Economics. Supply and demand. Since the 2011 NFL collective bargaining agreement changed player-wage dynamics, NFL general managers have worked harder than ever to find a high-demand commodity that has traditionally been in short supply—great players signed to very inexpensive contracts.
Earlier this week, we saw Bill Belichick and the Patriots decide that a future draft pick provided more value (benefit-to-cost ratio) than a highly productive player, in part because of his upcoming free-agent status. The Seahawks were the beneficiary of possibly the most valuable contract of the new CBA era when they picked Russell Wilson in the third round of the 2012 draft.