Adding a layer of intrigue to the proceedings is the potential for an uncapped year in 2010, which would strip away the right to free agency for any player with less than six years of service. This could impact Mankins, Gostkowski and Hobbs, among others, and should serve as extra motivation for the players to reach an extension this offseason, just to be safe.
The uncapped year is the result of the owners opting out of the current collective bargaining agreement, which was supposed to run through 2012, because they felt the players were receiving a disproportionate amount of revenues (60 percent). Keep in mind that the owners voted, 30-2, in favor of that number less than three years ago.
Anyway, if the two sides can’t reach a deal by the end of this year, the salary cap would disappear in 2010 and the draft in 2011. The players have already said that if the salary cap goes away, they won’t ever give it back.
Focusing on the uncapped year, it has implications beyond free agency, according to NFL Players Association interim director Richard Berthelstein.
* Teams will be able to use either a franchise tag and two transition tags, or three transition tags. Under current rules, they can only choose one franchise or transition player.
The franchise tag guarantees the average of the top-five paid players at a position, while the transition tag guarantees the average of the top 10.
Having more tags could theoretically put fewer impact players on the market.
* Playoff teams will have restrictions placed on how many free agents they can sign and for how much, depending on how far they advance in the postseason. This is an attempt to keep free-spending teams like the Cowboys from winning the NFC title and then pillaging other franchises in free agency. It’s possible a Super Bowl winner wouldn’t be able to sign any free agents without losing one first.
Patriots coach Bill Belichick acknowledged last week that the uncertainty surrounding the potential for an uncapped year will impact the team’s planning.
“Absolutely,†he said. “That’s the way it is right now, so you have to look at that. If things didn’t change, that’s the way it would be. Now, things could always change, but yeah. Whatever the rules are for the salary cap -- as far as how things are counted, and where different monies are allocated, and what your budget is, or what your cap is -- however you want to look at it, yeah. Absolutely, you have to look at that.â€
http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/football/patriots/view.bg?articleid=1142964&format=text2009 free agents for the Pats:
Vince Wilfork [stats], Richard Seymour [stats], Logan Mankins [stats], Mike Vrabel, Stephen Gostkowski and Tedy Bruschi [stats], as well as starters Ellis Hobbs [stats], Kevin Faulk [stats], Stephen Neal, Benjamin Watson [stats] and Gary Guyton. And that’s not even mentioning key contributors Jarvis Green, Nick Kaczur, Kelley Washington and virtually every backup offensive lineman.
It's going to be one heck of a ride.
