Dominate the Super Bowl

Chapter 171 170 League Upheaval

The 2017 Rookie Training Camp was nearing its end, and although this year was generally considered an off-year compared to the comprehensive breakout of rookies in 2012, the camp still saw a number of promising new players emerge, keeping scouts and teams busy.

After the physical tests, the Rookie Training Camp had one final phase:Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Interviews.

Representatives from all thirty-two teams would arrive at Lucas Oil Stadium, armed with a list compiled from the camp results and scout reports.

This list had limited slots; with so many players at the Rookie Training Camp, teams couldn't interview everyone. They mainly focused on those prospects they were interested in but still had more questions about, inviting these players to the team's hotel rooms for conversations.

The interviews often lasted only ten to fifteen minutes, and sometimes even five, a very brief and efficient exchange of opinions.

Perhaps some may wonder, can such a brief interview really change anything?

The answer is yes.

In the 2005 draft, Aaron Rodgers, a quarterback from the University of California, Berkeley, was widely considered the strongest contender for the first overall pick. His talent, ability, and position as a quarterback all seemed to indicate that he could be the next big star.

However, the draft unfolded in one of the most awkward scenes in history: Rodgers's name wasn't called for the first, second, or even third pick, causing the broadcast cameras to focus on Rodgers each time a pick was made, as if interrogating him with their lenses.

It wasn't until the twenty-fourth pick of the first round that Rodgers was finally selected by the Green Bay Packers, ending his excruciating three-hour wait.

After the draft, there were numerous rumors, but it took a long time for team managers to admit that Rodgers's poor performance in the final interview of the Rookie Training Camp was to blame. They thought he was arrogant, aloof, conceited, difficult to get along with, and not leadership material.

Of course, it turned out that this view was wrong.

Now, Rodgers is universally regarded as one of the four elite quarterbacks in the League, a four-time regular season MVP, and unquestionably a leading figure.

Heading to a strong team has its benefits, and likewise, heading to a struggling team has its own advantages.

The most prominent point is that the NFL has a salary cap, a hard salary cap— Discover stories at empire

That is, there's no wiggle room, no cap space, no exceptions.

Rookies, like professional players, all have a hard cap, and every round's cap and signing bonuses are strictly regulated.

Generally speaking, rookie contracts are for four years, with the option to negotiate an extension starting in the third year; the cap for the first overall pick is four years thirty-five million US dollars, while the cap for the thirty-second pick in the first round is four years ten million US dollars.

This is just the first round, and you can already see a clear disparity, let alone the second or third rounds.

Naturally, teams are interviewing players, and players also have their own calculations when heading to interviews; everyone has their own dream team.

As expected, defensive end Garrett, running back Fournette, quarterback Watson, and other sought-after players became hot candidates for interviews, each holding at least five invitations, signaling their draft prospects and to some extent, they also have some choice in the matter.

And this year's Rookie Training Camp standout McCaffrey did not disappoint, breaking the shackles of being a running back, earning six team interview invitations for himself.

But the real surprise was Mahomes.

It was widely believed to be a weak year for quarterbacks, with only ten quarterbacks attending the Rookie Training Camp. Watson from Clemson and Mitchell Trubisky from South Carolina were the reluctant choices among the less impressive lot.

Unexpectedly, Mahomes, who was thought to be at best third-round material, displayed outstanding talent, and attractive combine results caught the attention of many.

The Arizona Cardinals, New Orleans Saints, Cincinnati Bengals, San Diego Chargers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Chicago Bears all extended interview invitations.

Not only did teams like the Cleveland Browns and Chicago Bears, with top three draft picks, hand out invites, but even teams like the New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers, which aren't lacking a quarterback, truly demonstrate the demand for quarterbacks in the league and the desire of teams for a cornerstone quarterback.

So, what about the other focus, Li Wei?