So what is the difference. You have a player for 4 years to develop . And you need to make a decision. Keep them, depending the contract. Or Let them go To FA. Do you sign them to a 2nd contract that may cost you some cap dollars or you may get a decent deal.
Or do you sign another’s teams player that is in the same situation and possibly the same money. Or do you go the draft and hope you get a similar player, or one that will develop. But then you are waiting again to see. Therefore if the other player was ok, you may lose depth for a few years.
It is a hard call. So to me scouting needs to be really good so you can see what you have in year 2, or by the end of year two as opposed waiting until that 3rd year or a contract year. And as we seen all too often that contract year is their best, then a drop off.
I think FA needs to be revamped to allow a team to keep players up to 6 years.