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One of the things we've been suggesting is that BB might trade Adalius Thomas just to keep him away from the JEST.
Looking over the CBA, I'm not sure—not convinced, as you'll see—they can sign him easily. Here's who the top four teams can sign (emphasis mine):
Now here's the sloppiness:
So, are players who've had their contracts terminated considered to have gone through the waiver system or not? A cursory reading of the paragraph above suggests that they're not, but, OTOH, it doesn't explicitly confirm or deny that they earned UFA status "as a result of the waiver system."
Looking over the CBA, I'm not sure—not convinced, as you'll see—they can sign him easily. Here's who the top four teams can sign (emphasis mine):
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.
Now here's the sloppiness:
Section 1. Release:
(a) Whenever a player who has finished the season in which his fourth year of credited service has been earned under the Bert Bell/Pete Rozelle Plan is placed on waivers between February 1 and the trading deadline, his contract will be considered terminated and the player will be completely free at any time thereafter 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 such player, without penalty or restriction, including, but not limited to, Draft Choice Compensation between Clubs or First Refusal Rights of any kind, or any signing period. If the waivers occur after that time, the player’s Player Contract will be subject to the waiver system and may be awarded to a claiming Club. However, if such player is claimed and awarded, he shall have the option to declare himself an Unrestricted Free Agent at the end of the League Year in question if he has a no-trade clause in his Player Contract. If such player does not have a no-trade clause and the Player Contract being awarded through waivers covers more than one additional season, the player shall have the right to declare himself an Unrestricted Free Agent as set forth above at the end of the League Year following the League Year in which he is waived and awarded.
So, are players who've had their contracts terminated considered to have gone through the waiver system or not? A cursory reading of the paragraph above suggests that they're not, but, OTOH, it doesn't explicitly confirm or deny that they earned UFA status "as a result of the waiver system."
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