The different forms of NFL free agency (1 Viewer)

[blake]

Free Agent Terms & DefinitionsThere are five types of free agents, with each type having different abilities when it comes to being able to move around the league. Those five types are as follows:» Unrestricted Free Agents (UFA) - Players with four years or more of NFL experience who can sign with their own team or any other team in the NFL. If they leave their previous team the team that signs them can do so without having to award the previous team compensation.» Restricted Free Agents (RFA) - Players with three years of NFL experience. Like an unrestricted free agent they are free to negotiate with any team however the current team has the right to match any offer and if they do so they retain the rights to the player. Failure to meet the offer means the player is awarded to the new team but the new team must give the old team compensation in the form of draft picks.» Exclusive-Rights Free Agents (ERFA) - Players with two or fewer years of experience who have no outside negotiating power. Their rights belong to their previous club provided they are made a minimum qualifying offer.» Franchise Free Agents (FFA) - Unrestricted free agents who have been designated as the "Franchise" player. Current team has the right to match any offer. If they refuse they are given compensation by the new team the player has signed to play for.» Transitional Free Agents (TFA) - Players who can negotiate with any club but current team retains matching rights.

Now something more about a TFA:

Q - What determines a transition player?A - His 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.

Here's at least one of the questions I have here. Say with a TFA - the original team must give that player at least 120% of his previous year's salary. Ok, but then, say another team wants to acquire that player. Does their offer have to be at least 120% of the player's previous year's salary? Or can they make a lower offer?

 

[David Yudkin]

Here's at least one of the questions I have here. Say with a TFA - the original team must give that player at least 120% of his previous year's salary. Ok, but then, say another team wants to acquire that player. Does their offer have to be at least 120% of the player's previous year's salary? Or can they make a lower offer?

I suppose another team could offer less money, but the original team has the right to match the offer. I don't know for sure, but the original team would likely be allowed to sign him at the "matching price." No matter what, the original team has the right to re-sign the player by matching the offer, and the player can't decide to play wherever he wants like a true UFA.