It just hit me -- Free agency ain't what it used to be (1 Viewer)

[tombonneau]

It's one of those things that happened so gradually I don't think I really took much notice. But the landscape and salary cap era have slowly evolved to the point where star players are hardly ever switching teams in free agency.

It really hit home when I got an email from NFLshop.com this morning pushing the new jerseys that are on sale. The big selling point of the email was a promotion to buy new jerseys of players who switched teams in FA. Here were the Big 5 Name Jerseys:

Asante Samule

Donte Stallworth

Bernard Berrian

Michael Turner

Jonanthan Vilma

Not a lot of star power in the mix. Just a small observation, but thought it worth pointing out on a Tuesday morning.

 

[Sabertooth]

It's one of those things that happened so gradually I don't think I really took much notice. But the landscape and salary cap era have slowly evolved to the point where star players are hardly ever switching teams in free agency.It really hit home when I got an email from NFLshop.com this morning pushing the new jerseys that are on sale. The big selling point of the email was a promotion to buy new jerseys of players who switched teams in FA. Here were the Big 5 Name Jerseys:Asante SamuleDonte StallworthBernard BerrianMichael TurnerJonanthan VilmaNot a lot of star power in the mix. Just a small observation, but thought it worth pointing out on a Tuesday morning.

Not exactly Reggie White or Deion Sanders huh?

 

[Michael Fox Fan]

It's one of those things that happened so gradually I don't think I really took much notice. But the landscape and salary cap era have slowly evolved to the point where star players are hardly ever switching teams in free agency.It really hit home when I got an email from NFLshop.com this morning pushing the new jerseys that are on sale. The big selling point of the email was a promotion to buy new jerseys of players who switched teams in FA. Here were the Big 5 Name Jerseys:Asante SamuleDonte StallworthBernard BerrianMichael TurnerJonanthan VilmaNot a lot of star power in the mix. Just a small observation, but thought it worth pointing out on a Tuesday morning.

Vilma wasn't a FA. He was traded.

 

[Sabertooth]

It's one of those things that happened so gradually I don't think I really took much notice. But the landscape and salary cap era have slowly evolved to the point where star players are hardly ever switching teams in free agency.It really hit home when I got an email from NFLshop.com this morning pushing the new jerseys that are on sale. The big selling point of the email was a promotion to buy new jerseys of players who switched teams in FA. Here were the Big 5 Name Jerseys:Asante SamuleDonte StallworthBernard BerrianMichael TurnerJonanthan VilmaNot a lot of star power in the mix. Just a small observation, but thought it worth pointing out on a Tuesday morning.

Vilma wasn't a FA. He was traded.

Nice catch. I guess he must have been making it all up!

 

[Koya]

Not only do the key guys often stay put, but the price that many guys get on the open market is simply too high for a smart team to pony up. Your weaker teams who "need to make a splash" go ahead and overspend on guys who may have one good year, or some injury questions, or they just happen to play a very in-demand position.

I think the way you build a good team for the long run is to pay up only for the very key positions, and do so by keeping your guys and drafting well... for year to year needs, meet them through the draft as opposed to overpaying for a good but not gamechanging player on the FA market.

 

[Jason Wood]

This is at the heart of the players' discontent over the Franchise and Transition tag designations. Not sure how much leverage the players will have in getting this altered, but clearly teams are using it to their advantage. This has also been exacerbated by the escalating salary cap. When (if?) the projected salary cap levels off in future years, far fewer teams will be willing to commit to Top 5 dollars for a player they don't consider that caliber. But right now, going out and signing someone in free agency is costing 10%-20% more than it would've a year ago, so tagging isn't a major financial commitment.

 

[Jason Wood]

The flip side of this is an increasing trade market. NFL trades used to be few and far between, but we've seen increasing activity of late, particularly this season.

 

[sho nuff]

I agree.

-signed Ted Thompson

 

[Nemesis]

It's one of those things that happened so gradually I don't think I really took much notice. But the landscape and salary cap era have slowly evolved to the point where star players are hardly ever switching teams in free agency.It really hit home when I got an email from NFLshop.com this morning pushing the new jerseys that are on sale. The big selling point of the email was a promotion to buy new jerseys of players who switched teams in FA. Here were the Big 5 Name Jerseys:Asante SamuleDonte StallworthBernard BerrianMichael TurnerJonanthan VilmaNot a lot of star power in the mix. Just a small observation, but thought it worth pointing out on a Tuesday morning.

I guess the NFL doesn't have much faith in Javon Walker's rebirth in Oakland.

 

[Nemesis]

This is at the heart of the players' discontent over the Franchise and Transition tag designations. Not sure how much leverage the players will have in getting this altered, but clearly teams are using it to their advantage. This has also been exacerbated by the escalating salary cap. When (if?) the projected salary cap levels off in future years, far fewer teams will be willing to commit to Top 5 dollars for a player they don't consider that caliber. But right now, going out and signing someone in free agency is costing 10%-20% more than it would've a year ago, so tagging isn't a major financial commitment.

You bring up a point I was going to make, but here's a couple of questions:The Salary cap keeps escalating, but I kind of think it's escalating TOO fast and do you think it will level off?....why?(Can someone list what has been the Sal cap for the past 10-15 yrs and and % change from yr to yr?)What about the league minimum?.........Has it increased at all in past couple of yrs or does it only increase each time the CBA is re-worked?....I'd bet that it hasn't increased nearly as fast as the increase in Salary cap.

 

[BigRed]

It's one of those things that happened so gradually I don't think I really took much notice. But the landscape and salary cap era have slowly evolved to the point where star players are hardly ever switching teams in free agency.It really hit home when I got an email from NFLshop.com this morning pushing the new jerseys that are on sale. The big selling point of the email was a promotion to buy new jerseys of players who switched teams in FA. Here were the Big 5 Name Jerseys:Asante SamuleDonte StallworthBernard BerrianMichael TurnerJonanthan VilmaNot a lot of star power in the mix. Just a small observation, but thought it worth pointing out on a Tuesday morning.

I thought I was the only one who got it. Thx. This is the lamest FA talent pool I can remember in some time.

 

[Phurfur]

Yet soooo many fans want their team to spend, spend, spend in FA.

 

[GregR_2]

...The Salary cap keeps escalating, but I kind of think it's escalating TOO fast and do you think it will level off?....why?...

The salary cap is set, according to the current CBA, based on a percentage of the league's revenues. Unless the contract changes in that regard, the only way the cap would level off would be if the NFL stopped growing their revenues.

 

[tombonneau]

Not only do the key guys often stay put, but the price that many guys get on the open market is simply too high for a smart team to pony up. Your weaker teams who "need to make a splash" go ahead and overspend on guys who may have one good year, or some injury questions, or they just happen to play a very in-demand position. I think the way you build a good team for the long run is to pay up only for the very key positions, and do so by keeping your guys and drafting well... for year to year needs, meet them through the draft as opposed to overpaying for a good but not gamechanging player on the FA market.

Exactly. The league is now setup so that the consistently best teams -- NE, Indy, Pitt, SD, Philly -- are the ones that draft well and work on holding on to their best players. Rarely do these teams spend huge in FA. NE & Philly will occasionally for someone they consider a premier player (Samuel, Thomas, Colvin), but more often then not they let others break the bank and use FA for role players.And heck, SD & Indy seem to literally sign 2-3 FAs a year, if that.