Get Ready for NFL Free Agency with Our Guide

Looking to get ahead of the competition in NFL free agency? Our guide can help you get prepared for the biggest offseason event in the league.

Introduction

Free agency is the time of year when NFL teams can sign players from other teams. This is a chance for teams to improve their rosters and get better for the upcoming season. Here is everything you need to know about free agency.

When does free agency start?
The official start of the NFL’s new league year and free agency is March 9th at 4:00 p.m. ET. This is when teams can begin signing free agents and making trades.

How long does free agency last?
Free agency typically lasts until late April or early May, depending on how active teams are in signing players.

What types of free agents are there?
There are three types of free agents: unrestricted, restricted, and exclusive rights.
Unrestricted free agents are players who have completed four or more accrued seasons (six or more seasons if they’ve spent less than nine years in the league) and their contracts have expired. They’re free to sign with any team that offers them a contract.
Restricted free agents are players who have completed three accrued seasons and their contracts have expired. They can receive tender offers from their current team, which give them the right to match any offer from another team or receive draft-pick compensation if they choose not to match it and sign elsewhere.
Exclusive rights free agents are players who have two or fewer accrued seasons under their belt whose contracts have expired and who can only sign with their current team if that team extends them an offer (at or above the league minimum).

What is NFL Free Agency?

NFL free agency is when a player’s contract has expired and they are able to sign with any team. This usually happens after a player has completed four seasons with their team. During free agency, teams can offer players contracts, and the player can choose which team they want to sign with.

Unrestricted Free Agents

If a player’s contract expires and he is not under the “First Right of Refusal” or the “Franchise Player” tag, he is an Unrestricted Free Agent (UFA). A UFA is free to sign with any team, with no restriction on the length or value of the contract. In order for a UFA to become a UFA, he must be out of his rookie contract and have completed at least four NFL seasons. If a player has only completed three NFL seasons, he is considered a Restricted Free Agent (RFA).

Restricted Free Agents

In the NFL, a restricted free agent is a player who is eligible for free agency but whose current team has the right to match any offer the player may receive from another team. If the player’s current team does not match an offer, it may be eligible for draft-pick compensation.

A restricted free agent can sign an offer sheet with any other NFL team, but his current team has seven days to match the offer. If the team matches, the player stays with that team. If the team does not match, the player goes to the signing team but his old team may receive draft-pick compensation, depending on the amount of the offer.

Restricted free agents are usually young players who have not yet completed four NFL seasons. They are often tendered at a lower level than unrestricted free agents, making them more affordable for teams to retain.

Franchise Players

In the NFL, a franchise player is a player who is designated by their team to receive special treatment regarding contract negotiations. The team has the right to keep the player for one year by paying them the average of the top five salaries at their position, or two years by paying them 120% of their previous salary, whichever is greater.

Players can only be designated as franchise players a maximum of three times in their careers. Once a player has been designated a franchise player three times, they become an unrestricted free agent and can sign with any team.

Franchise players are not able to negotiate with other teams during the period in which they are under contract with their current team.

How Does NFL Free Agency Work?

In late February, NFL teams can begin to use the franchise tag on one or two of their impending free agents. The franchise tag is a one-year contract offer to a player for an amount that is no less than the average of the five largest salaries at the player’s position, or 120% of the player’s previous salary – whichever is greater. The deadline to use the franchise tag is March 5th. Once free agency begins, on March 11th, teams can begin to sign free agents from other teams to offers. There are four types of free agency in the NFL: unrestricted, restricted, exclusive rights, and street.

The Free Agency Process

In the NFL, free agency is when a player with an expired contract is free to sign with any team in the league. A player’s contract can expire after four or five years, depending on the length of their rookie deal. Each March, free agency begins with a three-day “negotiating window” during which teams can contact agents of pending free agents to discuss potential contracts. The window leads into the start of the new league year, when teams can officially sign players to new deals.

During free agency, players are typically looking for two things: the biggest contract possible and the opportunity to compete for a championship. While money is always important, winning is often the priority for veteran players who have yet to hoist the Lombardi Trophy. For example, former New England Patriots running back Dion Lewis turned down more money from the Houston Texans in order to sign a cheaper deal with the Tennessee Titans, who he believed gave him a better chance to win a Super Bowl.

Players usually have until July 22nd to sign a new contract if they wish to be eligible to play in training camp and preseason games. After that date, they can still sign a contract but would not be able join their team until week one of the regular season.

The Free Agency Timeline

As soon as the clock strikes 4:00 p.m. ET on the second Tuesday in March, NFL free agency officially begins. Here’s a look at how the free agency process works:

March 12-14: Two-day window for teams to use franchise or transition tags on players.

March 16- April 17: At 4:00 p.m. ET on the first day of the new league year, teams must exercise options for the 2021 season on all players with option clauses in their contracts. This is also the deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets with other teams. If a restricted free agent signs an offer sheet with another team, his current team has five days to match the offer and keep him or receive draft-pick compensation depending on the player’s original draft round.

March 18-22: During this three-day period, teams are allowed to contact and enter into contract negotiations with the agents of players who will become unrestricted free agents when their contracts expire at 4:00 p.m. ET on March 22nd. However, a contract cannot be executed with a new team until 4:00 p.m ET on March 22nd.

March 22-23: The legal tampering period ends at 11:59 p.m., and teams can officially sign unrestricted free agents starting at 12:00 a.m., ET on Wednesday (March 23).

Who are the Top NFL Free Agents in 2020?

Tom Brady

Tom Brady is an American football quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He spent his first 20 NFL seasons with the New England Patriots, where he played in nine Super Bowls, winning six of them. Brady is also a five-time league MVP and a 14-time Pro Bowl selection.

Drew Brees

Drew Brees is one of the most decorated quarterbacks in NFL history. He is a two-time Super Bowl champion, a thirteen-time Pro Bowler, and he holds the record for the most passing yards in a single season. Brees is also one of the most accurate quarterbacks of all time, and he has demonstrated a remarkable ability to stay healthy throughout his career. At 41 years old, Brees shows no signs of slowing down, and he is widely considered to be one of the best quarterbacks in the league.

Philip Rivers

At 37 years old, Rivers is no spring chicken. He’s also coming off one of the worst seasons of his career. But despite all that, he’s still one of the top quarterbacks on the market. Rivers threw for 4,615 yards and 23 touchdowns last season, but he also threw 20 interceptions. He has a career passer rating of 95.1 and is a seven-time Pro Bowler.

Teddy Bridgewater

Teddy Bridgewater is one of the top NFL free agents in 2020. He is a quarterback who played for the New Orleans Saints in 2019. In 2020, he will be an unrestricted free agent. Bridgewater is a former first-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings. He has also played for the New York Jets.

Conclusion

Even if your team isn’t at the top of the list, NFL free agency is an exciting time to see how your team can improve. Keep track of all the rumors and moves with our guide so you know who to root for come September.