More than any other league in North American sports, the NFL prides itself on its parity. The presence of a a hard salary cap, a fair and balanced draft complete with a trade value chart, and compensatory draft picks awarded for key players who leave town in free agency are some of the hallmarks of a league that strives for competitive balance.
In spite of all of these bells and whistles, it’s becoming clear through the first several days of this years NFL free agency signing period, that true competitive balance is quite difficult to achieve .
Last year, the Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots faced off in the AFC title game. They were far and away the two best teams in the conference last season, and there was little reason not to pencil them in as the potential first and second seeds next year, even if they made no significant improvements to their respective clubs in the off-season.
Significantly improve, however, they did.
The Broncos made the first move, acquiring Browns safety T.J. Ward for a four-year $22.5 million deal that arguably pays out less than his true value. They followed up that coup by snagging cornerback Aqib Talib from the aforementioned Patriots, signing the lock-down corner to a huge six-year, $57 million agreement. They completed their big splash by locking up former Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Ware to a three-year, $30 million deal. A team that was the cream of the crop in the AFC was now exponentially better on the defensive side of the football.
Yes, it looked like the Broncos had cemented their status as the AFC favorites. They’d solidified their defense and had stolen one of their rivals’ most valuable players. Then, the Pats responded with one of the biggest signings imaginable. They picked up recently-released Buccaneers cornerback Darelle Revis, arguably the top cover corner in the NFL today. It’s a one year, $12 million deal, but a club option for a second season makes it possible that Revis will be in Foxborough for a while.
It’s clear that once again the Broncos and the Patriots are the cream of the AFC crop, and this brings me to the ultimate point of this column. These teams did nothing wrong here. Both clubs are extremely well-managed and well-coached. All of these roster moves are on the up-and-up. Good drafting and below-market rookie deals have enabled good teams like these to have the cap space to spend on the Ware’s and Revis’ of the world.
With that said, it just goes to show what an uphill battle teams at the bottom of the barrel face. When high quality players hit the market, money is an important factor, but championship aspirations are as well. It’s a delicate balance to walk but when star players choose to sign with the league’s elite teams, the scales of competitive balance are tipped considerably.
Not quite parity, but a parody of parity.
By no means am I arguing that Ward, Ware, Talib, and Revis should have signed with cellar-dwellers. All of these great players have earned the right to play for a contending team, and if they have the oppurtunity to be well-compensated while competing for a Super Bowl, of course they should take it. All I’m arguing is that we need to be a little more understanding of the plight of some of the less fortunate teams in the league.
Everyone and his little brother is mocking Raiders G.M. Reggie McKenzie because he may have overpaid a couple of players. Well, what is he supposed to do? Oakland has been at the bottom for a while, they have oodles of cap space, their fans deserve to see a winner, and the only way to attract quality players to a lesser team is by opening up the checkbook. I’m not nominating McKenzie for Executive of the Year, but let’s give the guy a break.
If anything, the situation with free agency further illustrates the importance of the NFL Draft. Quality scouting and due dilligence are the most effective methods of assembling a talented, cost-effective team. It can be done. The Seahawks were a fairly middle-of-the-road team when G.M. John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll took over, and excellent drafting and judicious spending have gotten them to the apex of the league. Look at the masterful job Ravens’ G.M. Ozzie Newsome has done over the years. He almost always drafts well, and he only opens his wallet when he absolutely has to.
So fans, if you feel that your team isn’t getting it done in free agency the way you would like them to, just remember the Seahawks’ method. The pocketbook is designed to help put good teams over the top, but the true team-building takes place during the draft. With wise maneuvering and solid drafting, your team can find itself in a postition to reel in the big fish in the free agent pond in short order. It’s a year-round building process, but the way the league is structured makes this task possible.
Maybe parity isn’t such an outlandish notion after all.
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