Steelers sign fourth-round pick to four-year contract

[mesaSteeler]

Steelers sign fourth-round pick to four-year contract
http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/1443575-85/draft-steelers-pick-round-sign-amu-fourth-picks-signed-2825?printerfriendly=true
by Mark Kaboly
Published: Sunday, May 6, 2012, 09:36AM Last Modified: May 6, 2012 10:03AM

p>It's been only a little more than a week since the NFL Draft, but the Steelers already signed one of their picks.

The team announced today that they signed fourth-round draft pick Alamdeda Ta'amu to a four-year deal.

Under the new collective bargaining agreement, it has become easier to sign draft picks because of a slotting system now in place.

The Steelers' nine draft choices have to sign four-year deals (except for first-round pick David DeCastro who will have a fifth-year club option) that can't exceed a total of $28.25 million.

Ta'amu (6-3, 347) is a massive nose tackle out of Washington who is expected to be Casey Hampton's long-term replacement.

The Steelers will wrap up their three-day rookie minicamp today at their practice facility.

[TRH]

Glad with the new agreement that you don't have to worry about rookie's agents trying to hold teams hostage for way more than they're worth (and unproven at that point as well..).

Glad he's signed...He seems to already be fitting in quite nicely as a Steeler from all the stories i've read.

[tanda10506]

Don't they usually sign rookies to a 3 year contract? It already feels like he is a life long Steeler.

[zcoop]

Don't they usually sign rookies to a 3 year contract? It already feels like he is a life long Steeler.

The new CBA calls for a four year contract for draft picks.

[austinfrench76]

Love the new rookie scale!

[Hawaii 5-0]

The new CBA calls for a four year contract for draft picks.

yes, all draft choices after the first round must sign 4-year deals:

Steelers sign two rookie draft picks

May 6, 2012
By Ed Bouchette / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Steelers signed two rookie draft picks, in the fourth and fifth rounds, the team announced Sunday.

Nose tackle Alameda Ta'amu, their fourth-round pick, and halfback Chris Rainey, chosen in the fifth round, each signed four-year contracts. Ta'amu's deal is worth nearly $2.5 million.

They are the first two 2012 draft choices to sign with the team. All choices after the first round must sign four-year deals, according to the league's CBA.

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/steelers/steelers-sign-two-rookie-draft-picks-634674/

[NoFieldFive]

so do they get that money even if they are cut or an early injury where they can't play?

can they have incentives to make more money than the contacted amount?

[tony hipchest]

once again the bears and the steelers are the first teams to start signing picks. both teams always seem to be one of the firsts to get their 1st rounders under contract, and the firsts to get all their picks deals done. :applaudit:

so do they get that money even if they are cut or an early injury where they can't play?

can they have incentives to make more money than the contacted amount?

for conversations sake, lets say his deal of $2.5 mil is for $500,000/year with a half a million signing bonus. he gets a million this year, and that is the only portion that is guaranteed if he gets hurt or cut.

the deal is the deal, and no incentives can be added (otherwise it is pretty much circumventing the cap if those incentives arent placed in the contract in the first place).

what can be done, (but you rarely ever see it unless a player is entering the final year of their rookie deal) is the team give a new deal/contract extension with a big signing bonus and LBTE (likely to be earned) incentives.