NASHVILLE, TN, Feb. 27, 2009 — The National Football League today announced that 444 players are free agents who now can negotiate with all 32 clubs.
The free agents include 9 players who this year were designated by their clubs as non-exclusive "franchise" players. A franchise player is a special category for restricted and unrestricted free agents. The deadline for making these designations for 2009 was February 19.
Five other players – Atlanta punter MICHAEL KOENEN, New England quarterback MATT CASSEL, New York Giants running back BRANDON JACOBS, Pittsburgh tackle MAX STARKS and Tampa Bay wide receiver ANTONIO BRYANT – were designated as non-exclusive franchise players but have already signed their contracts.
There are two types of franchise players. Clubs retain exclusive negotiating rights to an "exclusive" franchise player by committing to a minimum offer 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. Other clubs cannot negotiate with exclusive franchise players. There are no exclusive franchise player designations this year.
The second type of franchise 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. This "non-exclusive" franchise player may negotiate with other clubs. His original club may match and retain the player, or receive two first-round draft choices as compensation if it decides not to match a new club's offer.
Each club is permitted one franchise designation in any year of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. A franchise player may sign a multiyear contract with his current club until July 15. After July 15, any contract signed by a franchise player can only be for one year.
Also, a club may designate a transition player in lieu of a franchise player in any year when the franchise designation is available. 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. To designate a transition player, the 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. There are no transition player designations this year.
A club may withdraw a franchise or transition designation 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.
Unrestricted veteran free agents are players who have completed four or more accrued seasons of service (six or more regular-season games on a club's active/inactive, reserve-injured, or "physically unable to perform" lists constitutes an accrued season) and whose contracts have expired. They are free to sign with any club through July 22 (or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp, whichever is later). On July 23, their exclusive rights will revert to their original club if that club made a June 1 tender to these players. Teams will have until the Tuesday after the 10th week of the season (November 17) to sign their unrestricted veteran free agents to whom a tender was made on June 1. If the player does not sign by November 17, he must continue to sit out for the remainder of the season. If a June 1 tender is not made to an unrestricted free agent, he continues to be free to sign with any club.
Restricted free agents are players who have completed three accrued seasons of service and whose contracts have expired. They have received qualifying offers from their old clubs and are free to negotiate with any club until April 17, at which time their rights revert to their original club. If a player accepts an offer from a new club, the old club will have the right to match the offer and retain the player. If the old club elects not to match the offer, it can possibly receive draft-choice compensation depending on the amount of its qualifying offer.
The signing period for unrestricted free agents began today (February 27) and concludes on July 22 (or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp, whichever is later). The signing period for restricted free agents also began today but concludes on April 17.
