. That is an average of $146,298 per tackle and $3,413,611 per sack.
Hammer time
Former Falcons linebacker Jessie Tuggle has been enlisted to announce the Falcons’ second-round draft pick Friday.
The league announced that 32 alumni, one representing each team, will announce live every selection of the second round.
Despite being undersized at 5-foot-11, 220 pounds, Tuggle went from Valdosta State to the Falcons — and eventually the team’s Ring of Honor. He made more than 100 tackles during 12 consecutive seasons. He played for the Falcons his entire career, from 1987-2000 and was a five-time Pro Bowler.
Carolina, Miami and the New York Jets do not have second-round picks. Their player representatives will announce their third-round picks.
Big Ten blues
General manager Thomas Dimitroff has steered clear of the Big Ten in his three drafts with the Falcons.
However, several mock drafts have the Falcons taking a Big Ten player in the first round. Some of the candidates include Wisconsin’s J.J. Watt, Iowa’s Adrian Clayborn and Ohio State’s Cameron Heyward, who played at Peachtree Ridge.
With 26 selections, Dimitroff, a two-time Sporting News executive of the year, has drafted players from 10 conferences.
Below is the breakdown:
SEC (6): RB Thomas Brown (Georgia), CB Chevis Jackson (LSU), DT Peria Jerry (Mississippi), OL Mike Johnson (Alabama), DT Corey Peters (Kentucky) and TE Keith Zinger (LSU).
Big 12 (5): CB Dominique Franks (Oklahoma), LB Curtis Lofton (Oklahoma), WR Kerry Meier (Kansas), S William Moore (Missouri) and LB Sean Weatherspoon (Missouri).
ACC (4): QB Matt Ryan (Boston College), OT Garrett Reynolds (North Carolina), LB Spencer Adkins (Miami) and DT Vance Walker (Georgia Tech).
Pac-10 (4): OT Sam Baker (USC), S Thomas DeCoud (California), CB Wilrey Fontenot (Arizona) and LB Robert James (Arizona State).
Big Sky (2): DE Kroy Biermann (Montana) and Shann Schillinger (Montana).
Atlantic 10 (1): DE Lawrence Sidbury (Richmond).
Big East (1): WR Harry Douglas (Louisville).
Mountain West (1): C Joe Hawley (UNLV).
Southern Conference (1): CB William Middleton (Furman).
Western Athletic (1): CB Christopher Owens (San Jose State).
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