NFL Free Agency: You've Got Questions, We've Got Answers
Here it is, everything you could possibly want to know about NFL Free Agency...and more.
Q. When can players start being signed in the 2009 free agency signing period?
A. Beginning at 12:01 AM ET on Friday, February 27.
Q. What are the categories of free agency?
A. Players are either "restricted" or "unrestricted" free agents. Within the categories are also "transition" and "franchise" players.
Q. What is the time period for free agency signings this year?
A. For restricted free agents, from February 27 to April 17; for unrestricted free agents, from February 27 to July 22 (or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp, whichever is later); and for franchise players, from February 27 until the Tuesday after the 10th week of the season (November 17).
Q. What is the difference between a restricted free agent and an unrestricted free agent?
A. Players become restricted free agents when they complete three accrued seasons and their contract expires. Unrestricted free agents have completed four or more accrued seasons with an expired contract.
Q. What constitutes an "accrued season?"
A. Six or more regular-season games on a club's active/inactive, reserved-injured or "physically unable to perform" lists.
Q. Other than accrued seasons, what determines a restricted free agent?
A. He has received a "qualifying" offer (a salary level predetermined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the league and its players) from his old club. He can negotiate with any club through April 17. If the restricted free agent accepts an offer sheet from a new club, his old club can match the offer and retain him because it has the "right of first refusal." If the old club does not match the offer, it can possibly receive draft-choice compensation depending on the amount of its qualifying offer. If an offer sheet is not executed, the player’s rights revert exclusively to his old club after April 17.
Q. What determines an unrestricted free agent?
A. A player with four or more accrued seasons whose contract has expired. He is free to sign with any club, with no compensation owed to his old club, through July 22 (or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp, whichever is later). On July 23, his rights revert to his old club if it made a "tender" offer (110 percent of last year's salary) to him by June 1. His old club then has until the Tuesday after the 10th week of the season (November 17) to sign him. If he does not sign by November 17, he must sit out the season. If no tender is offered by June 1, the player can be signed by any club at any time throughout the season.
Q. What determines a transition player?
A. A club can designate one transition player (or one franchise player) in any given year. The player’s club must offer a minimum of the average of the top 10 salaries of last season at the player's position or 120 percent of the player's previous year's salary, whichever is greater. A transition player designation gives the club a first-refusal right to match within seven days an offer sheet given to the player by another club after his contract expires. If the club matches, it retains the player. If it does not match, it receives no compensation.
Q. What determines a franchise player?
A. A club can designate one franchise player (or one transition player) in any given year. The salary level offer by a player's club determines what type of franchise player he is. An "exclusive" franchise player -- not free to sign with another club -- is offered a minimum of the average of the top five salaries at the player's position for the current year as of April 17, or 120 percent of the player's previous year's salary, or the average of the top five salaries at his position as of the end of last season -- whichever of the three is greater. If the player is offered a minimum of the average of the top five salaries of last season at his position, or 120 percent of the player’s previous year’s salary, he becomes a “non-exclusive” franchise player and can negotiate with other clubs. His old club can match a new club's offer, or receive two first-round draft choices if it decides not to match.
Q. Can a club decide to withdraw its franchise or transition designations on a player? If so, can it then use them on other players?
A. A club can withdraw its franchise or transition designations and the player then automatically becomes an unrestricted free agent either immediately or when his contract expires. The club cannot name a new franchise or transition player that year. It can name a new franchise or transition player the next year.
Q. What is the salary cap for 2009?
A. The salary cap is $123 million per club.
NFL Franchise Players Announced
Franchise player designations were announced today for the 2009 NFL free agency signing period that begins on Feb. 27.
A club can designate one “franchise” player or one “transition” player among its veteran free agents.
The salary offer by a player’s club determines whether the franchise player designation is exclusive or non-exclusive.
An “exclusive” franchise player – not free to sign with another club – is offered a minimum of the average of the top five salaries at the player's position for the current year as of April 17, or 120 percent of the player’s previous year’s salary, or the average of the top five salaries at his position as of the end of last season – whichever of the three is greater.
There are no exclusive franchise player designations this year.
If the player is offered a minimum of the average of the top five salaries of last season at his position, or 120 percent of the player’s previous year’s salary, he becomes a “non-exclusive” franchise player and can negotiate with other clubs. His old club can match a new club’s offer, or receive two first-round draft choices if it decides not to match. The signing period for franchise players to sign with new clubs is February 27 until the Tuesday after the 10th week of the season (Nov. 17).
A transition player receives a minimum offer of the average of the top 10 salaries of last season at the player’s position or 120 percent of the player’s previous year’s salary, whichever is greater.
A transition player designation gives the club a first-refusal right to match within seven days an offer sheet given to the player by another club after his contract expires. If the club matches, it retains the player. If it does not match, it receives no compensation.
There are no transition player designations this year.
2009 FRANCHISE PLAYERS
CLUB | PLAYER | POSITION |
Karlos Dansby | LB | |
Michael Koenen | P | |
Terrell Suggs | LB | |
Julius Peppers | DE | |
Shayne Graham | K | |
Dunta Robinson | DB | |
Matt Cassel | QB | |
Brandon Jacobs | RB | |
Max Starks | T | |
Darren Sproles | RB | |
Oshiomogho Atogwe | DB | |
Leroy Hill | LB | |
Antonio Bryant | WR | |
Bo Scaife | TE |
2009 NFL Calendar
In case you're wondering about key dates for the 2009 NFL season, we put together this handy-dandy NFL calendar. Learn it, know it, live it.
February 1 | Super Bowl XLIII, |
February 8 | AFC-NFC Pro Bowl, |
February 18-24 | NFL Scouting Combine, |
February 19 | Deadline for clubs to designate franchise and transition players. |
February 26 | Deadline for submission of qualifying offers by clubs to their restricted free agents whose contracts have expired and to whom they desire to retain a right of first refusal/compensation. |
February 26 | Deadline for clubs to submit offer of minimum salary to retain exclusive negotiating rights to |
February 27 | Veteran free agency signing period begins. |
February 27 | Trading period begins. |
March 22-25 | NFL Annual Meeting, |
April 17 | Signing period ends for restricted free agents. |
April 24 | Deadline for old club to exercise right of first refusal to restricted free agents. |
April 25-26 | NFL Draft, |
May 18-20 | NFL Spring Meeting, |
June 1 | Deadline for old clubs to send tender to unsigned unrestricted free agents to receive exclusive negotiating rights for rest of season if player is not signed by another club by July 22. |
June 1 | Deadline for old clubs to send tender to unsigned restricted free agents or to extend qualifying offer to retain exclusive negotiating rights. |
June 15 | Deadline for old clubs to withdraw original qualifying offer to unsigned restricted free agents |
June 28-July 1 | NFL Rookie Symposium, |
Mid-July | Training camps open. |
July 22 | Signing period ends at |
August 9 | Pro Football Hall of Fame Game, |
August 13-17 | First preseason weekend. |
September 1 | Roster cutdown to maximum of 75 players. |
September 5 | Roster cutdown to maximum of 53 players. |
September 10-14 | Kickoff 2009 Weekend. |
6 Named to Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2009
Wide receiver Bob Hayes, guard Randall McDaniel, defensive end Bruce Smith, linebacker Derrick Thomas, owner Ralph Wilson, and defensive back Rod Woodson will make up the Class of 2009 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinees.
The six-man class was elected by the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Selection Committee who met today in
Hayes, a gold medalist track star in the 1964 Summer Olympics, combined his world class speed with great hands. “Bullet Bob,” a three-time All-Pro pick, caught 371 career passes for 7,414 yards and 71 touchdowns.
McDaniel was named All-Pro nine straight seasons and voted to a record 12 consecutive AFC-NFC Pro Bowls during his 14-season career with the Minnesota Vikings (1988-1999) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2000-01).
Smith, the first overall pick in the 1985 draft by the Buffalo Bills, is the NFL’s all-time sack leader with 200 career sacks. A member of both the NFL’s All-Decade Teams of the 1980s and 1990s, Smith was named first-team All-Pro nine times and voted to 11 Pro Bowls.
Thomas amassed more sacks during the 1990s than any other player. He was selected to nine Pro Bowls, named All-NFL three times, and was All-AFC seven times in an eight-year stretch.
Wilson
Woodson, a member of the NFL’s 75th Anniversary Team in 1994 and selected to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1990s, intercepted 71 passes which he returned for an NFL record 1,483 yards and a record 12 touchdowns. He was named All-Pro six times and voted to 11 Pro Bowls.
The 2009 class will increase to 253 the number of all-time greats permanently honored in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Enshrinement of the Class of 2009 will take place at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in
The annual NFL Hall of Fame Game will be played on Sunday, August 9, 2008 at 8:00 p.m. and broadcast live by NBC. Teams have not yet been announced.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival is a multi-day celebration of the enshrinement of the newest Hall of Fame Class. Held in
It's at the Enshrinees Dinner where each member of the Class of 2009 will be presented his gold Pro Football Hall of Fame Jacket. At the GameDay Roundtable, the members of the Class of 2009 will be featured center stage to share memories of the game and their personal feelings about being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Individual enshrinement tickets and Festival Fan Packages are on sale now. Ticket information can be found on the Hall of Fame’s website at Profootballhof.com.
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