If there is a lockout...Is there still a draft next year?

[MossWelkowski]

If there is a lockout is there still a draft in 2011 or does it get moved back to 2012 as a combined draft?

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Still a draft,same month same setup..nothing changes there

 

[Wolfpack]

If there is a lockout is there still a draft in 2011 or does it get moved back to 2012 as a combined draft?

The question isn't about if there is a lockout, is there still a draft. All reports say there would be. The question is what if the union decertifies and makes a big stink about the anti-trust implications of the NFL draft? What happens then? Well, in all honesty, there would probably still be a draft anyway because cancelling it would be a pretty extreme move. But I am just brainstorming possibilities.

 

[TBradyOwnsYou]

The question isn't "will there be a draft in 2011" as there will be 100%. The question should be:
If there is a lockout in 2011, how in the hell do you do the draft in 2012??? Lottery?

 

[A.C Vegas]

they'll probably just use the same order again but even if there is a lock out there is no way it last the entire 2011 season

 

[BadMoFo]

No. All draft picks are lost and all this hording will be for nothing.

 

[Sicilian]

The question isn't "will there be a draft in 2011" as there will be 100%. The question should be:
If there is a lockout in 2011, how in the hell do you do the draft in 2012??? Lottery?

The NHL did it by having a top to bottom lottery, weighted slightly for the teams based on the standings the last year they played. Basically they tossed a bunch of balls in a tumbler, with the worst team having 30 balls, 2nd worst having 29, etc, or something like that. Then just kept pulling them out until they had an order.

 

[Jackson 2]

No. All draft picks are lost and all this hording will be for nothing.

Not true......

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

No. All draft picks are lost and all this hording will be for nothing.

You beat me to it... and I was really looking forward to making everyone pee their pants. But in all seriousness, you may see some underclassmen who would otherwise declare for the draft, instead stay in college for their senior year. Also, if there is a lockout and the '11 season gets washed, the Pats would suffer more than any other team. That's an extra year they'll have to wait to develop their rookies and give them game experience. Otherwise, they'll be starting 2012 with about 10 picks from rounds 1-3 in the '11 and '12 drafts, and they'd probably have to cut some good players or cut some high picks.

 

[jmt57]

If there is a lockout is there still a draft in 2011 or does it get moved back to 2012 as a combined draft?

First thing I thought of is that even if there is a lockout, the draft will most likely have already taken place. Also, I'm pretty sure the NFL can still do certain things like hold a draft, set a schedule, sell tickets, etc. regardless of what is and is not going on with the CBA and the NFLPA.

 

[billdog3484]

You beat me to it... and I was really looking forward to making everyone pee their pants. But in all seriousness, you may see some underclassmen who would otherwise declare for the draft, instead stay in college for their senior year. Also, if there is a lockout and the '11 season gets washed, the Pats would suffer more than any other team. That's an extra year they'll have to wait to develop their rookies and give them game experience. Otherwise, they'll be starting 2012 with about 10 picks from rounds 1-3 in the '11 and '12 drafts, and they'd probably have to cut some good players or cut some high picks.

i disagree. if there is no 2011 draft and only a 2012 draft, having a 2nd round pick will essentially equal a first rounder and having a 4th rounder will be like have a 2nd. if there is a lockout and there is only a 2012 draft we will have the most ridiculous draft ever

 

[Crazy Patriot Guy]

The question was asked on ESPN months ago and Chris Mortenson confirmed that there would be a draft and it would probably be the last NFL event of the year, assuming there was a lockout.

Remember, the NFL draft is in April. No matter how bad negotiations may go, there is absolutely no chance that they would call everything off before May.

 

[Wolfpack]

The question was asked on ESPN months ago and Chris Mortenson confirmed that there would be a draft and it would probably be the last NFL event of the year, assuming there was a lockout.

Remember, the NFL draft is in April. No matter how bad negotiations may go, there is absolutely no chance that they would call everything off before May.

I don't think there will be any sort of specific, set date whereby they are going to "call everything off" unless the lockout extends into a ridiculously late timeframe, like November. Beyond that I think it is going to be a week-by-week, excrutiating process.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

The question was asked on ESPN months ago and Chris Mortenson confirmed that there would be a draft and it would probably be the last NFL event of the year, assuming there was a lockout.

Remember, the NFL draft is in April. No matter how bad negotiations may go, there is absolutely no chance that they would call everything off before May.

More importantly, the CBA mandates that there will be a draft in the league year following its expiration (i.e., in 2011).

 

[Wolfpack]

More importantly, the CBA mandates that there will be a draft in the league year following its expiration (i.e., in 2011).

That answers my question about how they could hold a draft if the union disbands. Since the 2011 draft has already been collectively bargained, there will be no problem.

Of course, if the union still doesn't exist in 2012, then things will get interesting.

 

[jczxohn1]

My understanding is that there would be a draft, but rather than players being signed, their rights would be held by the team that drafted them until a deal is cut. This would be due to the likelihood of salary slots for rookies being instituted and the details not finalized until the new CBA was in place.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

My understanding is that there would be a draft, but rather than players being signed, their rights would be held by the team that drafted them until a deal is cut. This would be due to the likelihood of salary slots for rookies being instituted and the details not finalized until the new CBA was in place.

If I understand it correctly, that would be the case if, and only if, there is a strike, although it is a bit murky.

In any case, such decisions (either way) could be independent of any decision to institute a rookie wage scale or anything else.

 

[Wolfpack]

If I understand it correctly, that would be the case if, and only if, there is a strike, although it is a bit murky.

In any case, such decisions (either way) could be independent of any decision to institute a rookie wage scale or anything else.

I'm just theorizing here, but if the players are being locked out then there's really no rush to sign the draftees.

Although truth be told, I feel that even with a lockout, teams and rookies' agents will be well in communication with each other even if nothing formal gets finalized.

 

[Ron Sellers]

There was always a draft long before there was a union, so I don't see a lockout being an issue. Also, it seems to me that players would not be part of the union until they sign a contract, so I don't see how what is going on with the union or the CBA would affect the draft. Seems to me that they could conceivably have a 2011 draft, no football in 2011, and still have another draft in 2012.

 

[MikeC01]

Interesting question! I see no reason why there wouldn't be a draft in 2011. As stated earlier, there's no way the NFL is calling off the season in April even if negotiations aren't going well with the union. That's way too early to give up. Really, I think the two big questions are:

1. How quickly do draftees from the '11 draft get signed?
2. How do they determine the draft order for 2012 if there is no season?

My guesses are:

1. Not very fast as a rookie wage scale is a big issue in the next CBA.
2. Either a lottery like the NHL did based on 2010 records or perhaps they just grant each team one pick in each round with the order decided solely by 2010 record. Hard to say.