Washington Football Team: Five restricted free agents to consider
By Jonathan Eig
With NFL free agency looming just a month away, the Washington Football Team faces plenty of decisions. Today, we consider the “meatball sub” section of free agency.
Meatball subs are a great idea. But after a couple of bites, you begin doubting yourself. They are really messy, and as you spot the guy at the next table enjoying his simple corned beef on rye, you begin doubting yourself. Was it really worth all this effort? I’m going to have to shower and change my clothes once lunch is over. Maybe I should have chosen an easier path.
But then, you get that one perfect bite. Equal parts meat, sauce, and cheese. The bread holds and nothing ends up in your lap, and you remember why you fell in love in the first place.
Restricted free agents are the meatball subs of NFL free agency.
With RFAs, you do not have much leverage. The team that holds his rights has several avenues for retaining him. It starts with his original team deciding on a tender. That is an offer that will pay the player a certain amount (based on the specific tender) should he not get an offer from another team.
If the RFA does get an offer, his original team has the option of matching it and retaining him, or choosing not to match, in which case it receives compensation based on the tender.
To make a long story short – and trust me, it is a long story – the RFA’s original team says it will pay him anywhere from $2-4 million if there is no other offer, and it will receive a draft pick, which could be in any round depending on the tender decision, if they allow him to sign with a new team.
Unrestricted free agents are easier. You make your offer and the UFA says yes or no. Simple as corned beef on rye.
Exclusive rights free agents exist because NFL execs and player agents had a few free minutes and decided contracts and rosters needed to be more complicated. But, suffice to say, they are even easier than UFAs. If you have an ERFA on your roster and you want to keep him, you do. They don’t even cost much. Kind of like a bag of kettle fries.