Are We Allowed To Sign Free Agents?

[mgteich]

What is the situation as of the end of the season, presuming no signing of the CBA until say April 1st?

Can we sign our own free agents?
Can we sign free agents from other teams?
Can we sign players waived from other teams?

 

[patsfaninpa]

What is the situation as of the end of the season, presuming no signing of the CBA until say April 1st?

Can we sign our own free agents?
Can we sign free agents from other teams?
Can we sign players waived from other teams?

1. Seattle just signed M.Williams - wr to an extension. So, I'm pretty sure you can sign your own. No reason to though because other teams can't sign your UFA's. We'll want to know what cap is. And, what franchise/tag options we have before we start to negotiate with Mankins and Light.

2. Nope. Free-agency usually starts Mar 1st. NFL already announced can't sign with other teams unless new CBA signed.

3. Yes, espn transaction wire has guys being signed that are on street waivers.

 

[mgteich]

Yes, it is clear that we can sign free agents or extend our own in this current contract year. The question is whether we can sign our own when the contract year is over.

We can discuss whether it make sense for a player or a team to sign such a contract, but that is another matter entirely.

For example, I could see us extending Page or G. Warren or Moore, or perhaps even Light.

Note that we extended Woodhead. He didn't have to sign. He could have gotten more by waiting.

I don't think the CBA rules or cap will make much difference except for the signing of Mankins and other top free agents.

1. Seattle just signed M.Williams - wr to an extension. So, I'm pretty sure you can sign your own. No reason to though because other teams can't sign your UFA's. We'll want to know what cap is. And, what franchise/tag options we have before we start to negotiate with Mankins and Light.

2. Nope. Free-agency usually starts Mar 1st. NFL already announced can't sign with other teams unless new CBA signed.

3. Yes, espn transaction wire has guys being signed that are on street waivers.

 

[UofApatsfan]

I don't think they can sign guys once their contract is up until a new CBA is agreed to. Once the CBA expires and up until a new one is agreed on I'm pretty sure players can't even use team facilities, there's a complete disconnect between players and teams during that period.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I don't think they can sign guys once their contract is up until a new CBA is agreed to. Once the CBA expires and up until a new one is agreed on I'm pretty sure players can't even use team facilities, there's a complete disconnect between players and teams during that period.

Not quite, but it is very limited: no interaction between players and coaching staff, though apparently players are allowed contact with the trainers/doctors and HR.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Maybe during the freeze/lock out/negotiation period, BB will realize that Mankins is worth the dollars and decide to pay him.

 

[ayjackson]

I don't think they can sign guys once their contract is up until a new CBA is agreed to. Once the CBA expires and up until a new one is agreed on I'm pretty sure players can't even use team facilities, there's a complete disconnect between players and teams during that period.

That`s a lockout, no?

 

[mgteich]

That's what I thought. Yes, I understand that the league can CHOOSE to lock out players, but I don't think a lockout is automatic when the current contract ends. I would think that players under contract can continue to work out with our without a new agreement being signed.

I certainly understand that IF THERE IS a lockout, no new free agents will allowed to be signed, but this would be an active choice of the league (and collusion as the courts will eventually rule). But the question I have is WITHOUT A LOCKOUT, what is the free agent situation?

We know that the current agreement provides for the conditions of the 2011 Draft. Are there also rules for free agency. Folks here have been posting as if the current agreement provided for an automatic lockup which clearly is NOT the case.

That`s a lockout, no?

 

[Urgent]

I really hope that during this week of self-scouting the Patriots decide to re-sign/extend Mankins, Light, and Warren.

A week of watching team performance could offer the perfect window to make a quick signing. As noted, some other teams are doing it.

 

[mgteich]

OK, I'm officially confused. The nfl site makes it seem that it is free agency business as usual unless of course the owners collude and decide to lock out the players and not talk to them.

As others are pointing out, teams are currently in the process of signing extensions of players which should continue at least until the official date when contracts expire. I believe that date is March 1st the last day of the combine, as it has been in the past. It seems that we should exclusively be able to extend our own players until that date.

The OPEN question is what happens on March 1st if there is no lockout. Most have suggested a lockout by the owners (followed closely by a player suit and an injunction I would presume). Obviously that would stop all contact, but I think that there will be much action through March 1st and possibly even beyond.

It would seem to be that unless there is a lockout on March 1st, we would be able to sign free agents from other teams. This is NOT critical to the patriots. What is critical to us is that we sign/extend some of our own before March 1st as some other teams are already doing.

================================================
From the nfl site (a pdf of the CBA is also there)
NFLLabor.com NFL Calendar

2011


January 3 Clubs may begin signing free agent players for the 2011 season.

January 8-9 Wild Card Playoff Games.

January 9 Assistant coaches under contract to playoff clubs that have byes in the Wild Card weekend may be interviewed for head coaching positions through the conclusion of the Wild Card games.

January 15-16 Divisional Playoff Games.

January 23 AFC and NFC Championship Games.

January 29 Senior Bowl, Mobile, Alabama.

January 30 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl, Honolulu, Hawaii.

February 6 Super Bowl XLV, North Texas.

February 7 Waiver system begins for 2011. A 24-hour claiming period will be in effect through the Friday prior to the last regular season game (waivers requests made on Friday and Saturday of each week will expire at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the following Monday.) Players with at least four previous pension-credited seasons that a club desires to terminate are not subject to the waiver system until after the trading deadline.

Feb. 23- March 1 Combine Timing and Testing, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana.

 

[MaineMan]

OK, I'm officially confused. The nfl site makes it seem that it is free agency business as usual unless of course the owners collude and decide to lock out the players and not talk to them.

As others are pointing out, teams are currently in the process of signing extensions of players which should continue at least until the official date when contracts expire. I believe that date is March 1st the last day of the combine, as it has been in the past. It seems that we should exclusively be able to extend our own players until that date.

The OPEN question is what happens on March 1st if there is no lockout. Most have suggested a lockout by the owners (followed closely by a player suit and an injunction I would presume). Obviously that would stop all contact, but I think that there will be much action through March 1st and possibly even beyond.

It would seem to be that unless there is a lockout on March 1st, we would be able to sign free agents from other teams. This is NOT critical to the patriots. What is critical to us is that we sign/extend some of our own before March 1st as some other teams are already doing.

================================================
From the nfl site (a pdf of the CBA is also there)
NFLLabor.com NFL Calendar

2011


January 3 Clubs may begin signing free agent players for the 2011 season.

January 8-9 Wild Card Playoff Games.

January 9 Assistant coaches under contract to playoff clubs that have byes in the Wild Card weekend may be interviewed for head coaching positions through the conclusion of the Wild Card games.

January 15-16 Divisional Playoff Games.

January 23 AFC and NFC Championship Games.

January 29 Senior Bowl, Mobile, Alabama.

January 30 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl, Honolulu, Hawaii.

February 6 Super Bowl XLV, North Texas.

February 7 Waiver system begins for 2011. A 24-hour claiming period will be in effect through the Friday prior to the last regular season game (waivers requests made on Friday and Saturday of each week will expire at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the following Monday.) Players with at least four previous pension-credited seasons that a club desires to terminate are not subject to the waiver system until after the trading deadline.

Feb. 23- March 1 Combine Timing and Testing, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana.

Even without a formal lockout, it might not be possible to sign new contracts without a CBA basis in place.