Brady, Mankins, Gostkowski, and maybee Wilfork

[tanked_as_usual]

Teams have TWO tags if 2010 is uncapped: one transition tag (nearly worthless), and one franchise tag (which can also be used as a transition tag).

Also, teams that make the final eight are not limited in the AMOUNT of money they can spend—they can spend as much money as they want extending their own players—but they are strictly limited in their ability to pursue, and spend money on, unrestricted free agents.

Three tags instead of one

Currently, a team can put either a franchise tag (average of the top five salaries at his position) or a transition tag (average of the top ten salaries at his position) on any one player on the club to protect the team from losing the unrestricted free agent. If the NFL gets to an uncapped year in 2010 and 2011, teams will have use of one franchise tag and two transition tags. So not only would none of the young players with less than six years of service be free, but now the top three players who are eligible for free agency on a roster can be protected.

If this situation existed in 2008, a team like Pittsburgh -- which used a transition tag to retain OT Max Starks -- could have also tagged Alan Faneca with either a transition or franchise tag if it so desired. If every team in the league used one or two tags, not even the three they would possess, it could take another 40 quality free agents off the market.

There is speculation teams would not overuse this trigger because so many of their quality younger players would not be free to depart.

Uncapped years would actually limit free agency

there are THREE tags............ok? and they're not worthless

Playoff restrictions

If the league gets to the point of an uncapped year, people are afraid that deep-pocket owners such as Jerry Jones and Daniel Snyder will come in and buy a championship. If the aggressive owners already have playoff teams, there will be restrictions on how much money they can spend. The formula may slide with the number of players they lose in free agency, but the plan is designed to not let teams buy a championship. The truth is, the first two triggers aren't going to leave too many players available to acquire anyway.

there WILL be restrictions on the money they can spend on FA's........ok?

any other questions?