Reduced Free Agency This Year...

[RainMan]

We don't need free agents

I'm thinking the same thing. There will be spots where we could use upgrades, but I don't think signing big-money free agents is the way to go. Upgrade from within -- Mike Hamlin taking over? Jason Williams taking over on passing downs? Free competing for a starting job? Ogletree pushing for playing time? -- and continue drafting well. And if a price-friendly option happens to pop up that is a perfect situational fit for our scheme, that's fine.

 

[TheCount]

I see some people were watching NFL network. lol

 

[Bluefin]

Mike would replace Sensy

so we don't need to spend a lot of money on him

Gerald Sensabaugh will be a restricted free agent if the uncapped season occurs. He was drafted in the 5th round by Jacksonville, but we will tender him as a second rounder and bring him back.

 

[Eskimo]

****.

But is that how it works?

That would be pretty disgusting if we had Seymour.

I'm not sure I'd trade Spears' future for Seymour's. He may be about to hit the "veteran wall".

Anyways, Spears is a RFA and Seymour will cost more than Spears so I doubt we would be allowed to sign him anyway.

The best solution is Spears signs an Igor type contract, 4 years $16-20M.

 

[RainMan]

We'd be buffoons, yes buffoons, to release Sensy or Hamlin. Our secondary is the best in the league, imo.

I also don't see any reason to release either player. If we like M. Hamlin so much, open up the job for competition in training camp and see where it goes. I don't see Ken Hamlin or Sensabaugh being viewed as a guy like Ellis, who we had to release for locker-room related reasons.

 

[TheCount]

I'm not sure I'd trade Spears' future for Seymour's. He may be about to hit the "veteran wall".

Anyways, Spears is a RFA and Seymour will cost more than Spears so I doubt we would be allowed to sign him anyway.

The best solution is Spears signs an Igor type contract, 4 years $16-20M.

If he'll take that. There's a chance another team will do what the Giants did with Canty and think he'd be a star in a 4-3 D at DT.

 

[htownboyzfan]

On the positive side, the only players on our roster who will be unrestricted free agents are Suisham and Holland if there is no CBA extension. Everyone else is either under contract already or will be a restricted free agent (starters Austin, Sensabaugh and Spears included since they only have 4 years of service). In other words, we can have the exact same team next year if we choose, plus add our six draft picks (we don't have a 5th) and we get Brewster, B. Williams and Hodge back from injury. Furthermore, if there is a contract we want to dump - Barber, Flozell, just using examples - then we can do it. Jerry and Stephen have planned for this; at the very least, no one will be able to raid our roster.

 

[SLATEmosphere]

If he'll take that. There's a chance another team will do what the Giants did with Canty and think he'd be a star in a 4-3 D at DT.

And then they'll realize how fail that was.

 

[Section446]

I don't really care what we do in the off-season, as long as we lock up Miles Austin long-term.

 

[TheSport78]

Who would we honestly get in free agency anyway? It looks like we found our LT of the future in Doug Free and Robert Brewster was basically redshirted this year so hopefully he will progress. We will continue to grow and get better as a team through the draft; that's where great and smart franchises build their team. Let the Commanders win the Free Agency Bowl again and finish last in the division. Lets just worry about signing our own guys like Miles Austin and Marcus Spears. We own the rights to all of them but Jerry will sign them to long-term deals anyway because he rewards his players with great play.

 

[Randy White]

That's the thing. You can scream "Cut Hamlin" or "Cut Adams" or "Cut Carpenter". Well, the problem is that they aren't true FA's so you can't go out and sign a FA to replace. So other than saving Jerreh some money, what are you really gaining?.

Try: Cap flexibility for the years after 2010..

We don't know how hard, or soft, the future cap is going to be, but we do know that there will be one ( Owners will never sign a new CBA without one ). Contracts like FLO's, and Hamlin, and Barber's, and T-New's, could become the albatross that Deion's, Haley's, Aikman's, Tolbert's,..etc, were to the Cowboys at the end of their careers.

While there's nothing the Cowboys could have done about the latter contracts, and in retrospect, it was money paid for service rendered more than future service, they have a unique opportunity to prevent that from happening again with the former.

Regardless of how this season turns out, if by 2011 or 2012, or beyond, the Cowboys find themselves in a position where they're hamstrung by the salary cap because of contracts for players who are basically washed up or not playing up to their salaries, ( some of them are in that category right now ), then the Jerrathor and the front office are going to deserve the strong criticism they'll get and, what's worse, the team itself will suffer.

 

[SLATEmosphere]

Try: Cap flexibility for the years after 2010..

We don't know how hard, or soft, the future cap is going to be, but we do know that there will be one ( Owners will never sign a new CBA without one ). Contracts like FLO's, and Hamlin, and Barber's, and T-New's, could become the albatross that Deion's, Haley's, Aikman's, Tolbert's,..etc, were to the Cowboys at the end of their careers.

While there's nothing the Cowboys could have done about the latter contracts, and in retrospect, it was money paid for service rendered more than future service, they have a unique opportunity to prevent that from happening again with the former.

Regardless of how this season turns out, if by 2011 or 2012, or beyond, the Cowboys find themselves in a position where they're hamstrung by the salary cap because of contracts for players who are basically washed up or not playing up to their salaries, ( some of them are in that category right now ), then the Jerrathor and the front office are going to deserve the strong criticism they'll get and, what's worse, the team itself will suffer.

Flo,Newman and Hamlin will be cut before they see the end of their deals.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Try: Cap flexibility for the years after 2010..

We don't know how hard, or soft, the future cap is going to be, but we do know that there will be one ( Owners will never sign a new CBA without one ). Contracts like FLO's, and Hamlin, and Barber's, and T-New's, could become the albatross that Deion's, Haley's, Aikman's, Tolbert's,..etc, were to the Cowboys at the end of their careers.

While there's nothing the Cowboys could have done about the latter contracts, and in retrospect, it was money paid for service rendered more than future service, they have a unique opportunity to prevent that from happening again with the former.

Regardless of how this season turns out, if by 2011 or 2012, or beyond, the Cowboys find themselves in a position where they're hamstrung by the salary cap because of contracts for players who are basically washed up or not playing up to their salaries, ( some of them are in that category right now ), then the Jerrathor and the front office are going to deserve the strong criticism they'll get and, what's worse, the team itself will suffer.

I would expect that Jerreh & co. will have a good understanding of what type of cap could be in affect after all this posturing is over with.

Which means I think if they believe the cap is going to be restrictive, say in 2012, then yeah guys like Adams, Newman, Hamlin and Barber could be in trouble this coming offseason. But, if none of those players are cut, I would think the Cowboy braintrust believes that they will be able to work within the upcoming (new) cap framework without the bloodletting.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Flo,Newman and Hamlin will be cut before they see the end of their deals.

I would bet Adams doesn't see the end of his contract. The other guys?

maybe... maybe not.

 

[AdamJT13]

Per NFL.com

» The remaining playoff teams will not be allowed to spend money this offseason in free agency if there is an uncapped season. The final eight teams in that scenario are only allowed to replace players they lost, not just add new players. They will need to think of new ways to improve their rosters

This is NOT correct. Only the final four teams can't sign a UFA until they lose one -- but they can sign any number of players who were cut.

This weekend's losers can sign UFAs even before they lose any UFAs, but only one of them can be for more than a certain dollar amount. If those teams lose someone for more than that amount, they can sign an additional UFA for the same amount (or less than what) the UFA they lost got from his new team.


For those who like reading legalese, here's the applicable portion of the CBA (note in Section 5 that the amounts listed in Section 3 have increased and will be higher than that) --


ARTICLE XXI
FINAL EIGHT PLAN

Section 1. Application: The provisions of this Article shall apply only in any League Year during the term of this Agreement in which no Salary Cap is in effect.

Section 2. Top Four Teams: Each of the four Clubs that participated in the NFC and AFC Championship games the Prior League Year shall not be permitted to negotiate and sign any Unrestricted Free Agent to a Player Contract, except: (a) any Unrestricted Free Agent who acquired that status as a result of the NFL waiver system; (b) any Unrestricted Free Agent who was under contract to such Club on the last date of the last League Year of the player’s most recent Player Contract; and (c) any Unrestricted Free Agent signed pursuant to Section 4 below.

Section 3. Next Four Teams: Each of the four playoff Clubs that lost in the immediately preceding playoff games to the four Clubs that participated in the NFC and AFC Championship games the Prior League Year shall not be permitted to negotiate and sign any Unrestricted Free Agent to a Player contract, except: (a) any Unrestricted Free Agent who acquired that status as a result of the NFL waiver system; (b) any Unrestricted Free Agent who was under contract to such Club on the last date of the last League Year of the player’s most recent Player contract; (c) any Unrestricted Free Agent signed pursuant to Section 4 below; and (d) any Unrestricted Free Agent as follows:

(i) One such player for a Player Contract that has a first year Salary of $4,925,000 or more; and

(ii) Any number of such players for a Player Contract that has a first year Salary of no more than $3,275,000 and an annual increase in any future contract years of no more than 30% of the first contract year Salary, not including any amount attributed to any signing bonus. In addition, each such Club and each such player entering into a Player Contract pursuant to this Subsection may not renegotiate to increase the amount of Salary to be paid during the term of the Player Contract for a period of one year after the signing date of such contract.

Section 4. Replacement of Free Agents Signed by Other Club: Each of the eight Clubs subject to the provisions of this Article shall be permitted to negotiate and sign one Unrestricted Free Agent to a Player Contract (“New Player”) for each Unrestricted Free Agent who was under contract to such Club on the last date of the prior League Year, who has signed with another Club (“Previous Player”), so long as the Player Contract for the New Player shall have a first year Salary of no more than the first year Salary of the Player Contract signed by the Previous Player with the New Club, and an annual increase in any future contract years of no more than 30% of the first contract year Salary, excluding any amounts attributable to any signing bonus. In addition, each such Club and each such player entering into a Player Contract pursuant to this Subsection may not renegotiate to increase the amount of Salary to be paid during the term of the Player Contract for a period of one year after the signing date of such contract.

Section 5. Increases: The amounts specified in this Article ($4,925,000 and $3,275,000) shall increase each League Year following the 2006 League Year by the same percentage as the increase in Projected TR over the prior League Year’s TR (as defined in Article XXIV (Guaranteed League-wide Salary, Salary Cap & Minimum Team Salary)). Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the amounts specified in this Article increase if the Projected TR for the League Year in question is not greater than the highest TR of any previous League Year.

Section 6. Salary Definition: For purposes of this Article, “Salary” means Paragraph 5 Salary, roster and reporting bonuses, pro-rata portions of signing bonuses, likely to be earned incentive bonuses, and other payments in compensation for the playing of professional football, as defined in Article XXIV (Guaranteed League-wide Salary, Salary Cap & Minimum Team Salary) below.

Section 7. Trade Limitation: No Club subject to the provisions of this Article may, for one League Year, trade for a player it otherwise would not be permitted to sign as an Unrestricted Free Agent as a result of the provisions in this Article.

Section 8. Transition and Franchise Players: Clubs subject to the Final Eight Plan are permitted to negotiate with and sign Transition Players and Franchise Players who otherwise are permitted to negotiate and sign with other Clubs.

Section 9. Player Tenders: Each of the eight teams subject to the Final Eight Plan may, after the later of July 15 or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp, in any League Year in which the Final Eight Plan is in effect, sign any Unrestricted Free Agent whose team did not make the June 1 Tender or whose team subsequently withdrew that Tender.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

This is NOT correct. Only the final four teams can't sign a UFA until they lose one -- but they can sign any number of players who were cut.

Thanks for the update Adam!

 

[LeonDixson]

I would expect that Jerreh & co. will have a good understanding of what type of cap could be in affect after all this posturing is over with.

Which means I think if they believe the cap is going to be restrictive, say in 2012, then yeah guys like Adams, Newman, Hamlin and Barber could be in trouble this coming offseason. But, if none of those players are cut, I would think the Cowboy braintrust believes that they will be able to work within the upcoming (new) cap framework without the bloodletting.

Couldn't the team use the uncapped year to rework existing contracts for players like the ones you mentioned? Example, give Newman another bonus next year and lower the price of his remaining years. Then we could keep him for the remainder of his contract even if the CAP is reinstituted? Or is there some special rule that any bonus money paid out in an uncapped year is prorated when the cap returns?

 

[Big Dakota]

This is NOT correct. Only the final four teams can't sign a UFA until they lose one -- but they can sign any number of players who were cut.

This weekend's losers can sign UFAs even before they lose any UFAs, but only one of them can be for more than a certain dollar amount. If those teams lose someone for more than that amount, they can sign an additional UFA for the same amount (or less than what) the UFA they lost got from his new team.


For those who like reading legalese, here's the applicable portion of the CBA (note in Section 5 that the amounts listed in Section 3 have increased and will be higher than that) --


ARTICLE XXI
FINAL EIGHT PLAN

Section 1. Application: The provisions of this Article shall apply only in any League Year during the term of this Agreement in which no Salary Cap is in effect.

Section 2. Top Four Teams: Each of the four Clubs that participated in the NFC and AFC Championship games the Prior League Year shall not be permitted to negotiate and sign any Unrestricted Free Agent to a Player Contract, except: (a) any Unrestricted Free Agent who acquired that status as a result of the NFL waiver system; (b) any Unrestricted Free Agent who was under contract to such Club on the last date of the last League Year of the player’s most recent Player Contract; and (c) any Unrestricted Free Agent signed pursuant to Section 4 below.

Section 3. Next Four Teams: Each of the four playoff Clubs that lost in the immediately preceding playoff games to the four Clubs that participated in the NFC and AFC Championship games the Prior League Year shall not be permitted to negotiate and sign any Unrestricted Free Agent to a Player contract, except: (a) any Unrestricted Free Agent who acquired that status as a result of the NFL waiver system; (b) any Unrestricted Free Agent who was under contract to such Club on the last date of the last League Year of the player’s most recent Player contract; (c) any Unrestricted Free Agent signed pursuant to Section 4 below; and (d) any Unrestricted Free Agent as follows:

(i) One such player for a Player Contract that has a first year Salary of $4,925,000 or more; and

(ii) Any number of such players for a Player Contract that has a first year Salary of no more than $3,275,000 and an annual increase in any future contract years of no more than 30% of the first contract year Salary, not including any amount attributed to any signing bonus. In addition, each such Club and each such player entering into a Player Contract pursuant to this Subsection may not renegotiate to increase the amount of Salary to be paid during the term of the Player Contract for a period of one year after the signing date of such contract.

Section 4. Replacement of Free Agents Signed by Other Club: Each of the eight Clubs subject to the provisions of this Article shall be permitted to negotiate and sign one Unrestricted Free Agent to a Player Contract (“New Player”) for each Unrestricted Free Agent who was under contract to such Club on the last date of the prior League Year, who has signed with another Club (“Previous Player”), so long as the Player Contract for the New Player shall have a first year Salary of no more than the first year Salary of the Player Contract signed by the Previous Player with the New Club, and an annual increase in any future contract years of no more than 30% of the first contract year Salary, excluding any amounts attributable to any signing bonus. In addition, each such Club and each such player entering into a Player Contract pursuant to this Subsection may not renegotiate to increase the amount of Salary to be paid during the term of the Player Contract for a period of one year after the signing date of such contract.

Section 5. Increases: The amounts specified in this Article ($4,925,000 and $3,275,000) shall increase each League Year following the 2006 League Year by the same percentage as the increase in Projected TR over the prior League Year’s TR (as defined in Article XXIV (Guaranteed League-wide Salary, Salary Cap & Minimum Team Salary)). Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the amounts specified in this Article increase if the Projected TR for the League Year in question is not greater than the highest TR of any previous League Year.

Section 6. Salary Definition: For purposes of this Article, “Salary” means Paragraph 5 Salary, roster and reporting bonuses, pro-rata portions of signing bonuses, likely to be earned incentive bonuses, and other payments in compensation for the playing of professional football, as defined in Article XXIV (Guaranteed League-wide Salary, Salary Cap & Minimum Team Salary) below.

Section 7. Trade Limitation: No Club subject to the provisions of this Article may, for one League Year, trade for a player it otherwise would not be permitted to sign as an Unrestricted Free Agent as a result of the provisions in this Article.

Section 8. Transition and Franchise Players: Clubs subject to the Final Eight Plan are permitted to negotiate with and sign Transition Players and Franchise Players who otherwise are permitted to negotiate and sign with other Clubs.

Section 9. Player Tenders: Each of the eight teams subject to the Final Eight Plan may, after the later of July 15 or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp, in any League Year in which the Final Eight Plan is in effect, sign any Unrestricted Free Agent whose team did not make the June 1 Tender or whose team subsequently withdrew that Tender.

I have a question i've wanted to ask for some time. What is the exact date that this would kick in, a line in the sand no turn back date?

 

[AdamJT13]

Yes.

No salary cap would mean no signing bonus pro-ration to account for.

We could cut bait with anyone we want.

Assumign there's no cap, if you cut a player before June 2, all of his bonus prorations remain in effect for future seasons.

Starting June 2, all future prorations will accelerate into 2011.

 

[AdamJT13]

I have a question i've wanted to ask for some time. What is the exact date that this would kick in, a line in the sand no turn back date?

Whenever the League Year is scheduled to begin. I'm pretty sure it's March 5 this year.