Minimum salaries shoot up under new deal
 
Posted by Mike Florio on July 25, 2011, 4:14 PM EDT

The bad news for undrafted players is that they won’t be able to tell who’s interested in them as something more than camp fodder based on the signing bonus that a team offers.

The good news for undrafted players is that, if they make a team, they’ll make a lot more money.

The minimum salaries for NFL players have increased by $55,000 across the board. For 2011, that means rookies will get $375,000. Players with one year of service get $450,000. Two years of service will push the minimum to $525,000.

Players with three years of service will make a minimum of $600,000. For players with four to six years of service, the minimum salary is $685,000. Seven to nine, $810,000.

For players with 10 years or more of service, the minimum salary is $910,000.

The amounts increase $15,000 per year in each of the next four seasons.

It’s believed that the program previously employed by the NFL to allow teams to sign veterans to one-year deals at a reduced camp number will apply in the new CBA. If not, marginal veteran players could become far less attractive, given the $535,000 gap between the minimum pay for rookies and 10-year pros.