NFL: Interesting quirks about free agency

[Mr Janny]

I'm just starting to figure this out. Free agency is going to be pretty interesting this year because of the lack of salary cap. Basically, the league threw in these little poison pills (for lack of a better word) back when the CBA was ironed out. It was probably thought that they would never come into play.

The big one is the Final Eight Plan. Basically, the 8 teams that made the divisional playoffs in 2009 are not allowed to sign any unrestricted free agents unless another team signs a player away from them, in which case they can replace that player. But, they can't pay more for the new player than they did for the player that he is replacing.

Essentially, Minnesota can't go out and sign Julius Peppers, regardless of how much they might want to, unless some team were to sign away one of the Vikings free agents, like Chester Taylor. If that happened, the Vikings would be free to sign Peppers, but at a salary no higher than Chester Taylor's.

Additionally, there is a rule that in an uncapped year players cannot become unrestricted free agents until after their 6th year in the league, rather than the normal 4. This means that players like Brandon Marshall and Vincent Jackson, who normally would have been unrestricted free agents this year, will instead be restricted free agents. Teams can still sign them to offer sheets, but their current team has the right to match or be compensated with draft picks.

I guess Rex Ryan of the Jets has already voiced his displeasure for this rule. It does seem a little odd.

 

[Mr Janny]

The thing I don't understand is the process of assigning tenders to players. For example, Denver put a first and 3rd round tender on Elvis Dumervil today, as well as a first round tender on Brandon Marshall, meaning that if a team wants to sign one of those players away from Denver, they will have to compensate the Broncos with corresponding draft picks. I get that part. But who is determining the draft pick values for these players? Are the Broncos allowed to apply whatever tender they see fit? I also notice that they put a first round tender on Kyle Orton. No team in their right mind would ever sign Orton and then give up a first round pick in return, so this basically guarantees that Denver will not have to worry about losing him. That very well be the intent of the rule. But, what prevents teams from assigning exorbitantly high tenders to all of their restricted free agents in order to ensure that no one else will sign them?

 

[cycfan1]

The thing I don't understand is the process of assigning tenders to players. For example, Denver put a first and 3rd round tender on Elvis Dumervil today, as well as a first round tender on Brandon Marshall, meaning that if a team wants to sign one of those players away from Denver, they will have to compensate the Broncos with corresponding draft picks. I get that part. But who is determining the draft pick values for these players? Are the Broncos allowed to apply whatever tender they see fit? I also notice that they put a first round tender on Kyle Orton. No team in their right mind would ever sign Orton and then give up a first round pick in return, so this basically guarantees that Denver will not have to worry about losing him. That very well be the intent of the rule. But, what prevents teams from assigning exorbitantly high tenders to all of their restricted free agents in order to ensure that no one else will sign them?

Cost.

Not sure on the exact detail, but the guaranteed contract you have to give to who you tender goes up depending on what tender you put on them.

 

[Mr Janny]

Cost.

Not sure on the exact detail, but the guaranteed contract you have to give to who you tender goes up depending on what tender you put on them.

got it. Doing some research, and it appears there are only 4 types of tenders that a team can apply to restricted free agents and they all come with attached 1 year salary minumums.

The highest is 1st and 3rd, then 1st round, then 2nd round, and lastly they can apply a tender where a team will be compensated based on whatever round the player was originally drafted in up to 2nd round.

Makes more sense, now. Thanks.