[SmootSmack]

Way back when in the 50s/60s, when Curmudgeon was a pimply face rebel teenager, certain players could negotiate with other teams. But the team that signed the player had to give the initial team some form of compensation (player, draft choices, cash). This was known as the “Rozelle Rule” and was a far cry from the free agency we know today.

In 1976, in the case of Mackey vs. National Football League, a U.S. District Court ruled that the “Rozelle Rule” violated the Sherman Antitrust Act.

In 1989, the NFL introduced Plan B free agency. This allowed each team to protect 37 players each offseason. I think this was similar to restricted free agents, in that protected players could not sign with other teams without giving their current team the first chance to sign him or making the new club provide the old club with compensation.

In 1992, in the case of Freeman McNeil vs. National Football League, a federal jury found that Plan B violated antitrust laws as well, saying the compensation rules were more restrictive than necessary and that it caused economic harm to players since it limited their ability to make money in comparison to other sports that didn’t have such restrictive free agency rules. This ruling paved the way for free agency as we know it today

Hope that helps some