There is no cap for individual contracts, however, which is the problem. A top 5 pick in the first round gets more guaranteed money (and more total money) than the other six guys drafted by the same team combined.
In any case, the rookie salary pool does nothing to restrict how much rookies get paid in year 2 and onward.
If St. Louis doesn’t want to take Suh with the first pick, I would expect that they’d trade the pick away, maybe move down in the first round a bit and get another pick or two. I can’t imagine that they’d use that pick for a QB with this year’s crop. I’d be shocked at this point if Suh is on the board for Detroit, and as a Bear fan, a little frightened.
This year’s crop of quarterbacks is a hell of a lot better than last year’s. 
Yup. Much much deeper. There isn’t a Peyton Manning type guy but there are probably 6 guys that could go in the first 40 picks compared to last year’s 3.
Which is why you don’t take a QB with the first pick. The difference between Suh and a DT available at the beginning of Round 2 (or wherever they can trade up to) is gigantic compared to the difference between Bradford/Locker/Clausen and a Round 2 QB.
The difference between a 1st and 2nd round DT is always bigger than the difference between 1st and 2nd round quarterbacks.
The problem is that defensive tackles don’t put butts in seats.
Deeper. Yes.
But there isn’t a stand out number 1 guy (or even top five) who they would risk selecting.
The Rams have spent a lot in recent drafts on their D-line, so I could see them trading down if the opportunity arises. Where they need the most help on the defensive side is the outside linebackers and secondary. Also any skill position on the offense outside of RB.
There are three guys who are just as accomplished as Matt Stafford. More accomplished, actually.
That said, I think anyone who drafts a quarterback not named Colt McCoy this year is wasting their pick. He’ll be the best pro out of the group or I’ll eat my hat - and he probably won’t even cost a first-rounder.
Do you see the disconnect in these two posts?
Also, what metric do you want to go by, and what do you want to wager between McCoy and the field?
What disconnect? McCoy will probably go in the second round.
How about passer rating after five years?
If you think McCoy is going to be the best QB in the bunch, and you think that McCoy will go in the 2nd round, then don’t you also think there’s a QB talent out there that will put butts in the seats available in the 2nd round (i.e. McCoy)? Besides - a big name QB doesn’t put butts in the seats - winning does.
That works, and we’ll only compare non-McCoy QBs with equal or more games played (or a reasonable similarity in terms of games played if McCoy starts from day 1).
I didn’t say the Rams were smart enough to wait for McCoy. I said McCoy was the best of the bunch.
I’m betting they take Claussen or Bradford.
ETA: When I say my hat, is it okay if I eat any hat?
And I’m betting they take either Suh or trade down to get a QB, whoever that might be.
Once you eat it, who’d want it back?!
I you want Clausen you can trade down to 5 or six and still get him.
I dont care who we take (The Rams) just so we don’t screw it up like the Lions always do.
You have to look at the systems these guys play in. McCoy plays in a spread offense, and of all the top QB’s has got the weakest arm. If I had to rank this years crop of QB’s, he would be fifth.
Also playing and winning at a top program isn’t what NFL scout look for in a QB. If you look at the leagues starting QB’s there are only a handful that played at football powerhouses.
Not that anybody asked or cares but my top QB’s
1.) Jimmy Clausen
2.) Sam Bradford (really depending how he looks in the combine and pro-day)
3.) Dan LeFevour
4.) Sean Canfield (had he not been hurt almost all of '08 you would hear a lot more of him)
5.) Colt McCoy (arm strength really hurts him)
6.) Tim Tebow (I see him in more of a HB/TE role)
Yeah I am really curious to see where Lefevour goes. Before the season started I was thinking some team had a great chance at franchise Gem in the 3rd or 4th round. But with the hype now There is no way he will last that long.
By the time they get past the combine, McCoy won’t even be that high. 4th or 5th round if he’s lucky.
Drew Brees played in a spread offense too. So did Aaron Rodgers.
McCoy has a strong enough arm and is the most accurate of this year’s quarterback class and the most mobile. You may feel free to provide a hat and see what happens.