What must Team Salary include according to rookie salary management?

Team Salary must reflect the overall financial obligations associated with rookie players, which includes the Rookie Salary, the Total Rookie Compensation Pool, and adherence to the 25% rule. This captures not only the base salaries of rookie players but also any bonuses or other compensations that are part of their contracts.

The Total Rookie Compensation Pool is a crucial concept as it sets a limit on how much teams can allocate to their rookie contracts in a given salary cap year. The 25% rule pertains to salary increases from one year to the next for rookie contracts, ensuring that teams manage their salary cap effectively while still being able to reward players who exceed expectations or fulfill performance incentives.

Understanding these components is essential for teams to comply with salary cap regulations and to effectively manage their roster while investing in new talent. Not including all these aspects could lead to violations of salary cap rules, affecting the team's flexibility in free agency and beyond.