For NFLPA CBA Experts - how long can teams keep rights to IR players?

[goheels22002]

The Patriots have stashed three promising guys who have never made an NFL roster on IR so far this pre-season: slot receiver TJ Moe, WR Lavasier Tuinei and OL Elvis Fisher. There may be others.

It seems like an interesting way to stock a farm system for the future and have players around the facility to manage their training and teach them the playbook. What I saw about IR in the CBA, they can be around the facility, participate in meetings but cannot play. Players on IR get paid, and they get playoff bonuses, which is a nice deal.

http://images.nflplayers.com/mediaResources/files/PDFs/General/2011_Final_CBA.pdf

The CBA doesn't seem to answer (at least to me) a lot of questions:

How many players can a team stash on IR? Do the Patriots retain their rights for the entire NFL year?

Does the new rule that one player from pre-season IR can come back to play in the regular season apply to these guys or only the ones who have made a 53-man roster? Do they have to designate which player that is?

Can the Patriots trade the rights to these players?

 

[Armchair Quarterback]

The Patriots have stashed three promising guys who have never made an NFL roster on IR so far this pre-season: slot receiver TJ Moe, WR Lavasier Tuinei and OL Elvis Fisher. There may be others.

It seems like an interesting way to stock a farm system for the future and have players around the facility to manage their training and teach them the playbook. What I saw about IR in the CBA, they can be around the facility, participate in meetings but cannot play. Players on IR get paid, and they get playoff bonuses, which is a nice deal.

http://images.nflplayers.com/mediaResources/files/PDFs/General/2011_Final_CBA.pdf

The CBA doesn't seem to answer (at least to me) a lot of questions:

How many players can a team stash on IR? Do the Patriots retain their rights for the entire NFL year?

Does the new rule that one player from pre-season IR can come back to play in the regular season apply to these guys or only the ones who have made a 53-man roster? Do they have to designate which player that is?

Can the Patriots trade the rights to these players?

They can't practice either. IR is for the entire year whether put on in preseason or regular season and the rights are retained throughout. They can designate only 1 player to return. No limit as to how many can go on IR.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

The CBA doesn't seem to answer (at least to me) a lot of questions:

How many players can a team stash on IR? Do the Patriots retain their rights for the entire NFL year?

Does the new rule that one player from pre-season IR can come back to play in the regular season apply to these guys or only the ones who have made a 53-man roster? Do they have to designate which player that is?

Can the Patriots trade the rights to these players?

(1) There's no limit other than the salary cap rules.
(2) Yes, they retain rights unless they reach an injury settlement.
(3) The "designated for return" rule only applies to players placed on IR during the season. And, as noted, that player must be designated for return at the time he is placed on IR.
(4) IIRC, the league rules don't permit it, but I think it's a moot issue, since it's hard to imagine any team trading for a player who can't pass a physical.

 

[goheels22002]

(1) There's no limit other than the salary cap rules.
(2) Yes, they retain rights unless they reach an injury settlement.
(3) The "designated for return" rule only applies to players placed on IR during the season. And, as noted, that player must be designated for return at the time he is placed on IR.
(4) IIRC, the league rules don't permit it, but I think it's a moot issue, since it's hard to imagine any team trading for a player who can't pass a physical.

Thank you and Armchair for your replies. If you've got some cap room, this is a terrific way to stock the cupboard for next year, particularly with promising undrafted free agents and low-round draft picks who dropped because they came with an injury.

The trade question struck me because all three of these guys might be able to pass a physical later in the year, and be valuable throw-ins to pick up emergency players or moving around in the draft. Too bad you can't trade them.

Guys on the injured list are traded in MLB all the time, like the relief pitcher that came over to the Red Sox in the Peavey deal last week. He probably won't help this year but could be a valuable part of the bullpen next season.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

With the rule of 51, I don't understand how these UDFAs have any cap hit

 

[mgteich]

The Rule of 51 is for the off-season. Once the season begins with Game One, all players under contract (including IR) have cap hits. Unused 2013 cap money rolls into the 2014 season.

With the rule of 51, I don't understand how these UDFAs have any cap hit

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Duh! Thanks mg! Great questions OP.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

The Rule of 51 is for the off-season. Once the season begins with Game One, all players under contract (including IR) have cap hits. Unused 2013 cap money rolls into the 2014 season.

For the record, most UDFAs have "split salaries," meaning that they receive significantly less on IR than they would if they were on the active roster. Many, though by no means all, veteran players have such clauses as well. [The most memorable example I can think of is Junior Seau: the Pats originally had such a clause in his contract, but they found him to be such a benefit to the team that they waived the clause.]