In theory that was how it was supposed to work in the NFL... But that's not the case. With the lower rookie salaries, it's now easier for teams to cut a player earlier. And they still cut expensive veterans at will. The Wall Street Journal reported that the average career length for NFL players has shrunk by two and a half years since 2008.... “The way the CBA is structured now, it’s really no different from any other workforce in that you want to find the healthiest, youngest, least-expensive talent and infuse it into your corporation,” said Tennesse Titans GM Jon Robinson. The thought process of the NFL's Age Problem is detailed here.