Foster transitioned! (wow!)

As noted repeatedly, that isn't all this move has done, despite many pretending as if there are no negative consequences to this decision. But yes, the intent is to give Hurney some control over whether or not Foster stays with the team.

 

Yes, I feel the 5.1 mil is the maximum the team would pay for 1 year service even if they could find nothing in the off season; thus, if some other team offers Foster more, we would say "ain't nobody blocking your explorer". I don't think the matching offer thing will be an issue and that means the 5.1 mil is just a theoretical figure of a situational maximum.

 

OK, just so we can try to figure it out together, I’ll throw out some things I think. Everyone have at it, and try to find something to support otherwise. I’m not saying they’re not there, it’s just easier for more people to find it.

I don’t see the differences in the CBA about franchise and transition that is being talked about. About all I see is the top 5 vs top 10, and the 2 @ 1st round compensation.

I’ll contend that once the offer (tender) is made, and once accepted, it’s a contract.

To do: Find where it’s said that the tender, after accepted, can be withdrawn up to beginning of season.

I say there is no way that a team could hold an unrestricted free agent (just because he was tagged and accepted it) hostage up until the beginning of the season and then just cut him. That’s not the intent of the transition tag. The intent is to help a team hold onto a player they really want, not to punish a player by holding, then cutting him. That would be too harsh of a penalty. Again I say if he’s accepted the offered tag, it’s a deal.

 

give me a little specific insight here.

 

Required Tender for Transition Players:

(a) Any Club that designates a Transition Player shall be deemed on the first day of the League Year following the expiration of the player’s last contract to have automatically tendered the player a one year NFL Player Contract for the average of the ten largest Prior Year Salaries for players at the position at which he played the most games during the prior League Year, or 120% of his Prior Year Salary, whichever is greater. The tender may be withdrawn at any time, but if such tender is withdrawn, the player immediately becomes an Unrestricted Free Agent and thereafter is completely free to negotiate and sign a Player Contract with any Club, and any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 any penalty or restriction, including, but not limited to, Draft Choice Compensation between Clubs or First Refusal Rights of any kind, or any signing period.

Right of First Refusal for Transition Players: Any player designated as a Transition Player shall, at the expiration of his prior year Player Contract, be permitted to negotiate a Player Contract with any Club. When the Transition Player negotiates such an offer with a New Club, which the player desires to accept, he shall give to the Prior Club a completed Offer Sheet, signed by the player and the New Club, which shall contain the Principal Terms (as defined in Article XIX (Veteran Free Agency)) of the New Club’s offer. The Prior Club, within seven days from the date it receives the Offer Sheet, may exercise or not exercise its Right of First Refusal, which shall have the legal consequences set forth in Sections 3(b) (h), 4 and 6 of Article XIX (Veteran Free Agency) above, except that no Draft Choice Compensation shall be made with respect to such player, and, for the purposes of those provisions, the player and each Club shall otherwise have the same rights and obligations as for a Restricted Free Agent set forth in those provisions, notwithstanding the number of his Accrued Seasons

(b) For the 1993 (and after) League Year, any Club that designated a Transition Player who has not signed a Player Contract by 4:00 p.m. New York time on June 14, and which has not withdrawn its required tender, shall tender such player a one year NFL Player Contract for (i) the average of the ten largest Salaries in Player Contracts signed for the 1993 League Year as of May 6, 1993 for players at the position at which he played the most games during the prior League Year, or (ii) the amount of the required tender pursuant to subsection (a) above, whichever is greater. This tender may be withdrawn at any time, but if such tender is withdrawn, the player immediately becomes an Unrestricted Free Agent and thereafter is 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 any such player, without any penalty or restriction, including, but not limited to, Draft Choice Compensation between Clubs or First Refusal Rights of any kind, or any signing period.

Signing Period for Transition Players:
(a) In the event that a player who is designated and tendered as a Transition Player has not signed a Player Contract with a Club by July 15 in the League Year following the expiration of his last Player Contract, the Prior Club shall be the only Club with which the player may negotiate or sign a Player Contract during the period from such date until the Tuesday following the tenth week of the regular season, at 4:00 p.m. New York time.

 

None of that talks of withdrawal after it's accepted. As a matter of fact it keeps referencing "free to negotiate and sign a Player Contract", which in fact he has done if he's accepted the tender.

 

Nobody is being held hostage. Foster is free to negotiate a deal with the club of his choice as of the start of free agency.

 

I completely understand that. And that's until June 14.

 

That's why he has not signed yet. As soon as he does, he's lost the power to negotiate with other teams.

 

Right. And I think what's confusing most is the difference in the tender and a contract. Yes the tender can be withdrawn all of the previously mentioned times. But once accepted I contend it's a contract. The question then becomes can the contract be withdrawn without committment to payment?