No, that's not what I meant.

There is no spending limit this year.

But when there was, and we were $30M under the limit, we didn't spend anything, either.

But yes, larger market teams are more likely to end up with the elite FA's this year because they can afford, and are willing to pay them more. And considering most of them are better teams (more competitive) than we are, it's a no-brainer for a FA to go where he's going to get paid more AND have a chance to win.

This is going to be a really strange year for dealing with free agency unless the NFL comes up with a new CBA.

1. Over 200 players that should have been UFAs are RFAs
2. Top finishing teams from 2009 will be limited to only replacing lost free agents.
3. Limits on salary increase to 30%..

This last item is going to stop teams from huge money being spent. You can't sign a player that was making $500,000 by giving them a $6 million contract in the uncapped year. Teams might be creative and give them more money in 2011 but then if the cap comes back in 2011, that team might be forced to cut the player.

That's one question I've never been able to get answered.

Is it literally a 30% salary increase?

If so, then then teams will just spice up FA contracts with bonus money to make up for it.

Yeah, that wouldn't be much of a deterrent to big contracts if it's literally a limit to salary increase. Salary is generally only a fraction of the overall contract already. All teams have to do is try to find more creative ways to hide guaranteed money inside the contract, which they've been doing for almost 20 years now...

Page 77 of the CBA -

Section 1. Application: The provisions of this Article shall apply only in
any League Year during the term of this Agreement in which no Salary Cap
is in effect.

Section 2. Top Four Teams: Each of the four Clubs that participated in the
NFC and AFC Championship games the Prior League Year shall not be permitted
to negotiate and sign any Unrestricted Free Agent to a Player Contract,
except: (a) any Unrestricted Free Agent who acquired that status as a
result of the NFL waiver system; (b) any Unrestricted Free Agent who was
under contract to such Club on the last date of the last League Year of the
player’s most recent Player Contract; and (c) any Unrestricted Free Agent
signed pursuant to Section 4 below.

Section 3. Next Four Teams: Each of the four playoff Clubs that lost in the
immediately preceding playoff games to the four Clubs that participated in
the NFC and AFC Championship games the Prior League Year shall not be
permitted to negotiate and sign any Unrestricted Free Agent to a Player
contract, except: (a) any Unrestricted Free Agent who acquired that status
as a result of the NFL waiver system; (b) any Unrestricted Free Agent who
was under contract to such Club on the last date of the last League Year of
the player’s most recent Player contract; (c) any Unrestricted Free Agent
signed pursuant to Section 4 below; and (d) any Unrestricted Free Agent
as follows:
(i) One such player for a Player Contract that has a first year Salary
of $4,925,000 or more; and
(ii) Any number of such players for a Player Contract that has a first
year Salary of no more than $3,275,000 and an annual increase in any future
contract years of no more than 30% of the first contract year Salary, not
including any amount attributed to any signing bonus. In addition, each
such Club and each such player entering into a Player Contract pursuant
to this Subsection may not renegotiate to increase the amount of Salary to
be paid during the term of the Player Contract for a period of one year after
the signing date of such contract.

Section 4. Replacement of Free Agents Signed by Other Club: Each of
the eight Clubs subject to the provisions of this Article shall be permitted
to negotiate and sign one Unrestricted Free Agent to a Player Contract
(“New Player”) for each Unrestricted Free Agent who was under contract
to such Club on the last date of the prior League Year, who has signed with
another Club (“Previous Player”), so long as the Player Contract for the
New Player shall have a first year Salary of no more than the first year Salary
of the Player Contract signed by the Previous Player with the New Club,

http://nflplayers.com/images/fck/NFL...20-%202012.pdf

Free agency will be flooded with players that a team is finally in a position to purge. There will be lots to choose from, just don't know how good the players will be.

Also. Why wouldn't teams just restructure every player on the teams contract to be "cap heavy" this year, so it would allow them to make more moves in future capped years.

2010 Restricted free agent tags

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on February 11, 2010 10:44 AM ET

Four years of experience

Original pick compensation: $1.176 million

Second round tender: $1.759 million

First round tender: $2.521 million

First and third tender: $3.168 million

Five years of NFL experience

Original pick compensation: $1.226 million

Second round tender: $1.809 million

First round tender: $2.621 million

First and third round tender: $3.268 million

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...ee-agent-tags/

Teams have a fifth option for RFA tenders

Posted by Mike Florio on February 11, 2010 3:08 PM ET

Earlier today, Rosenthal listed the various restricted free agency tenders that will apply to players who, in a capped year, would have been eligible for unrestricted free agency.

But a league source tells us that there's another, little-known option.

Teams can secure a simple right of first refusal with no compensation via a $1.176 million tender for players with four years of service, and a $1.226 million tender for players with five years of service.

Though the base amounts are the same as the low tender that secures as compensation a draft pick from the round in which the player was drafted, the source explains that the no-compensation tender is fixed at $1.176 million and $1.226 million, respectively. For the other levels, the tender increases upon request of the player to 110 percent of his 2009 compensation.

In the end, the lowest-level tender is a fairly low-cost device that will allow teams to let the market determine the long-term value of a player -- as long as the team is willing to risk getting nothing in return if the team chooses not to match the deal.

The process becomes far more intriguing if the Steve Hutchinson/Nate Burleson poison pill is unleashed -- and even more intriguing if teams choose not to use it.