Estro Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 (edited) According to the article on PFT regarding Charles Johnson and DeAngelo Williams, it seems, as of now, teams are able to designate players with 4 or 5 years of service as restricted free agents. Normally this wouldn't be the case, but because last year was uncapped it appears to be possible. Of course it may not hold up after a new CBA is agreed upon, but if the Bills are interested in retaining Whitner for a cheaper $ amount, tendering him as a RFA seems to be a possibility. http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/02/24/panthers-to-restrict-deangelo-williams-charles-johnson/ For the record, Whitner has played 5 full seasons with the Bills. Edited February 24, 2011 by Estro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maddog69 Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 I think they can but they would have to make an RFA offer to him that is higher than what he was making and that would be a big mistake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Estro Posted February 24, 2011 Author Share Posted February 24, 2011 (edited) I think they can but they would have to make an RFA offer to him that is higher than what he was making and that would be a big mistake. Oh Okay, that is something I didn't know. If that is the case, then you are right, not worth that type of money. I'm all for moving on from Donte if we can't sign hnim to a team friendly contract. Guys who break the bank should be well rounded difference makers, and Whitner is not that. BTW I think team friendly would be around $4.5-$5.0 million a year. Say 4 years, $20 million with $10-12 million guaranteed. I have a feeling Whitner is probably seeking a 5 year deal in excess of $30 million, which I don't think he's worth. Edited February 24, 2011 by Estro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thoner7 Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 I am unsure but it does make sense. I think we would have heard about other teams doing it on ESPN if it were allowed thouhg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost of Rob Johnson Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 I think they can but they would have to make an RFA offer to him that is higher than what he was making and that would be a big mistake. Last year a 1st round tender was $2.621 million, a 2nd round tender was $1.684 million, both of which are less than the average salary from his rookie contract. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 I think they can but they would have to make an RFA offer to him that is higher than what he was making and that would be a big mistake. There are a lot of different RFA tenders. Ranging from no compensation to first and third. Giving him a "same round drafted" or even a simple 3rd round would be better then letting him walk for free. It's a pre-set amount. Typically first round contracts are too long to deal with the fact it would be a pay cut. For about a million he would have first round compensation attached. If you want him to walk you could do like 1.5-2mill and see if he gets offers for a third round pick. If there is a salary loophole- I don't know it. In the end, no way these stand but better to do it - just in case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 this might give some good background Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvermike Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 I'm not certain, but I think RFA tenders have a minimum based on the player's previous contract. I'll have to double check that, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Bills will issue tenders, not sure to whom though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramius Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Yes Buffalo can tender whitner, since he's got less than 6 seasons of experience. Tampa just tendered RFA offers to davin joseph, Trueblood, and Quincy Black. However, in all likelihood, the new CBA will render these RFA tags meaningless, at least to players with that much experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hplarrm Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Yes Buffalo can tender whitner, since he's got less than 6 seasons of experience. Tampa just tendered RFA offers to davin joseph, Trueblood, and Quincy Black. However, in all likelihood, the new CBA will render these RFA tags meaningless, at least to players with that much experience. There are a couple of issues though which are independent of the CBA that impact the decision whether to tender or not to tender: 1. Folks seem to make a big thing in how they gauge FA attractiveness on the small market vs. big market thing. My sense from too many years of watching is that this distinction is really only true for a rarified number of players who are big enough names to attract huge contracts, but in the end its all about the money. For the average NFL player there really is little difference in the money to be had in Buffalo, Cincy, Memphis and many of the non-NYC towns. NFL players are gonna make a nickel whereever they go and in particular with the salary cap defining the market cost fairly evenly across the NFL (fools like Snyder being the exception that proves the rule. Peyton Manning is doing national commercials anywhere he signs and though Eli will get a few hundred K max for being in NYC rather than Jacksonville, for most players the location is merely a short term stop over and if a team chooses to be in the FA game (which Mr. Ralph has not done aggressively the location really matters in only a few cases and then its often to be in your hometown. 2. The biggest Bills FA detriment is non aggression and the second biggest is their continual losing record. 3. The tender issue may make a difference though in whether the Bills are viewed as good bosses, bad bosses, or even easy touches for money. A lot depends on what the usual action is around the NFL and it appears in growing amounts teams are routinely tendering players under 6 years as the rule allows. If Whitner feels the Bills are treating him differently than other players he will whine to his friends and the Bills will develop the rep of being a poor owner to work for and FAs may choose elsewhere when their is a toss-up offer between the Bills and others. I think the Bills ultimately may tender Whitner (unless he has no market value elsewhere which with his OK but failed played for a bad team he should find offers even if he does not deserve them(. My sense was that the Peters story actually was a lot about the Bills trying to reverse a sense developing in the NFL that they were an easy touch for more money than a player deserved after they poor scouted and overspent on Dockery and Williams. The Bills drew a line in the sand on Peters who even if you hated his guts one had to admit he was not the third best guy on an OL where even his extended RT based salary was far behind Dockery and Williams. Ironically the Bills likely probably proved Peters and his agents point as his holding out to get treated like the Bills treated Schobel (a raise while you under contract because you are clearly better than players paid more than you( actually delivered him even more scratch than he would have resigned (again) with the Bills for. My sense is you wait as long as you can with Whitner then tender him a contract which by rule cannot reduce his current pay. It is to be hoped he gets beaten out by the competition in camp and you save the base salary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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