The top 3-5 picks have to sign, in order to sort out the rest of the draftees. Especially for the signing bonuses and guaranteed money. Nowadays, the teams seem to figure the cost ratings on the previous years draft. Then they add a “cost of living” percentage,say 8-10% on top of what the player in last years spot received. That is typically the format they follow, then the negotiating commences.
  I really wouldn’t worry too much about our picks. The Broncos are notorious for getting everyone signed going into camp, and you should also factor in the fact that McX drafted high character people, so there should be no problems.

I haven’t heard anything on our draftees signing, other than Shlueter.

I’m not understanding your question about the UFA’s. Could you elaborate?

with regards to the UFA’s(I should clarify, rookie UFA’s), I was wondering if the protocal was identical to that of the drafted rookies? were there procedural differences concerning their joining the team roster?

I think that they’re already signed to contracts(otherwise they would go somewhere else), so they should just show up. Is that helpful?

With rumors of Mr. B being in brokesville (one of the reasons I believe we traded next year’s 1st rounder for a second this year for Phonso), and with us having 2 first rounders and THREE second rounders, I’m getting kind of concerned – especially give that all of our top 5 picks figure to be set to compete for starting jobs or at least significant roles. If we don’t get them all in camp, it could set them and our team back in developing the players.

I mean, I understand the process but we have 9 picks and have only signed one seventh rounder. Camp starts in 9 days . . . 1 pick a day if they start tomorrow. Even if you’re hopeful that we’ll get everyone in camp, which I am, McX needs to get crackin’.

It does seem that we’re cuttin it closer than most teams right now. Good point GJ bout the potential roles for our top 5 picks, does give their side more leverage in negotiations. It seems almost certain to be a busy week for the Broncos FO, which also means Bronco news other than BMarsh dispute

in that order. THis is tricky because the top draft picks are the biggest numbers. If you were doing the acconting at home you would want to start at the top and work down, so that hte big numbers had plenty of room.

The last to first methodology helps in that it gives the team more leverage at the end. Remember that the rookie salaries come out of a pool of signing money for rookies: there is a limit to what we can spend on rookies (details oare laid out (with much complexity) in the CBA.

I think Denver talks with all of the agents and players, and basically gets EVERY contract figured out, before sitting down for the nuts and bolts signings, where last minute changes over a day or two are worked out.

In other words, they take the extra time to make a detailed (and knowing Xanders it is probably hyper-detailed with contingencies) blueprint of the process, and then start from the bottom of the draft and work their way up. THis is why the signings happen so quickly at the end…its not because of a time crunch, but because the work has already been done, and they are just dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s.

There is likely a contextual overlay to this breakdown of the process, involving the fact that we are signing, essentially, 3 first rounders (even though ’Zo is a 2nd rounder, and his contract will be slotted accordingly, they will still design the contract to accomodate his expected contributions, in the neighborhood of a first rounder…no reason to have him outperforming his rookie contract in the last two years, as BM proves), the number of draft picks we are signing, the expectations of sticking points in one or more contracts, etc.

Just like the “measure twice cut once” mantra, caution in the rookie deals is good and the best tool at hand is time: take the time to run over the scenarios, for both the current cap, long term cap, and non- or no-cap situations. Go over it once. Go over it twice.

In short, they haven’t signed all the rookies yet because they are thinking about it.

And that is a good thing.

There’s a number of reasons; saving money (interest on signing bonus), reducing risk involved from handing over a large chunk of cash (I’ll relate this below), positioning (many teams are waiting, or not, for other signees to set the price (bracket), and a few others I can’t recall.

Why the late signings?

I’ve been asked many times, "When do contract negotiations start up for draft picks?" The answer is that a majority of teams will wait as long as possible to get things done. Why? A few common reasons: Hold on to your money longer and earn interest, keep your draft picks hungry and out of trouble by not lining their pockets with big summer cash, and see how the market shapes ups for certain rounds. Keep some cap salary powder dry for as long as you can.

You can read the rest.

There’s also some other articles on NFP about players who got into trouble after the sudden infusion of large amounts of cash. It’s a good way to make ‘friends’ of the wrong type. And this a very good reason that agents should become serve as business managers or at least provide that service to their clients and let the football players focus on football.

I thought I’d post a little more on ‘contract math’ since it’s not usually well covered in the sports section of local newspapers.

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/A-look-at-rookie-contracts.html

I knew you could contribute a lot in this area. I’ve seen that those subjects interest you. I look forward to your analysis’ in the future for the 2010 Draft season.

from that 2nd link, this:

The July 4 holiday has passed, and NFL teams now will step up their efforts to bring the rookie class of 2009 into the fold contractually. Of course, the fact that very few high picks have signed is meaningless at this point, as every player has participated in offseason activities and mini-camps, all secured by injury protection forms signed prior to their first team activity in May.

should answer one of your questions justwhytee.

What a great site!