RFA: How does it work?

[A-Web]

Just wondering if anyone understands the system for Restricted Free Agents.

I understand that an RFA can be given an offer from another team, and that the current team can either match the deal (thus securing their player) or they can let the player go. At this point, there are draft picks sometimes attached to the player. What I am wondering, is whether these draft picks are picks for the current draft, or whether these picks go into the 2010 pool.

Also, say a player (Lance Moore) was marked with a 2nd round pick. What if a team had two second round picks? Can they pick which of the two are given away, or does it default in some manner?

Thanks for any responses I receive.

[AtlantaRamFan]

To the best of my knowledge:

The draft pick is the current draft, and if a team has multiple picks, one of those picks would have to come via trade. The original pick of the team is the one forfeited based on the level of tender assigned to the RFA player.

Hope that helps

[Azul e Oro]

To the best of my knowledge:

The draft pick is the current draft, and if a team has multiple picks, one of those picks would have to come via trade. The original pick of the team is the one forfeited based on the level of tender assigned to the RFA player.

Hope that helps

I believe that is accurate. The deadline to offer a deal to a RFA is before the draft so it makes sense that the compensatory pick comes from that draft.

The future picks thing only seems to come up in trades of players currently under contract & is more negotiable,ie dependent on the player's performance for his new team in the following year,or for draft spots themselves,ie you get our Rd1 this year for your #2 this year and next year or whatever.

My impression, as a non-draftnik ,is that RFAs seldom move because the cost is prohibitive. Sometimes they get a nibble which forces their original team to sweeten the deal.

Moreover, I think it is designed as a mechanism that helps productive players who were lower picks originally to get a nice raise for their efforts, rather than a way to provide bargain shopping for the teams on the hunt.

I can't think of a RFA who has been signed away from their original club this year.

[A-Web]

Thanks for the replies guys. I was thinking that, but wanted to be sure. Lance Moore is available via RFA (2nd round pick) and if we were going to consider a WR at that point, I thought he was more than capable and proven to supply us what we need as an immediate starter.

[TekeRam]

Here's the complete low down on restricted free agency for those interested.

First, restricted free agents are those who have three years of experience. Less than that and they are "exclusive free agents" and can only talk to their former club for a certain amount of time(that time I'm unsure about).

Second, there are a number of tender levels. No compensation, round compensation, 1st round compensation and 1st and 3rd round compensation. A team gauges how important the player is vs the amount of money the tender is worth and gives the player a one year tender at that level. Most of them are self explanatory, but the round compensation level is for whatever round they were originally drafted in.

Third, the player then is a full blooded free agent, free to talk, visit and sign with any club that he wants to for any contract that the two can agree to. However, if he was tendered, his old team has the right to match or better the offer with their own contract, or accept the compensation that would be awarded to them.

Now, sometimes, to try to make sure a deal goes through, or as a way to negotiate around the RFA guidelines, teams will actually trade for the rights to the player, as we saw with Wes Welker going from Miami to New England, where they actually "overpaid" for him, by giving a 2nd and a 7th round pick when he was only tendered at a 2nd round level.

As for your question about what happens when a team has multiple picks in a round, the draft pick given as compensation has to be equal to or greater than your original pick of that round. So, if the Steelers, for example, have picks #15 and #32, they would have to give up their #32 pick, as that was their original draft pick. In the case of the Lions this year, who have two first round picks, they would have to give up their #1 pick because that is their original slot.

Overall, because teams hate giving up draft picks for free agents essentially, you don't see many if any RFA's get picked up by anyone but their old clubs.

[Azul e Oro]

I understand what you mean by "overpaid' in the Welker deal in that more than the required compensatory pick was traded but it sure worked out in The Pats favor,did it not?

Welker is a stud. Miami picked up Satele with the 2nd rounder; a solid O-lineman , but the 7th rounder was a DE bust named Wright who never played a down & , I think, got cut.

Interestingly,we did ok with a straight original round pick swap in the same draft to pick up RFA Donnie Jones . Miami took a solid new punter , Brandon Fields, with that 7th rd pick. Cost us a bit of cash/cap room but at least we got one of the few bright spots of the last 2 yrs!