AFL CEO Andrew Dillon has left the door ajar for maximum-term contracts, like those seen in the NBA.
Over the past 12 months, players like Kysaiah Pickett (2034), Hayden Young (2033), and Mac Andrew (2030, with an extension for four more years pending a trigger) have all signed monster deals, and reports have indicated that West Coast wunderkind Harley Reid can eclipse the trio with an 11-year offer.
In contrast, the NBA imposes a limit on how long players can be locked in a deal, which can be up to five years.
We have seen examples where long-term deals haven't worked out, which brings unknown risk to both player and club, and Dillon explains his thinking behind the length of contracts.
"Concerning is not the right word," Dillon told SEN Radio.
"But it is something we are keeping an eye on. We put in place some guard rails a few years ago to ensure that clubs signing off on them is going through correct procedures.
"It's a tick for players as it brings certainty, but when you have fully guaranteed contracts in a cap system and when a long-term deal doesn't go right, that's a problem.
"The NBA has maximum value contracts. I don't think we go down that road, but there is something in a max term contract that is something to talk to the players association about, and I think it will be on the table in our next CBA."
The AFL introduced a caveat that included the board's input if a player were to be signed for six or more years, with the group of leaders needing to tick off the deal before it's accepted.
On top of Pickett and Young's long-term deals, eight others have been locked away until 2032, led by St Kilda's Max King, and were recently joined by Hawthorn's Jai Newcombe.
Other players signed until the end of 2031 include Brisbane duo Cam Rayner and Hugh McCluggage, turning their back on rivals to remain in Queensland.