If you don't know how NFL personnel moves work, don't post in this thread.

Cassel will be a RFA after next year. Since we own his rights, if we tender him to an offer sheet of 2.65 mil, if another team wants him, they sign him for dirt cheap (2.65), and have to pay a compensation of a 1st and 3rd round pick.

He qualified as a UFA this year because of the CBA, but with its expiration next year, it will revert to a player needing 6 years of experience. He'll have five. Thus, we own his rights, even if he's not signed to a contract.

We won't be desperate to unload him like NE, so we can hold onto him until a team in desperate need of a QB is willing to pay that price (say Minnesota). We get a late first and a late third for Matt Cassel when we paid a second for him, and we have a quarterback with elite upside to replace him who we didn't have to throw to the wolves.

I've said this from day one. I'm sorry if I actually know how personnel moves and FA work in the NFL, I know it must be terribly offensive to run into someone who knows WTF he's talking about.

In 2007, a second-round tender offer was added. The four tender amounts for 2008 are as follows:<sup id="cite_ref-0" class="reference">[1]</sup>
<table class="wikitable"> <tbody><tr> <th>Tender amount</th> <th>Compensation required</th> </tr> <tr> <td>$2.562 million</td> <td>First- and third-round</td> </tr> <tr> <td>$2.017 million</td> <td>First-round</td> </tr> <tr> <td>$1.417 million</td> <td>Second-round</td> </tr> <tr> <td>$927,000</td> <td>Determined by RFA's original draft status (see below)</td> </tr> </tbody></table> Each player that signs a tender receives the one-year salary that corresponds to the tender level. Teams which choose not to match an offer on a player with a low tender receive a draft pick corresponding to the round in which the player was originally drafted (except that the highest pick that can be surrendered for such a tender is a second-round pick). For example, a player who was originally drafted in the sixth round of the NFL Draft would force the team signing him to give his former team a sixth-round pick in the upcoming draft as compensation for his service. No compensation is required for an undrafted player on the lowest tender amount, so teams with valued undrafted RFAs are taking a notable risk by offering such tenders.

I know how the tender works, but keep in mind that this year Cassell only brought a 2nd along with Vrabel. If his stock goes up that much in a year or two, which it definitely could, that would be great. I just wasn't making that assumption; say he does pretty good, we make the highest tender offer, and then trade him for a low first. Of course he would have to agree to negotiate a contract with the team making the trade, too.

You couldn't be MORE WRONG.

Cassel will be an UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT next year. Period.

"1. Unrestricted: In a capped year, a player with four or more accrued seasons has unrestricted free agency rights. Five or more accrued seasons are required for unrestricted free agency in an uncapped year (1993 or the last year of the CBA). An unrestricted free agent may sign with any team. If the unrestricted free agent is not signed by June 1, his old club may offer him a contract with a 10% raise over his prior year's salary, and thereby obtain the exclusive right to re-sign him after July 15 if he has not signed elsewhere by then."

Let me repeat that since you ignored it when I posted about this weeks ago:

Five or more accrued seasons are required for unrestricted free agency in an uncapped year (1993 or the last year of the CBA).

Who's my source? Only the NFLPA. Argue with them.

http://www.nflplayers.com/user/templ...d=0&type=l#a14 . That's the NFLPA Members FAQ.


... or maybe you're right. Your confusion is actually understandable. The NFLPA seems to argue with themselves on this:

“Players must earn a certain number of Accrued Seasons prior to becoming a UFA,” said NFLPA Director of Salary Cap & Agent Administration Mark Levin.

A player whose contract expires at the beginning of a capped year (2008 and 2009), for instance, needs to have four Accrued Seasons to be a UFA, while a player whose contract expires at the beginning of the uncapped year (2010) must have six accrued seasons to gain free agency. Players earn an Accrued Season for any season in which they are on full pay status for at least six regular season games.

A player who has earned three Accrued Seasons and whose contract expires in a capped year is a Restricted Free Agent (RFA) provided that his club has given him a proper RFA tender. “In 2010, a player will be a RFA if he has earned three, four or five Accrued Seasons,” Levin explained.

http://www.nflplayers.com/user/conte...d=443&pid=1340

This Levin was wrong, though. He's spread misinformation that's probably been repeated by reporters et al. See my post below for a link to the actual CBA if you want to see for yourself.

If the Chiefs want to keep Cassel next year, they either resign him now, or they Franchise Tag him again at a minimum of $17 million (guaranteed) next year.

So if it comes down to it, tag and trade just like we did with Jared.

Wow, 17 mil is a lot. They'll probably have a deal in place before the season though.

Note my edit above. The NFLPA seems a little confused. I'm downloading a pdf of the CBA right now to check it out.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Got it. Mark Levin was talking out of his ass mistaken. It's five accrued seasons for UFA in an uncapped year like the Player's FAQ says.

You can download it here: http://www.nflplayers.com/user/templ...2&pid=0&type=l

It's an old-fashioned pdf (i.e. photographs) so it's unsearchable, but the relevant sections are on pages 56-58, and 237.

Bills select Andy Levitre, OG, Oregon State

Pretty easy pick honestly.

And Cassel will have five years after 2009, and according to Mike Lombardi, former General Manger, here, and here, you're completely incorrect.

Another source, proving that you are overdosing on fail:

hat determines an unrestricted free agent in the Final League Year (2010)? In capped seasons, a player whose contract has expired becomes an unrestricted free agent if he has four or more accrued seasons. In the Final League Year (2010), a player whose contract has expired becomes an unrestricted free agent only if he has six or more accrued seasons. An unrestricted free agent is free to sign with any club with no compensation owed to his old club.



http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/ne...882000BB6A4D15


What determines whether a player is a restricted free agent in the "Final League Year?"
In capped seasons, a player whose contract expires becomes a restricted free agent if he has three accrued seasons. In the Final League Year (2010), a player whose contract expires becomes a restricted free agent if he has three, four or five accrued seasons. The rights of restricted free agents remain unchanged in the Final League Year.

Read the ****ing CBA.

I already posted a link for the pdf. And as I mentioned, that pdf consists of PHOTOGRAPHS of the actual paper document - no data entry errors!

You can also see it in html form here: http://www.nflplayers.com/user/templ...pid=539&type=c

Article XIX:
VETERAN FREE AGENCY

Section 1. Unrestricted Free Agents:
(a) Subject to the provisions of Article XX (Franchise and Transition Players), any player with five or more Accrued Seasons, or with four or more Accrued Seasons in any Capped Year, shall, at the expiration of his Player Contract, become an Unrestricted Free Agent. Such player shall be completely free to negotiate and sign a Player Contract with any Club, and any Club shall be completely free to negotiate and sign a Player
Contract with such player, without penalty or restriction, including, but not limited to, Draft Choice Compensation between Clubs or First Refusal Rights of any kind, subject to the signing period set forth below.



p.s. That Cowboys link is the same FAQ that's been circulated by the league. I already read it on CBS: http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/10847836 and I'm sure you can find it many other places if you want to. It's probably to blame for so many people talking about "six accrued years" for UFA - but it's wrong. THE ACTUAL CONTRACT SAYS FIVE YEARS.

A screenshot:

And speaking of confusion, here's Adam Schefter. He's conflating both the six year idea and the 10% raise idea.

With an uncapped year looming for 2010, everyone will be playing under an entirely different set of rules.

One rule creates a situation that makes it appear as if this year's franchised players have taken two steps forward and one back.

This offseason, franchise tags were handed out to unrestricted free agents Darren Sproles, Brandon Jacobs, Matt Cassel, Dunta Robinson, O.J. Atogwe, Leroy Hill, and Michael Koenen.

Each of these players completed their fourth year last season. But the collective bargaining agreement that eliminates the salary cap in 2010, also says that players do not get to become unrestricted free agents until their sixth season.

Thus, seven unrestricted free agents that were designated franchise players this offseason will revert back to be restricted free agents next offseason.

Now it's not entirely bad. The collective bargaining agreement says these franchised players will be entitled to a 10 percent raise in 2010. But they will not be allowed to become unrestricted free agents.

How odd, going from an unrestricted free agent to a restricted one. It is one of the many new rules to a different game the NFL will be playing.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=090...s&confirm=true

In ANY CAPPED YEAR. 2010 is not a capped year, genious.

And, as Shefter reports, I am correct, and full of win, as always.

Upon further review, Schefter probably has it right.

The operative provision is this one in the attached picture.

Since 2009 is a capped year and is the year before the "Final League Year," players with five accrued years will not be UFAs, but they will be treated as players with 4 accrued years under Article XIX, Sections 2-4.

The portion of Article XIX that applies to salaries states:

(ii) For Restricted Free Agents with four Accrued Seasons (in Uncapped Years):
(1) Right of First Refusal: one year Player Contract with Paragraph 5 Salary of at least $771,600 for the 2006 League Year, $925,000 for the 2007 League Year, $1,002,000 for the 2008 League Year, $1,085,000 for the 2009 League Year, $1,176,000 for the 2010 League Year, $1,275,000 for the 2011 League Year, or $1,383,000 for the 2012 League Year, as applicable; (but see F below)

(2) Right of First Refusal and Draft Selection at Player’s Original Draft Round: one year Player Contract with a Paragraph 5 Salary of at least (a) the amount set forth in Subsection (b)(ii)(1) above; or (b) 110% of the player’s prior year’s Paragraph 5 Salary, whichever is greater; in addition, if option (b) applies, all other terms of the player’s prior year contract are carried forward unchanged (this Subsection is subject to the rules of Subsection (c) below);

(3) Right of First Refusal and One Second Round Draft Selection: one year Player Contract with a Paragraph 5 Salary of at least (a) $1,375,000 in the 2007 League Year, $1,492,000 in the 2008 League Year, $1,620,000 in the 2009 League Year, $1,759,000 in the 2010 League Year, $1,910,000 in the 2011 League Year, or $2,075,000 in the 2012 League Year, as applicable, or (b) 110% of the player’s prior year’s Paragraph 5 Salary, whichever is greater; in addition, if option (b) applies, all other terms of the player’s prior year contract are carried forward unchanged

(4) Right of First Refusal and One First Round Draft Selection: one year Player Contract with a Paragraph 5 Salary of at least (a) $1,673,000 for the 2006 League Year, $1,975,000 for the 2007 League Year, $2,142,000 for the 2008 League Year, $2,323,000 for the 2009 League Year, $2,521,000 for the 2010 League Year, $2,736,000 for the 2011 League Year, or $2,971,000 for the 2012 League Year, as applicable, or (b) 110% of the player’s prior year’s Paragraph 5 Salary, whichever is greater; in addition, if option (b) applies, all other terms of the player’s prior year contract are carried forward unchanged; and

(5) Right of First Refusal, One First Round Draft Selection, and One Third Round Draft Selection: one year Player Contract with Paragraph 5 Salary of at least (a) $2,196,600 for the 2006 League Year, $2,475,000 for the 2007 League Year, $2,687,000 for the 2008 League Year, $2,917,000 for the 2009 League Year, $3,168,000 for the 2010 League Year, $3,442,000 for the 2011 League Year, or $3,741,000 for the 2012 League Year, as applicable, or (b) 110% of the player’s prior year’s Paragraph 5 Salary, whichever is greater; in addition, if option (b) applies, all other terms of the player’s prior year contract are carried forward unchanged.

...

(f) A Restricted Free Agent shall have the option of accepting a one year NFL Player Contract for 110% of his Prior Year Paragraph 5 Salary (with all other terms of his prior year contract carried forward unchanged) in lieu of a Player Contract for the applicable alternative amount specified in this paragraph, if he so wishes, regardless of which Player Contract is for a greater amount.



As Schefter reports, it all comes back to $17 million (current salary times 110%) to keep Cassel.