FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
When does the 2024 unfastened company signing duration start?
At 4:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 13.​
When is the two-day negotiating duration for doable unrestricted unfastened brokers?
From 12:00 p.m. ET on Monday, March 11 till 3:59:59 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 13, golf equipment are authorised to touch and input into contract negotiations with the qualified brokers of avid gamers who will turn out to be unrestricted unfastened brokers upon expiration in their 2023 participant contracts at 4:00 p.m. ET on March 13. The two-day negotiating duration applies best to potential unrestricted unfastened brokers. It does now not follow to avid gamers who’ve gained, or who might obtain, a required comfortable acceptable to the 2024 League Year (e.g., unique rights avid gamers, limited unfastened brokers, franchise avid gamers or transition avid gamers).
What are the kinds of unfastened company?
Players are both “restricted free agents” or “unrestricted free agents.” A limited unfastened agent is also matter to a “qualifying offer.” A limited or unrestricted unfastened agent is also designated by means of his prior membership as its franchise participant or transition participant.
What is the period of time at no cost company signings this 12 months?
For limited unfastened brokers, from March 13 to April 19.
For unrestricted unfastened brokers who’ve gained a young from their prior membership by means of the Monday straight away following the general day of the NFL Draft for the 2024 League Year (i.e., April 29), from March 13 to July 22 (or the primary scheduled day of the primary NFL coaching camp, whichever is later).
For franchise avid gamers, from March 13 till the Tuesday following Week 10 of the steady season, November 12.
For transition avid gamers, from March 13 till July 22. After July 22 and till 4 p.m. ET at the Tuesday following Week 10 of the steady season, November 12, the prior membership has unique negotiating rights to unrestricted unfastened brokers and transition avid gamers. If the above-listed avid gamers don’t signal by means of November 12, they should sit down out the season. ​
What is the adaptation between a limited unfastened agent and an unrestricted unfastened agent?
In the 2024 league 12 months, avid gamers with 3 gathered seasons who’ve gained a qualifying be offering turn out to be limited unfastened brokers when their contracts expire on the conclusion of the 2023 league 12 months on March 13. Unrestricted unfastened brokers have finished 4 or extra gathered seasons. Upon expiration of his 2023 contract, an unrestricted unfastened agent is unfastened to signal with any membership and not using a draft-choice reimbursement owed to his previous membership.
What constitutes an “accrued season”?
Six or extra steady season video games on a membership’s lively/inactive, reserve/injured or reserve/bodily not able to accomplish lists.
How do the unfastened company regulations follow to limited unfastened brokers?
If a participant with 3 gathered seasons has gained a “qualifying offer” (a wage comfortable predetermined by means of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the league and its avid gamers) from his previous membership, he can negotiate with any membership thru April 19. If the limited unfastened agent indicators an be offering sheet with a brand new membership, his previous membership can fit the be offering and retain him for the reason that qualifying be offering entitles it to a “right of first refusal” on any be offering sheet the participant indicators. If the previous membership does now not fit the be offering, it should obtain draft-choice reimbursement relying at the quantity of its qualifying be offering. If an be offering sheet isn’t carried out on or ahead of April 19, the participant’s negotiating rights revert completely to his previous membership. In addition, previous to the beginning of unfastened company a participant who would differently be a limited unfastened agent is also designated by means of his previous membership as its franchise participant or transition participant.
What are the correct of first refusal/qualifying be offering quantities for avid gamers who’ve finished 3 gathered seasons?
For proper of first refusal best, a one-year wage of no less than $2,985,000.
For proper of first refusal and reimbursement on the participant’s authentic draft around, a one-year wage of no less than $3,116,000 or 110 p.c of the 2023 Paragraph 5 wage, whichever is larger.
For proper of first refusal and reimbursement of 1 second-round draft variety, a one-year wage of no less than $4,890,000 or 110 p.c of the 2023 Paragraph 5 wage, whichever is larger.
For proper of first refusal and reimbursement of 1 first-round draft variety, a one-year wage of no less than $6,822,000 or 110 p.c of the 2023 Paragraph 5 wage, whichever is larger.
For proper of first refusal and reimbursement of just one first-round draft variety, however any provision within the new membership’s be offering sheet waiving or proscribing the brand new membership’s skill to designate the participant as a franchise or transition participant isn’t a main time period and needn’t be matched by means of the prior membership, a one-year wage of no less than $7,322,000 or 110 p.c of the 2023 Paragraph 5 wage, whichever is larger.
What determines an unrestricted unfastened agent?
A participant with 4 or extra gathered seasons whose contract has expired. He is unfastened to signal with any membership, and not using a draft-choice reimbursement owed to his previous membership, thru July 22 (or the primary scheduled day of the primary NFL coaching camp, whichever is later). At that time, his negotiating rights revert completely to his previous membership if by means of April 29 the previous membership tendered the participant a one-year contract for 110 p.c of his prior 12 months’s wage. His previous membership then has till the Tuesday following Week 10 of the steady season (November 12) to signal him. If he does now not signal by means of that date, he should sit down out the season. If no comfortable is obtainable by means of April 29, the participant may also be signed by means of any membership at any time all the way through the season. ​
What determines a franchise participant?
The wage be offering by means of a participant’s membership determines what form of franchise participant he’s: unique or non-exclusive.
An “exclusive” franchise participant – now not unfastened to signal with every other membership – is obtainable the larger of (i) the typical of the highest 5 salaries on the participant’s place for the present 12 months as of the top of the limited unfastened agent signing duration on April 19; or (ii) the quantity of the desired comfortable for a non-exclusive franchise participant, as defined underneath.
Article 10, Section 2(a)(i) of the CBA units forth the method, referred to as the “Cap Percentage Average,” for calculating the desired comfortable for a non-exclusive franchise participant:
The Nonexclusive Franchise Tender will be a twelve months NFL Player Contract for (A) the typical of the 5 greatest Prior Year Salaries for avid gamers on the place . . . at which the Franchise Player participated in probably the most performs all through the prior League Year, which moderate will be calculated by means of: (1) summing the quantities of the Franchise Tags for avid gamers at that place for the 5 previous League Years; (2) dividing the ensuing quantity by means of the sum of the Salary Caps for the 5 previous League Years . . . ; and (3) multiplying the ensuing proportion by means of the Salary Cap for the approaching League Year . . . (the “Cap Percentage Average”) . . . ; or (B) 120% of his Prior Year Salary, whichever is larger . . . .
​If a membership extends a required comfortable to a “non-exclusive” franchise participant pursuant to this phase, the participant will be authorised to barter a participant contract with any membership, except for that draft-choice reimbursement of 2 first-round draft alternatives will be made within the match he indicators with a brand new membership.
How many franchise avid gamers and transition avid gamers can a workforce designate each and every season?
A membership can designate one franchise participant or one transition participant amongst its doable limited or unrestricted unfastened brokers. ​
Can a membership come to a decision to withdraw its franchise or transition designation on a participant?
Yes. A membership can withdraw its franchise or transition designation, and the participant then mechanically turns into an unrestricted unfastened agent, both straight away if the comfortable is withdrawn after the beginning of the 2024 League Year, or when his 2023contract expires if the comfortable is withdrawn ahead of the beginning of the 2024 League Year.
What is the wage cap for 2024?
The wage cap is $255,400,000 in line with membership.
When should groups be in compliance with the wage cap?
At the beginning of the 2024 League Year, which starts at 4:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 13.
If a workforce is below the wage cap on the finish of a given season, can the workforce “carry over” room to the following season?
Yes. A workforce might raise over room from one league 12 months to the next league 12 months by means of filing understand to the NFL previous to 4:00 p.m. ET at the day following the workforce’s ultimate regular-season sport, indicating the quantity of room that the membership needs to hold over.
What is the utmost quantity of room {that a} membership can raise over?
A membership can raise over 100% of its ultimate 2023 room to its adjusted wage cap for 2024.