Mario Williams

Woodwind

Just curious. Can anyone explain the rule that allowed the Texans to sign Mario Williams before the draft?

I don't have any problems with it, nor does it seems anyone else has a problem since the Texans pretty much had the right to whoever they wanted. Again I'm just curious as to what allowed Mario Williams to sign the day before the draft. Thanks.

Axtell

They could sign him before the draft since they have the number one pick, there's no possible way he could have signed with anyone else.

RCGuy

<< <i>Just curious. Can anyone explain the rule that allowed the Texans to sign Mario Williams before the draft?

I don't have any problems with it, nor does it seems anyone else has a problem since the Texans pretty much had the right to whoever they wanted. Again I'm just curious as to what allowed Mario Williams to sign the day before the draft. Thanks. >>



"Drafting" and "Signing" are two different things.

"Drafting" is simply the right to enforce the first valid contract on a player. It's extremely smart to negotiate and sign a player BEFORE drafting the player. Why waste a draft pick on a player who doesn't want to agree with a team's financial offer?

It's not uncommon for teams to "sign" a player before drafting him, of course the contact is only valid if the team actually has the chance to draft that player. IF another team drafts the player earlier, than the original contract is void. For example, a a pre draft contract clause might say: ..."If the LA RAIDERS select PLAYER A with the 9th pick, then the LA RAIDERS will pay PLAYER A $500,000. If PLAYER A is selected before the LA RAIDERS selecttion, then this contract is void.". Something like that.

Michigan

Having the #1 pick signed right away helps the league in that the
#1 pick sets the base price that the other draft choices look to.

A number of times signings in the rest of the first round have
been delayed due to the #1 pick remaining unsigned for a long
period of time.