Rookies

[Squirrel]

Ok here is a question for you. A rookie goes to training center to get ready for the combine. Goes to the combine visits teams and then after he is traded has minicamp practice. Once they get draft they have to move to the city that drated them and find a place to live. They dont sign a contract til training camp so how do they live for those 7 months without getting a paycheck?

I know the combine the NFL pays for their travel and teams will pay for the move to the city they are drafted.

[The Link]

Signing bonus.

[Murph]

I'll bet agents forward them airfare and hotel expenses to stay in that town during the required camps until their contracts are signed, then they pay them back.

[Squirrel]

Signing bonus.

They havent signed contracts yet.

[Fireball77]

Yeah I think Murph is right, agents or sometimes even banks give the high profile guys loans based on their future contracts.

I remember one high profile guy, Sanchez maybe, talking about some nice car he has and I was thinking...hmmm...how did he afford that being a college kid, not coming from a rich family and likely not having any kind of employment over his career in college?

(Probably hush money from Reggie Bush...lol)

[Squirrel]

Yeah I was thinking the agents. But you might be right FB banks would loan them money if they are expected to go in the top of the draft. WOnder if the agetns charge a interest.

[Fireball77]

I bet the agents do charge something, Squirrel, but it might not be as bad as a bank would charge. And certainly, the agent might be their only option if they aren't a high profile guy.

There's a current agent named Jack Bechta who writes for National Football Post. Perhaps that would be a question he would answer on one of his article's blogs.

[Kurb]

Last season Stewart said he spent his last bit of Cash on a hotel room in Spartanburg.

I guess it depends on the player/agent on what kind of cash they get.