How to pay an NFL team in a way that is fair to everyone and still manages to give more to those who are the MAIN guys.

The NFL players union is anything but what the name implies. "Union," if the word means anything at all, implies equitable treatment to all members. This is very hard to see in the NFL. How many unions do not have a set pay scale agreement with management? Answer: professional sports and maybe a few others in the entertainment industry. Players and their agents are free to wheel and deal regardless of how it affects their fellow union members. The prevalent attitude fostered by agents, is "millions for me and minimum for you?" Where is the brotherhood? Where is the, "We’re looking out for each other" attitude? Where is good old fashion fairness?

There has to be a better way!

So here is a "Modest Proposal:" Three Pay Outs:

First, the same base pay for everyone varying on the number of years of service and perhaps position played.

Second, incentive pay based on productivity looking backward. Pay (bonuses) for what you produced last year, not what you MIGHT produce next year.

Third, "Star" pay: players are ranked by the coaching staff form 1 to 53 with set a dollar figure established for each position number. The superstars near the top get more and the backups near the bottom get less.

Every member of the team gets all three pay outs in varying amounts.

The entire salary cap is consumed and everyone gets "their fair share." If it’s set up right the pay would be equitable: a true "union" agreement.

I suspect this will be regarded as a crazy idea loaded with loop holes, but it’s something to talk about in the off-season.