Rookie Negotiation
 

The new Rookie Negotiations is really well done. I found myself being stingy the first time through and was burned with a holdout by my number 1 pick stud RB with low volatility. The second trip to the table I was much more careful to give him the higher salary, but he held out again! Damn.

The last attempt at the table before the season I gingerly clicked on the lowest year/highest cash contract and he took it. That is nice.

No longer just make sure there is enough cash... make sure you get him into camp and ready for the season. My holdout still looks to be worth it, but now I will remember him for a long time, that bastard!

It also looks to be nicely tied to the agent's "tough negotiator" record.

I had a similar situation. The guy held out, held out, held out, and I finally signed him in the 2nd week of preseason. He's actually been improving steadily since then, having doubled his current ratings from the 3rd week of preseason to the 8th week of the regular season. I'm pleasantly surprised by that, as I don't recall ever before seeing players improve during the regular season, but there you have it.

Kyle Boller, on the other hand, I left to rot after he had a 14 TD/24 INT year, and then demanded a significant contract renegotiation. Marc Bulger has stepped up admirably, with 5 wins in his first 7 starts. In case you're wondering, it took Boller 16 games to win his 4th.

That's right, boyo. Get used to splinters in your ass.

I didn't think to look at the draftedplayer status menu for a guide until my 3rd year when I remembered it was a feature :).

I noticed that, too. I started a league with a full draft, and took QB Carson Palmer... er, Gus Hitchcock... in the 3rd round and had him start every game. At the beginning of the season, my scout was extremely concerned about him - by the end of the season, he was over 50 in each category and off the depth chart report. Very nice.

Heh. This post reminded me that I've forgotten about it too. I immediately went to check (having the game on) and Chicago still have a holdout by week 7 of the regular season, ouch.

I don't think that they actually improve.... It probably has more to do with your scout seeing much more of the player.... I'm probably wrong though