Will Trades Be The New Free Agency?

by August West on Feb 18, 2010 11:06 AM CST in Tennessee Titans Commentary

Jack Bechta of The National Football Post is hearing from several GMs that if the salary cap is allowed to expire next month, the bizarre restrictions on free agency could make trades a much more appealing route. Trades have been the exception, rather than the rule, in the NFL for over a decade, but pretty soon you may be able to entertain yourself with fanposts on how Reinfeldt should trade LenDale White and David Thornton to the Jets for Darrelle Revis and three years worth of first round picks.

The crux of the idea is that a lot of guys who would be on the open market are now going to be RFAs; including some players that teams aren't dying to keep around at the price the sorta-CBA wold require (looking at you, Bo). Also, the top 8 teams from last year are, for all intents and purposes, prohibited from doing much of anything in free agency. Ergo, teams can hang on to a guy's rights as an RFA, then negotiate trade terms that are more flexible and beneficial for both sides.

Trades are good for the NFL because they give teams another avenue to improve and put a additional emphasis on scouting/front office/coaching acumen that's much like the draft, but trade speculation creates more mind-numbing hypotheticals than most sane people can handle sober. Need proof? Read an NBA message board or ESPN Sportsnation Chat from the past week.

So, if all this comes to be, I just have one demand for our front office: no deals with the Pats, or even Scott Pioli in Kansas City. History says you won't win.

Tweet Comment 7 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Let me add to this.

Link here.

This whole thing is a mess. As August pointed out, free agency rules have changed. That’s what is bringing these issues up.

In a regular CBA year the rules is that you’re a restricted free agent if you’ve been in the league for exactly three years and your contract expires. You’re an unrestricted free agent if you have been in the league for 4 or more years and your contract expires.

In “The Final Year” (2010) of the CBA, you’re a restricted free agent if you’ve been in the league for between 3-5 years and your contract expires. You’re an unrestricted free agent if you have been in the league for 6 or more years and your contract expires.

Restricted free agency traditionally isn’t a huge deal because it’s basically just one draft year, a relatively small percentage of the NFL. But, when you take that and span it over the course of 3 draft years (3-5), which also happen to be the years when players are in their prime, it’s going to change how things are done.

For example, last year the FO was presented with three options for Bo Scaife. Long term contract, franchise tag, or let him go. Most agreed that the tag was a bad decision, but it may pay off. They can now offer Bo one of the RFA salary options, and shop him around.

by SuperHorn on Feb 18, 2010 12:20 PM CST reply actions

So is this better for the FOs? Or the players?

It sounds like it is better for the FO. And if that is the case, what is the major point keeping the two sides from agreeing on the CBA? Are the players giving giving giving and the Owners want more?

I have not paid attention to this stuff at all.

Official MCM Hater!

Fire Jeff Fisher.

by gramsey712 on Feb 18, 2010 12:26 PM CST up reply actions

The owners want the players to take less money.

And also to fund the stadiums more, which doesn’t make any sense.

Ain't no time for hesitatin'
All you got to do is groove

by BonzosMontreaux on Feb 18, 2010 3:07 PM CST up reply actions

From what I've read...

…it’s pretty much designed to be a bad deal all the way around. For MOST players, their options are severely limited with this “Final Year” thing. However, some fortunate few, there’s a significant chance to break the bank. At least, that’s my reading.

For example, Mawae may well come out of this mess with a TERRIFIC one- or two-year deal. On the other hand, a guy like LDW is in much worse shape than he would have otherwise been IMHO.

Having read a few articles on the subject, I now think that the “Final Year” was designed to be terrible as a way to incent an early settlement of a difficult issue. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, which is likely to result in chaos.

DannoE

"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one."

Charter Member of the Music City Miracles Hall Of Fame

by DannoE on Feb 19, 2010 6:51 AM CST up reply actions