When Does Free Agency Begin?
 

I think the Chiefs will be active in free agency this year. At least more so then last year.


PhilFree:arrow:

Here's a list of all the important NFL dates.


Jan 15: Deadline for underclassmen Players to declare for the draft
Jan 18: Deadline for underclassmen to withdraw application for early entry to NFL draft
Jan 24: Senior Bowl
Feb 1: Super Bowl XLIII, Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Fla.
Feb 5: Beginning of period in which teams can designate franchise and transition players - in progress
Feb 8: AFC-NFC Pro Bowl, Honolulu, Hawaii
Feb 18: NFL Scouting Combine, Indianapolis, Ind.
Feb 19: Deadline for designating franchise and transition players
Feb 24: Conclusion of NFL Scouting Combine
Feb 27: Free Agency starts, this includes:
- Deadline for submission of qualifying offers by clubs to their restricted free agents whose contracts have expired and to whom they desire to retain a right of first refusal/compensation
- Deadline for clubs to submit offer of minimum salary to retain exclusive negotiating rights to their players with fewer than three seasons of free agency credit whose contracts have expired
- Beginning of free-agent signing period (11 p.m. CST)
- Beginning of trade period (11 p.m. CST)
Mar 22-25: Annual owners meeting, Dana Point, Ca.
XXXX: Chiefs offseason condition program begins
Apr: 2009 regular-season schedule announced
Apr 15: Deadline to sign restricted free agents to offer sheets
Apr 21: Deadline for old clubs to exercise right of first refusal to restricted free agents.
Apr 25-26: NFL Draft, New York City, N.Y.
May 18-20: NFL Spring Meeting, Fort Lauderdale, Fl.
Jun 1:
- Deadline for old clubs to send tender to unsigned unrestricted free agents to receive exclusive negotiating rights for rest of the season if player is not signed by another club by July 22
- Deadline for old clubs to send tender to unsigned restricted free agents or to extend qualifying offer to retain exclusive negotiating rights
Jun: Chiefs organized team activities begin
Jun 15: Deadline for old clubs to withdraw original qualifying offer to unsigned restricted free agents and still retain exclusive negotiating rights by submitting tender of 110 percent of previous year's salary
Jun: Chiefs organized team activities end
Jul: NFL Rookie Symposium
Jul 22:
- Trade Deadline for franchise players
- Deadline for unsigned RFA/ERFA to sign with new clubs
Jul: Chiefs open training camp, University of Wisconsin, River Falls
Aug 9: First weekend of exhibition games
Aug: Chiefs break training camp, University of Wisconsin, River Falls
Aug: China Bowl: NE vs. SEA @ Beijing National Stadium, Beijing, China
Aug: Roster cutdown to maximum of 75 players
Aug: Roster cutdown to maximum of 53 players
Sept 3-6: Kickoff Week
Oct 25: International series: TB vs. NE @ Wembley Stadium, London, UK
Nov 12:
- Trade deadline
- FA signing deadline
Nov 26: Thanksgiving Day. One game to be played @ DAL (vs. OAK or SD). Game @ DET is questionable in 2009
Jan 9/10, 2010: Wildcard Weekend
Jan 16/17, 2010: Divisional Playoffs
Jan 23/24, 2010: Conference Championship
Feb 7, 2010: Super Bowl XLIV

Thanks man. Feb 27th.

I think Pioli and Haley as well as Clark will want to start winning games immediately so the Chiefs will be a little more active in free agency. Of course who we pick up in free agency will influence our needs come draft day.


PhilFree:arrow:

Nothing changes for Carl. He'll still be on vacation when it starts...

I completely and utterly disagree with this statement.

Clark Hunt has stated on several occasions that he wants to draft and develop not only a franchise QB, but a team as well. No more short term, high priced free agents. The days of Carl Peterson are over.

The Chiefs won't even be close to a winning football team until late in the 2010 football season at the earliest.

You don't think they will want to win games? I didn't say anything about being a winning football team although I'm prettty sure these guys don't think it's o.k. to suck just because they're rebuilding a team. That was last year. Also no where did I suggest we build a team with a bunch of high priced short term free agents. I stand by what I did say though and that is that the Chiefs will be a little more active in free agency. That doesn't mean they stop building through the draft. And you don't have to have a top 10 pick every year to build through the draft either.


PhilFree:arrow:

The Chiefs have the most talent depleted roster in the entire NFL. They played a bunch of young guys last year but that certainly isn't the end of the line. They need a QB, center, right guard, right tackle, RB, WR, LB's and a RDE before they will even be able to compete for a winning record (and that's not even addressing their lack of depth). That's NOT going to happen overnight, nor will it happen with one free agency period and another draft.

IF the Chiefs hit a home run in the draft, they'll probably win 5 games in 2009. If they don't, they may only win three.

There is NOT going to be a "quick-fix" in the 2009 off-season.

You may be right in some of the things you say but Pioli and Haley will have a plan that includes winning more then 3 games.


PhilFree:arrow:

Says who?

Clearly, you haven't been paying attention this off-season. There will be NO quick fixes. The Chiefs will address their needs through the draft. Furthermore, there are probably only three or four guys that could help the Chiefs in Free Agency and there's absolutely no guarantee that those guys would even sign with the Chiefs.

I just don't think you understand how talent depleted the roster is at this point.

That's not going to change overnight.

I've paid as much attention as most anyone could. They will want to win more then 3 games rebuild/build or whatever you want to call it these guys will not want to start out where Herm and Carl left off. Now that doesn't say that they will abandon building through the draft. Now it might turn out that they only win three games but I'm pretty sure that will not be their plan.

PhilFree:arrow:

Phil, it's called "reasonable expectations".

I think it would be highly unreasonable to suggest that a team that has won 6 games in 2 years, that is without a Franchise QB, Franchise RDE (pass rusher), the 31st ranked defense and an aging, disgruntled starting running back will win more than 5 games the following season.

Again, even IF the Chiefs hit on every draft choice, they have far too many holes on their team to win more than 5 games, tops. It's going to be a slow process.

It's NOT going to happen overnight.

Dane, you assume to much about what other posters think. No where have I said the Chiefs will make a quick turnaround and become an overnight playoff contender. I have not mentioned any win/loss record expectations of my own. I simply stated that Pioli and Haley will expect to win more then three games.


PhilFree:arrow:

Again Phil, based on what, exactly?

Based on the fact that I think they are competitive people. Do you think that they don't want to or expect to win more than 3 games? If so based on what?

PhilFree:arrow:

Based on the simple fact that the Chiefs have an extremely untalented roster, that Clark Hunt has said publicly that he wants to build his team through the draft AND develop a Franchise QB.

You're probably one of those guys who thought the Chiefs would win 8 games last year too, right? I predicted in May that they'd win no more than three games in 2008. Why? No QB, center, right guard, right tackle, RDE, and linebackers.

Guess what? I was right. AND they have still yet to address each of those needs. And guess what? They won't be addressed adequately in ONE OFF SEASON.

You can WISH all you want but the Chiefs will have an extremely difficult season ahead, even if the draft appears to have been successful. There is NO core of solid young players on this team at this point and it's going to take at least two more drafts before this team is legitimately competitive throughout an entire season.

Is that enough for you or should I go on?

Phil, your points make a lot of sense.

ROFL

stop spewing your BS all over the board

Go fist yourself.

You're an unintelligent moron that bring nothing to the conversation.

Your football acumen rivals CoMoChief.

This is you, only you're the arrogant, West coast version

I see you're done fisting yourself.

Time for another go.

Dumb**** Hillbilly.

You're showing your true colors again.

And what would those be, Dumb****?

You tell me to stop posting?

Go **** yourself.

All that's nice but Clark, Pioli and Haley will want and expect to win more then 3 games in 2009. They'll expect that wether they sign a single free agent. So my point is not about how many games the Chiefs will win but about the attitude of the guys in charge. They'll want to win more then 3 games.

PhilFree:arrow:

Again Phil, based on what? Your opinion?

They haven't publicly stated that their intent is to win games in 2009. Clark Hunt publicly stated that he wants to build through the draft and develop and draft a franchise QB.

That's NOT how you immediately win games, which is what you're suggesting.

I'm certain they'd LOVE IT if they won a few games along the way, but it's just asking way to much to replace all of the players they need in the 2009 offseason, just to be competitive week in and week out.

Yup based on my opinion. What's your basis for thinking that these guys won't want to win more then three games?


PhilFree:arrow:

Gosh Phil, I guess I'm not making myself clear.

I never stated that the Chiefs would not want to win more than three games.

I stated that with their brutal 2009 schedule, coupled with the lack of talent currently existing on the roster at center, right guard, right tackle, WR, RB, RDE, linebacker and QB, it would be unreasonable for this Front Office to assume they'd win more than 5 games at best in 2009.

Is that clearer?

Clark Hunt has most definitely said he expects to win games.

When? Not this year. Last year, before the season began he said he expected to win games.

Unless I've missed something, I have not read a transcript or heard him publicly state that he expects to "win" in 2009.

So, you think he expects to win less games in 09 than 08 with a group of guys he obviously thought could win more than they won last year having a year of experience?

First, I never stated that the Chiefs would win less games in 2009 than they did in 2008. That would mean a zero win or single win season. If this is what you believe I said, then you're mistaken.

Secondly, I think Clark Hunt had a wake-up call during the 2008 season. Not only did he see an untalented football team going the wrong way on the field, his eyes were finally opened to the fact that the ways of Carl Peterson had not and were not working. I think he realizes that it takes much more than just a free agent signing to put his team over the top.

And since he believed this so much, he hired the NFL's best talent evaluator as his GM. Knowing that his team is far away from competing for a championship, he wanted the best people in place to build his franchise.

Again, I would be absolutely shocked if the Chiefs were to win more than 5 games this upcoming season. There are too many holes, no depth, a new coaching staff and a new offensive and defensive scheme.

Winning consistently isn't going to happen overnight.

That makes sense to a point. I don't think that will be their thought process though. These guys come from winners and I don't think they'll approach the 2009 season with a thought process that includes losing most of their games.

PhilFree:arrow:

Then they'd be unrealistic, wouldn't they?

But I don't think that's the case. I'm sure that all involved know they're a long way away from a consistent, winning franchise.

This isn't 1989, when the roster was loaded with high first and second round players in need of a great coach. This is like the Cleveland Browns or Houston Texan expansion franchise.

No franchise QB.

No franchise RDE.

No franchise RB.

No depth.

A lack of talent at nearly every position. All 22.