"They have to be very aware of the law of unintended consequences." Good point. That's exactly what happened when they agreed on the current collective bargaining agreement. More money for veterans meant less money for rookies.
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I actually agree with the rookie salary cap, why should these guys be payed tom Brady money when none of them has ever played a snap in the league
It isn't just that rookies are being underpaid by the rookie wage scale. Because they are so much cheaper, teams value players on their rookie deals more than relatively overpriced veterans. Teams can have two or three players on their rookie wage scale for the same cost as one veteran, and that roster depth is particularly valuable in a league where injuries are so common. As a result, veterans find it harder to compete against players on their rookie wage scale and get pushed out of the league.