The first wave of the free-agency period has come to an end, and it proved to be more interesting than I expected.
Typically, this signals a new shift in the process: This is when many teams start investigating restricted free agents.
Restricted guys, if they are tendered by their clubs, are as follows: third-year players that require draft-pick compensation for another team to sign. Teams can tender their RFAs at one of four levels:
In the case of the “low” tender, teams that want to sign the restricted free agent must be prepared to forfeit a draft pick in the corresponding round they were picked. So for instance, Jaguars DE Jeremy Mincey — who was given a low tender — was drafted in the sixth round by the Patriots in 2006, and if another team wants to sign him it will surrender a sixth-rounder this year, provided the Jags don’t match the offer. They have seven days to consider it.
This is also where teams often consider putting a poison-pill clause in a contract that would make it difficult or nearly impossible for the current team to match the offer. The Patriots were rumored to be ready to do this with Wes Welker before the Patriots and Dolphins worked out a trade offer of a little higher than the second-rounder New England would have had to give up to sign Welker to an offer sheet.
Several restricted guys are making visits. Panthers LB Adam Seward is in New England. The Packers are talking to WR Tab Perry. The Lions already signed Bucs S Kalvin Pearson, to an offer sheet worth $3.5 milion over three years, but with Pearson, he entered the league as an undrafted free agent, so the Bucs would get nada in return if they fail to match.
There are some big-name restricted guys out there, such as Dallas RB Marion Barber (PFW’s No. 9 free agent), Ravens OG Jason Brown (No. 15), Rams S A.J. Atogwe (No. 20), Cowboys DE Chris Canty (No. 22) and Browns QB Derek Anderson (No. 23). Barber and Anderson were tendered at the first-and-third level and are not expected to go anywhere. Neither are the other guys, who were given the first-round marker.
The second wave of free agency might be upon us, and though the restricted market is not that exciting, there will be some important deals to be worked out from now until April 18, when teams no longer can make offers to other teams’ RFAs.
Typically, this signals a new shift in the process: This is when many teams start investigating restricted free agents.
Restricted guys, if they are tendered by their clubs, are as follows: third-year players that require draft-pick compensation for another team to sign. Teams can tender their RFAs at one of four levels:
First and third round — $2.56 million salary for 2008 season
First round — $2.01 million
Second round — $1.41 million
Low — 927,000
In the case of the “low” tender, teams that want to sign the restricted free agent must be prepared to forfeit a draft pick in the corresponding round they were picked. So for instance, Jaguars DE Jeremy Mincey — who was given a low tender — was drafted in the sixth round by the Patriots in 2006, and if another team wants to sign him it will surrender a sixth-rounder this year, provided the Jags don’t match the offer. They have seven days to consider it.
This is also where teams often consider putting a poison-pill clause in a contract that would make it difficult or nearly impossible for the current team to match the offer. The Patriots were rumored to be ready to do this with Wes Welker before the Patriots and Dolphins worked out a trade offer of a little higher than the second-rounder New England would have had to give up to sign Welker to an offer sheet.
Several restricted guys are making visits. Panthers LB Adam Seward is in New England. The Packers are talking to WR Tab Perry. The Lions already signed Bucs S Kalvin Pearson, to an offer sheet worth $3.5 milion over three years, but with Pearson, he entered the league as an undrafted free agent, so the Bucs would get nada in return if they fail to match.
There are some big-name restricted guys out there, such as Dallas RB Marion Barber (PFW’s No. 9 free agent), Ravens OG Jason Brown (No. 15), Rams S A.J. Atogwe (No. 20), Cowboys DE Chris Canty (No. 22) and Browns QB Derek Anderson (No. 23). Barber and Anderson were tendered at the first-and-third level and are not expected to go anywhere. Neither are the other guys, who were given the first-round marker.
The second wave of free agency might be upon us, and though the restricted market is not that exciting, there will be some important deals to be worked out from now until April 18, when teams no longer can make offers to other teams’ RFAs.
