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I'm sorry but this is the absolute stupidest talking point in the entire universe (made even dumber by the fact that you spelled morale incorrectly).

Did it ruin locker-room morale when we brought in jayden daniels and meckhi wingo and miles frazier (etc) in 2022? Did it ruin locker-room morale when Florida State built its team via NIL-based portal additions last year and the year before? Does it ruin locker-room morale every time an NFL team signs a free agent? Of course not, because that's an idiotic thing to say.

Gimme a break. It's absolutely wild to me the extent to which people are straight up incapable of just admitting that they're frustrated that we lost out on some big targets. So instead they have to pretend like it's actually a good thing. The only other explanation is that they just absolutely despise the fact that college athletes aren't prohibited from profiting off their talent from the free market.

No one is (or should be) saying don't bring transfers in. It's part of the game now and the players understand that. The potential team disruption comes in when you are grossly overpaying for a guy who has been largely an average player. That's not just a one year issue. That's potentially a program altering issue.

Let's say for the sake of argument Nussmier, Campbell and Perkins are LSU's highest "paid" players. Let's say their NIL deals are $500k a piece. They're happy with that. Evidenced by virtue of the fact they are on the team instead of elsewhere. Furthermore, their teammates, by and large, recognize those are the top players on the team so they understand why they have the largest "salaries".

Then LSU goes into the spring transfer portal. They want a DT. They don't absolutely have to have one in the sense that if they don't get one there is no one else left to play the position. LSU has 8 scholarship players on the roster listed at that position. But they want an upgrade if feasible. Because of high demand and low supply, the DTs on the market, none of whom All American surefire 1st round draft picks, have a NIL demand of $800k. They tell the LSU coaches "either you pay it or someone else will".

Out of desperation LSU pays it. Now a guy whose been an otherwise average player and has never spent one second on the LSU practice field as a member of the team is suddenly your highest paid player...by quite a lot. Can you not see a scenario where Nussmeier, Campbell, Perkins, who were previously happy with their NIL situation now saying WTF?! You've also now invited your other players to leverage you for bigger deals because they know you will overpay out of desperation. Regardless of the quality of player. It has a lasting ripple effect throughout the team/program all for a guy who may be just a rotational piece. Not the difference between 7-5 and a national championship.

If LSU had a pretty good team but needed an upgrade at QB to be great and Caleb Williams (after winning the Heisman trophy) was on the market I don't think anyone, including the players on the team, would have a big issue with paying him $1M and making him the highest paid player. He's a guy with proven great play at the most important position. But paying near Caleb Williams type money to an average player who may only play 65% of the defensive snaps is generally bad business.

I'm sure LSU went into this with a number they were willing to commit to the position. But they weren't desperate enough to overpay for one of a pool of "ok" players. I don't blame them!