It is an individual decision obviously, but if it was my son, I would advise him not to play IF he was a consensus #1 pick. By playing another year, you can do nothing but LOSE money, either by injury or by having a poor year and lowering your draft stock. If you are a top 10 or 20 pick, you can improve your draft position and make more money if you play. Not if you are already the #1 pick though. Taking the chance of getting hit 400+ times in a season seems very risky to me as a RB if you are already the #1 pick.

My memory is not the best, but I believe rookie contracts are set by the CBA at 3 years. With that in mind, I'm going to pose the following question.

 

If Fournette does this, would that not be an indication that he would tank the last year of his rookie contract, if he lives up to projections his first 2 years? Again, we are assuming he wants to get paid. Would that effect his draft status?

By the way, the last running back taken #1 was 21 years ago.

 

Again, I don't know who Nick Wright is, but is Fournette a lock for #1, even if he plays?

If only it were that easy. Loss of value policies are not new yet only 2 players have ever collected. TWO. Since about 1990. Plus it's not cheap. Insurance companies are going to look for any injury they can in your history to allow them to not pay. That's not breaking news. Ask Marquis Lee about that. Never got paid. As to your quote' date=' it's really nice. However, it doesn't get him paid. Let's remove the romanticism from this. It should be removed. It's nice. It's quaint. It can also stop you from earning $100M in the future. Legit question to ask if you're a stud player.[/quote']

 

Lee did not reveal a pre-existing injury before he signed his insurance policy, they settled privately.

 

Players who get total disability pay is rare but how often is a player totally disabled?

 

Loss of value insurance does happen and pay out. Jaylon Smith got $900,000 after slipping in the draft due to injury.

 

The insurance works and it's life changing, if the deal is done correctly.

As MTGL said, Fournette has two $10 million dollar polices. One for permanent injury and one for loss of value. As long as he didn't lie on his application, he's covered for injuries.

Lee did not reveal a pre-existing injury before he signed his insurance policy' date=' they settled privately. Players who get total disability pay is rare but how often is a player totally disabled? Loss of value insurance does happen and pay out. Jaylon Smith got $900,000 after slipping in the draft due to injury. The insurance works and it's life changing, if the deal is done correctly.[/quote']

 

You named one of the TWO players.

 

The insurance companies are going to fight tooth and nail to stop from paying. How much did Lee have to pay in fees and how much less did he collect ?

 

Again, only two players have collected in loss of value.

You named one of the TWO players. The insurance companies are going to fight tooth and nail to stop from paying. How much did Lee have to pay in fees and how much less did he collect ? Again' date=' only two players have collected in loss of value.[/quote']

 

He wouldn't have had any troubles if he didn't lie on his application.

He wouldn't have had any troubles if he didn't lie on his application.

 

What about every other player that didn't collect?

What about every other player that didn't collect?

Like who?

Agree with everything you said, Clizzy.

 

He gains absolutely nothing from playing this season. He can train and work out and still be in top shape come draft/combine time. The issue is no high-caliber athlete wants to sit out a year, especially if he has a choice.

 

And add a year of wear to his NFL career. Being forced to play in college when you are a no brainer is playing Russian Roulette.

And add a year of wear to his NFL career. Being forced to play in college when you are a no brainer is playing Russian Roulette.

 

Who's forcing him? He can quit if he wants and enter the draft next spring.

He did not. It hasn't happened.

 

Clowney came close. He basically shut it down IMO. Maybe a good thing seeing how he's had injury problems in the NFL.

I guess Dalvin Cook should sit out as well.

Just saw the "30 for 30" special on Marcus Dupree. 6'3", 240 lb. running back that ran 9.5 in 100 yards. As an 18 year old freshman at Oklahoma, he was off the charts and was by consensus to be best back in America (NFL, USFL, and NCAA). In those days, NFL was just beginning to think about drafting underclassmen. Knee Injury sophomore year left him as a shell thereafter. No injury, may have been greatest ever. Injury dictated the story title.."The Greatest that Never Was".

 

Tough, tough decision. Never thought I would find myself understanding a true competitor shutting it down. Money is creating more agendas in sports other than the core basics of winning and being a great teammate.

Money is creating more agendas in sports other than the core basics of winning and being a great teammate.

 

Here is the thing, you are right about this, but it isn't changing it so much for the athlete as it is for the people around the sport and that watch the sport, that are older and looking at everything through a more long-term and financial lens.