The 30% Rule

Ok, I'll ask it here since everyone is here now. I thought the CBA/CAP was going to end in 2010 which would mean our only year to worry about is 2010 in reference to CAP? I would assume that if we can make it through 2010 then after there is no CAP and DS can pay what ever he wants? am I wrong? I also read in your post Schneed, it says "In any of the 3 additional league yrs" ? what does that mean? Am I mixing fruit? apples and oranges? CBA/CAP.

You've got the concept right, you're just off by a year.

The CBA is set to expire in 2010, which would mean 2010 would have no salary cap at all and we'd be free to have as much salary on the books as we wanted.

But that means 2009 becomes the Final Capped Season, and as such specific rules governing contracts and cap allocation methodology are in effect.

The 30% Rule says whatever a player's base salary in 2009 is, you can't increase that base salary by more than 30% in any of the next three seasons (2010, 2011, and 2012).

So if you want to give a guy a base salary of $3.0 million in 2010, his 2009 base salary can be no less than $2.3 million (3.0 / 1.3 = 2.3).

Vilma is a free agent this year, but I think it would be best if we stayed clear of him and went the route of the draft to plug in the LB spots. Last year I was praying Mayo would fall to us at 21 in the draft, but of course the Pats got him in the early teens or around that area and he ended up being the defensive rookie of the year. Imagine having something like that for a long time, and for considerably cheaper then Vilma!

i read somewhere that in an uncapped year a team can only sign as many free agents as it loses. not 100 percent sure but i know i saw it somewhere.

One aspect that gets ignored in these older guys deals is compensatory picks. If we wait until the ends of these deals and they leave as unrestricted free agents we get compensatory picks if they are signed by another team. We got a third rounder last year when Derrick Dockery left. Taylor doesn't sound like he will keep playing but Springs and Washington might and that could add some late picks to the equation.

compensatory picks are only awarded for players you lost that were drafted. No comp. picks are awarded for free agents you signed, then let walk at the end of their contract.

i read somewhere that in an uncapped year a team can only sign as many free agents as it loses. not 100 percent sure but i know i saw it somewhere.

That's sort of true. It applies only to the eight teams that make the divisional playoffs the previous season. So if the uncapped year was this offseason it would apply to the teams that are playing this weekend. Other factors that are overlooked.

-Teams would be able to franchise or transition tag up to three players, as opposed to the current one

-Players would have to six years of NFL experience to make them eligible for free agency. Meaning that those of us who might have thought someone like a DeMeco Ryans could be a good 2010 target can forget about it.

That's sort of true. It applies only to the eight teams that make the divisional playoffs the previous season. So if the uncapped year was this offseason it would apply to the teams that are playing this weekend. Other factors that are overlooked.

-Teams would be able to franchise or transition tag up to three players, as opposed to the current one

-Players would have to six years of NFL experience to make them eligible for free agency. Meaning that those of us who might have thought someone like a DeMeco Ryans could be a good 2010 target can forget about it.


Smootsmack - you are dead on - here is a link that gives a nice little overview of what will happen if the NFL goes uncapped...

Uncapped years would actually limit free agency (http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d80864e15&template=with-video&confirm=true)

Take a look at part 3 - here is a summary and my thinking on this...

[quote]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."

The interesting thing is if it goes to an uncapped method drafting will become even more important and trying to build a team via free agents will become even more obsolete because of the protections that this article is talking about - in other words Synder and Jerry Jones will have a very difficult time buying a championships and you better have some top quailty front office men that can put together good draft after good draft because that is the way it will go - Vinny and the rest of the stafff better be ready if it comes to this.

That's sort of true. It applies only to the eight teams that make the divisional playoffs the previous season. So if the uncapped year was this offseason it would apply to the teams that are playing this weekend. Other factors that are overlooked.

-Teams would be able to franchise or transition tag up to three players, as opposed to the current one

-Players would have to six years of NFL experience to make them eligible for free agency. Meaning that those of us who might have thought someone like a DeMeco Ryans could be a good 2010 target can forget about it.

thanks that clears it up

So Bill, If I read the last paragraph correctly...

The interesting thing is if it goes to an uncapped method drafting will become even more important and trying to build a team via free agents will become even more obsolete

Then does that mean the draft will probably be bumped back up to more then seven rounds or more then seven picks per team?

So Bill, If I read the last paragraph correctly...

The interesting thing is if it goes to an uncapped method drafting will become even more important and trying to build a team via free agents will become even more obsolete

Then does that mean the draft will probably be bumped back up to more then seven rounds or more then seven picks per team?


Maybe - although I think a lot of players like the rounds limited the way they are because it gives a lot of undrafted players a better chance to make a team - lets say you are a WR and a team loaded with them drafts you in a late round of lets say the 10th round if the draft was expanded hypotetically - the way it is now you would not have been drafted and had the ability to go to any team you wanted you where you think you have the best chance of making it but if the draft was longer you may not get that break. Overall a uncapped year would restrict player movement more than we see now and it will be intersting to see what happens with the agreement - my take is it will get extended another couple of years because the NFL is doing well even and players and owners would be wise not to break it.