The 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement brought rookie salaries to a sane level. That's a very good thing. There's no good reason for the highest paid player on a team be a player that had never taken an NFL snap. The new CBA also required that those rookies sign four-year contracts. For the 32 players selected in the first round, the team has the option to extend the contract for an extra season. The players selected in the top-10 receive a salary equal to the league's transition tag number for their position. That's a pretty significant pay raise. The players selected 11-32 get a nice bump in pay but nothing like those top-10 guys. It's hard to believe that it's already been four years since that ridiculous lockout of 2011 and the resulting CBA. The decisions on those fifth-year options for the Draft Class of 2011 had to be made by Friday at midnight. If the team picked up those options, the player would be under contract through the 2015 season. If not, the player would be an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season. For most teams, this decision required about zero thought. The San Francisco 49ers probably had the greatest struggle. They had to decide whether to exercise their fifth-year option on linebacker Aldon Smith. With only on-the-field issues in mind, the decision is easy. Smith is one the best pass rushers in the league. Of-the-field, he's an absolute knucklehead. The 49ers decided to keep their knucklehead around for another year. Hopefully, for his sake and the 49ers, he gets it together. 21 of the 32 players selected in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft are now under contract through the 2015 season. Ten of the remaining eleven are now scheduled to be free agents at the end of the 2014 season. One already is. Danny Watkins, the #23 selection by the Philadelphia Eagles, was released by the Eagles before last season. He's looking for work. Four players are now with teams that didn't draft them so the fifth-year option no longer applies. Blaine Gabbert, the #10 selection by the Jacksonville Jaguars, was traded this offseason to the 49ers. Jonathan Baldwin, the #26 selection by the Kansas City Chiefs, was also traded to the 49ers. Gabe Carimi, the #29 selection by the Chicago Bears, is now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Here are the players, and the spot at which they were selected in the draft, that are now under contract through the 2015 season:
1. Cam Newton Carolina Panthers
2. Von Miller Denver Broncos
3. Marcell Dareus Buffalo Bills
4. A.J. Green Cincinnati Bengals
5. Patrick Peterson Arizona Cardinals
6. Julio Jones Atlanta Falcons
7. Aldon Smith San Francisco 49ers
9. Tyron Smith Dallas Cowboys
11. J.J. Watt Houston Texans
14. Robert Quinn St. Louis Rams
15. Mike Pouncey Miami Dolphins
16. Ryan Kerrigan Washington Redskins
17. Nate Solder New England Patriots
18. Corey Liuget San Diego Chargers
19. Prince Amukamara New York Giants
21. Philip Taylor Cleveland Browns
22. Anthony Castonzo Indianapolis Colts
24. Cameron Jordan New Orleans Saints
27. Jimmy Smith Baltimore Ravens
30. Muhammed Wilkinson New York Jets
31. Cameron Heyward Pittsburgh Steelers
Watt, Quinn, and Wilkinson are three of the best defensive linemen in the league. As 11-32 picks, they will also be three of the greatest bargains in 2015 under the terms of their fifth-year options. Just looking at those 21 players, the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft looks pretty terrific.
Here are the remaining seven players that are playing for a contract in 2015:
8. Jake Locker Tennessee Titans
12. Christian Ponder Minnesota Vikings
13. Nick Fairley Detroit Lions
20. Adrian Clayborn Tampa Bay Buccaneers
25. James Carpenter Seattle Seahawks
28. Mark Ingram New Orleans Saints
32. Derek Sherrod Green Bay Packers
No team from the NFC North exercised a fifth-year option. That's inconceivable! I really think that too much has been made of teams not exercising fifth-year options. It doesn't necessarily mean that the player's time with a team is coming to an end. Those seven teams have simply decided that those seven players have yet to earn a significant raise. They are now like any other player on the last year of their contract. They can re-sign.
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