NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement
Rookie Compensation and Rookie Compensation Pool
Section 3(c)(i)Rookie Contracts
All Rookie Contracts shall use the standard-form Player Contract described in Article 4 and set forth in Appendix A of this Agreement and may contain minimum offseason workout per diem commencing in the contract’s second season. Rookie Contracts for players drafted in round one shall contain the Fifth-Year Option described in Section 7 below. Rookie Contracts for players drafted in rounds two through seven shall contain the Proven Performance Escalator described in Section 4 below. A Rookie Contract may also contain non-compensation terms relating to: (1) player appearances/promotions; (2) workers’ compensation issues; (3) waivers of Club liability for preexisting injuries/physical conditions; (4) forfeiture of compensation and/or of guarantees to the extent permitted in Article 4; (5) deduction or repayment of advanced nonguaranteed year-one Paragraph 5 Salary; (6) insurance policies; (7) tax implications; (8) confidentiality (subject to Article 26); (9) the severability of unenforceable contract terms; (10) legal/contractual interpretation issues; (11) representations and warranties that at the time the contract is executed, no circumstances exist that would prevent the player’s continuing availability to the Club for the duration of the contract; (12) waiver of a Club’s right to enforce any of the terms of Paragraph 3 of the NFL Player Contract; and (13) waiver of a Club’s rights regarding the designations of, or the Required Tender amounts for, Franchise or Transition Players. With the sole exception of the compensation terms that appear in Subsection (b) above, the other permissible terms that appear in this Subsection, and, if applicable, the Proven Performance Escalator in Section 4 and the FifthYear Option in Section 7 of this Article, any other contract terms will be deemed null and void ab initio unless the parties to this Agreement agree otherwise.