The fight for guaranteed contracts continues in the NFL

LAS VEGAS — The debate over whether NFL contracts should be fully guaranteed has been thrust back into the news cycle thanks to the recent procurement of a fascinating legal document. There's not an easy solution to the dilemma of guaranteed contracts in the NFL, but we'll get to that. There is a lot to unpack with the latest developments on this issue. First off, credit must be given to the unbelievable DiMaggio-type run journalist Pablo Torre is experiencing. His podcast is the peak of sports journalism at the moment, with deep dives on everything from hard-hitting news to bizarre topics you never knew you wanted to hear more about. His exploration of Bill Belichick's relationship generated a ton of headlines and the investigation into the mysterious album recorded by Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti was oddly fascinating. But it was Torre's discovery and explanation of an arbiter's ruling on whether the NFL and its owners essentially colluded to ensure that Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson's fully guaranteed 2022 contract became the exception and not the rule that has sparked a great deal of conversation. The podcast went far beyond just the text of the ruling, which, by the way, was in favor of the NFL, even though plenty of circumstantial evidence was detailed that resembled collusion. Despite the ruling, the NFL and its owners should be worried. Torre veered into how much of a victory the document should have been for the NFL Players Association, even in defeat, if not for major problems at the top of that organization that kept it from shedding light on the ruling. At the crux of it all, however, was a look into just how worried the league and its owners were about the Watson deal becoming a precedent. Fully guaranteed contracts, which are the norm in the other major sports, have long been a sticking point in negotiations between the league and players association. The collusion case filed by the NFLPA alleged the league and owners worked together to make sure three major quarterback deals signed later that offseason did not follow suit and become fully guaranteed, which could then have become the norm going forward. Then-NFLPA president JC Tretter, who is now the union's chief strategy officer and was vilified on Torre's podcast, even wrote an open letter to players at the time of Watson's contract suggesting it was time to make deals like that the norm. "In other sports, most notably baseball and basketball, guaranteed contracts came about from the precedent set by one player and agent, with those coming after them demanding the same," Tretter wrote. "The question now becomes can we — agents, players and the union — work together to seize an opportunity and set a true standard for future players. Time will tell, but we hope that this becomes a turning point; one that our union stands ready to support." It was obvious how pivotal the moment was in this battle. Players had not been able to make much ground on this issue at the negotiating table, but this was the chance to fight for the right in the real world. Then three major quarterback deals were done, none of which were fully guaranteed, and the league's owners breathed a sigh of relief. There are even text messages between them essentially congratulating each other for holding the line. Their solidarity in fending off the players on this issue had won out once again. Now, to be fair, the arbiter's decision wasn't necessarily wrong. His more-than-60-page ruling suggests collusion was present but not proved to the necessary standard, and there was no smoking gun. It's still a fascinating look at how united the owners are in opposing guaranteed contracts. It's also somewhat humorous in retrospect that it was Watson who was given the guaranteed deal, considering how it has turned out. His case is exactly why owners are against such deals, and he will probably be cited by owners and fans alike for many years. But it's always been a mystery to me when so many fans take the side of ownership in disputes like this. It's not the owners you are watching on the field every week, and they have a lifetime to cash in on their investment. The window for the players is short. While this is an issue that has far more nuance than I believed before I started spending so much time in NFL locker rooms and talking to people whose lives are spent dealing with the business of the league and contracts — including players who fear contracts for role players will be shorter and younger players prioritized in such a scenario — my natural inclination is that NFL contracts should all be fully guaranteed. It would likely require some rule changes, but it can and probably should happen. NFL players put way too much on the line and have far too narrow an earning window to not be afforded more certainty when there is so much money flowing into the coffers.