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CLICK HERE to Register for a free account and login for a smoother ad-free experience. It's easy, and only takes a few moments.I was just wondering the same thing because of another thread on the uncapped year. I seem to recall it being referred to as "the final 8", which would lead me to believe it is the last eight teams in the playoffs - and not the eight division winners or teams with the eight best regular season records.
It is the final eight teams in the playoffs. From the CBA:
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.
Section 3. Next Four Teams: Each of the four playoff Clubs that lost in the immediately preceding playoff games to 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; (c) any Unrestricted Free Agent signed pursuant to Section 4 below;
and (d) any Unrestricted Free Agent as follows:
(i) One such player for a Player Contract that has a first year Salary of $4,925,000 or more;
and
(ii) Any number of such players for a Player Contract that has a first year Salary of no more
than $3,275,000 and an annual increase in any future contract years of no more than 30% of the first
contract year Salary, not including any amount attributed to any signing bonus. In addition, each such Club
and each such player entering into a Player Contract pursuant to this Subsection may not renegotiate to
increase the amount of Salary to be paid during the term of the Player Contract for a period of one year
after the signing date of such contract.
What's most interesting about the text you cited is that the "Final 8" is actually a "Final 4" plus a "Second 4", with slightly more permissive rules for the second 4.
Clause (d) would allow teams that lost in the divisional rounds (the "Second 4" teams) to sign an unlimited number of FAs for $3,250,000 or less, and one FA for $4,950,000 or more (strangely enough, it sounds like they can't sign anyone for a contract between those 2 numbers, which sound bizarre to me).
This is getting a bit ridiculous really, I mean if we don't do well this year and then come out in free agency and pick up everybody, it will be more of BB ahead of the pack again.so that means if the Pats go one and done in the playoffs they can spend as much as they want hmmm...
Yep, the final eight teams, it was changed last year.
This is getting a bit ridiculous really, I mean if we don't do well this year and then come out in free agency and pick up everybody, it will be more of BB ahead of the pack again.
I don't accept that though, but at this stage with the amount of positions that need to be filled it might not be a bad idea.
so that means if the Pats go one and done in the playoffs they can spend as much as they want hmmm...
The team would certainly have few issues under the "second four" clauses. It is most unlikely that we will sign more than one non-waiver player whose first year salary will be more than $4,925,000. While we may be inclined to sign a few players in the $2M to $3M ranges, these are not restricted. Also bonus do not seem to be restricted.