Foster transitioned! (wow!)

The CBA makes no such distinction, though. The language used in the franchise paragraphs and the transition paragraphs are almost identical, with neither being clear about what exactly is going on.


Good catch on the article, chipshot. Assuming they're correct, apparently Fan is right about Foster not being able to sign the deal immediately. But as mentioned, the franchised player (re: Longwell) could still be released instead of the team paying him that salary. I'm just not aware of that ever happening, so I don't think it's mentioned.

 

I bolded the wrong first paragraph...didn't mean to highlight the franchise tag info.

 

Sorry but it's VERY clear to the trained eye. They specifically add language regarding guaranteed money when you are dealing with Franchise players (and even give teams a number of outs in this case). They do NOT do this for Transition players. As you say, since the language is otherwise similar it is very clear that the language for Franchise was added for a reason and left off Transition for a reason.

 

The kind of trained eye that thought we got two first rounders for a transition tag too? But seriously, where is this language that guarantees the franchise tag? In fact, Section 2 Page 69 d says:

"Any of the required tenders set forth in this Section 2 may be withdrawn at any time, but if such tender is withdrawn, the player immediately becomes an Unrestricted Free Agent and thereafter is completely free to negotiate and sign a Player Contract with any Club, and any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."

That's the same language as the transition paragraph in Section 4 Page 71 a.

 

Ahhh, it gets more complicated

According to this guy's interpretation:

Are you confused beyond belief about the NFL Free Agency? You may have heard such terms as "Unrestricted Free Agent", "Restricted Free Agent", "Franchise Tag", and "Transition Tag", and if you are very confused by what these terms mean -- don't feel embarrassed. Half of the sports journalism world doesn't seem to fully understand what these terms mean either!

Compromise is an abundant theme found throughout the CBA. The Free Agency system is slightly limited by the team’s ability to protect certain athletes (Franchise and Transition players) from leaving by paying a salary equal to an average of the top players at his position. On the other hand, the salary cap is flexible by allowing owners to pay signing bonuses up front that exceed the cap, but the amounts are amortized over the life of the contract.

NFL teams have two other tools at their disposal that provide for greater leverage in securing Free Agents: the Franchise Tag and the Transition Tag.

Each Club can designate one of its players who would otherwise be an UFA or RFA as a Franchise Player each season. Any Club that designates a Franchise Player as "exclusive" shall be the only Club with which that Franchise Player may negotiate or sign a contract. In order to designate an UFA or RFA as a Franchise Player, the team must tender the player a one year contract that is the minimum of the average of the five largest salaries (as of April 15) for players at the position at which he played the most games during the prior year, or 120% of his prior year salary, whichever is greater. Here is the kicker: if the team elects to name the player "non-exclusive" then the player shall be permitted to negotiate a contract with any Club as if he were an UFA; however, Draft Choice Compensation of TWO first round draft selections shall be awarded to the prior club in the event that he signs with the new club. If the player elects to play with the prior club (the team that designated him with the Franchise tag) and does not negotiate another contract with that team, then the one year salary is guaranteed. Also, if the prior club elects to withdraw the qualifying offer, the player becomes an UFA. The distinction between the "exclusive" versus "non-exclusive" designation is that, for a "non-exclusive" Franchise Player, the team must tender an offer that is the minimum of the average of the five largest prior year salaries for players at the position at which he played the most games during the prior year, or 120% of his prior year salary, whichever is greater.

Each Club can also designate one UFA or RFA as a Transition Player. Additionally, (in the final year of the CBA) each club may, in lieu of designating a Franchise Player, designate an additional Transition Player during the same designation period as the Franchise Player designation period. Whew! What that means is that a team may elect to tag two players with the Transition tag or one Transition Player and one Franchise Player in the final capped year. Any Club that designates a Transition Player shall receive the Rights of First Refusal. In order to designate an UFA or RFA as a Transition Player, the team must tender the player a one year 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 year, or 120% of his prior year salary, whichever is greater.

Teams can officially designate Franchise and Transition Players between Feb 8, 2006 and Feb 23, 2006.

Free Agency officially begins on March 3. For RFAs, the period officially ends on April 21. The deadline for old clubs to exercise the Right of First Refusal to RFAs is April 28. For UFAs (including Franchise players and Transition players), who have been given a tender offer from their prior team, the period officially ends on July 22 or the first day of training camp -- whichever is later.

A team has until March 17 to work out a long term deal with its Franchise Player. If the team signs the Franchise Player between March 18 and July 15, the tag stays with that player for the length of his contract, which means that the team cannot name another Franchise Payer until that player's contract is terminated.

http://www.askthecommish.com/freeagency/

Then on his FAQ page:

Q: You mentioned that a prior club has "certain avenues" whereby they can still restrict the market for their UFAs. What are these avenues?

Answer: Each team can name one Franchise Player or one Transition Player. (Note: In the final year of the CBA, the team may elect to designate a Transition Players AND a Franchise Player -- or two Transition Players in lieu of naming a Franchise Player.) When the team places either tag on a player, they have effectively offered the player a one year contract at a predetermined annual wage. For Franchise Players, that wage is the average of the top 5 players at the player's position. For the Transition Tag, that wage is the average of the top 10 players at the player's position. The player is still free to negotiate with other teams. However, if the player signs with another team, then that team must fork over two first round draft picks to the prior team. As you can guess, not too many teams are eager to part with such lofty compensation. For Transition Players, the prior team maintains the Right of First Refusal, which in essence means that a Transition Player is really a RFA.

Q: If that's the case, then why do teams so rarely use either the Franchise Tag of the Transition tag?

Answer: There are a couple of reasons. First and foremost is the Salary Cap. When a team designates a player with either tag, the predetermined annual wage we cited above immediately hits the team's salary cap. For example, in 2003 when the Bengals elected to name Takeo Spikes their Transition Player, he was guaranteed an annual salary of $4.8M (the average of the top 10 NFL LBs' 2002 salaries), and this amount immediately hit the Bengals 2003 Salary Cap. Also at work is a notion of professional courtesy. Many NFL players look upon the Franchise or Transition tag with an unfavorable view. As such, naming a player with one of these tags could send a bad message to other players on the team -- or other prospective free agents, for that matter.


Q: What if a team decides that it was a mistake to designate a player with the Franchise or Transition Tag?

Answer: The team may rescind the designation. However, they may not re-use the tag on another player.

http://www.askthecommish.com/freeagency/faq.asp

 

What are your eyes trained to do Gen Scope?

 

Where did this last paragraph come from? If it's true then Foster can't be guaranteed anything, can he?

 

I was wondering about that last bit myself earlier in this thread. No idea what it means. Anyone want to take a stab at it?

 

means, as I've been saying, Foster's only guaranteed the money if he signs the tender AND plays.

 

I think the part people are having trouble with is that the paragraph describes something that doesn't appear at all in the CBA, so no one knows whether or not it's legit. It doesn't appear to be. It seems pretty clear that franchise money isn't guaranteed either.