Since assuming office on Sept.1, 2006, Goodell has rolled out a new NFL personal conduct policy and tightened the straps on a loose system that had seemingly let players do whatever they wanted until now.

To the dismay of players like Pacman Jones and Chris Henry, Goodell made sure athletes across the league would be held accountable for their actions when he upped the ante on player fines and suspensions more than a year ago.

While Goodell's early moves as commissioner received mixed criticism, some understood what he was attempting to do.

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft spoke up to USA Today last year, saying "I hope this sends a message to people in our league for how to conduct themselves."

Kraft continued, saying, "We have to be careful. People in America can't relate to overindulged athletes not acting responsibly."

It was the truth. The NFL couldn't let players such as Jones and Henry run around doing whatever they wanted, while representing the league.

Recently, however, Goodell and the union have had other issues on their mind.

An early opt-out has left the NFL's collective bargaining agreement hanging until 2011. If a new agreement isn't reached by 2010, the 2010 NFL season will be played without a salary cap.

While many agree there isn't much to worry about given the fact that two years remain for a labor deal to be reached, people may need to start paying attention to Goodell and players union head, Gene Upshaw.

Last week, Goodell went out of his way to address what he called "ridiculous" amounts of money being handed to players coming into the league that hadn't played a down.

Upshaw, on the other hand, told NFL.com's Adam Schefter that the NFLPA was "not in the position to try to take money from anyone" and continued, stating, "it was ridiculous that (Goodell) would make such a comment."

Let's take a look at the facts.

Last offseason, the first overall pick in the NFL Draft, JaMarcus Russell, didn't reach a contract agreement until the third week of the 2007 NFL regular season.

It was then when the LSU quarterback finally decided $68 million over sixyears was enough to guide the Oakland Raiders' offense.

Russell had never played a game on the professional level. Still, he was making more money than many veterans had ever made on a yearly basis.

Since Russell didn't start practicing until week three, he didn't actually appear in a game until week thirteen of the NFL season.

Russell made $3.1 million in the first year of a contract that when all was said and done, would award him a guaranteed fortune.

Russell finished his rookie season with two touchdowns and four interceptions on 66 attempts. Math majors could deduce that with each toss, Russell's bank account grew by around $48,000.

This April, the Atlanta Falcons selected Matt Ryan with the third overall pick in the draft. Ryan signed a six-year, $72 million dollar contract with around $27 million guaranteed.

The Boston College quarterback was suddenly making more money than five-time pro-bowler and one time MVP runner-up Donovan McNabb, despite the fact that he hadn't played a down in front of his new home crowd.

It gets worse.

The first pick in this year's draft was Michigan offensive tackle, Jake Long. Long went to the Miami Dolphins and inked a five-year deal worth over $57 million, with over $30 million of that money guaranteed.

At twenty-three years old, Long was making more money than any offensive lineman had ever made in NFL history.

With huge contracts being handed to unproven players, veterans with extablished experience find themselves being shortchanged and commonly replaced.

Teams around the league often dump older players to get money just so they can afford large rookie contracts.

If the NFL and Goodell can find a way to change rookie pay from the way it is now, those older players will finally receive compensation for their hard work and effort over many years.

Some argue that NFL owners are the ones responsible for how much their rookies make, but it is impossible to conceive that the owners could do anything at this point to regulate rookie contracts.

Teams want to do whatever they have to in order to lock up who they believe is the future of their franchise. At this point, the only option is a loaded contract if teams want those players for an extended period of time.

The time for performance-based contracts has come. Rookies entering the league need to prove themselves before they are awarded financial safety for the rest of their lives.

Goodell has been making strides for a better league since his first day in office, and players need to realize that with a better league comes more opportunities for them.