2015 RULES: Free Agency (Veteran Minimum)

[Nathan S.]

I think Option 3 is the best then - 1 year for 435K then 2 and 3 year deals for 745K + SB.

It's realistic but also more simplistic.

[Jared A]

No matter what... I think any bid longer than 1 year should have to require SB.

[Royce R]

Agreed is this implemented this year?

[Goodell]

Agreed is this implemented this year?

I'll do a post on all the poll threads this weekend prior to the season officially starting, and some of what we ACTUALLY do in free agency is dependent upon me finishing some tweaks of that prior to Monday to know for sure what I can change in time for that, but yes generally speaking some of the most supported and league suggested free agency tweaks are intending to be implemented as possible. No 3-year veteran minimum deals going forward, more specifics posted as those tools adjusted this week into this weekend prior to free agency. I don't want to announce exact change until I know exactly what the script can be change to do by Monday.

[Goodell]

CONCLUSION: For free agency starting on Monday you'll see these changes in regards to veteran minimums.

Any player (youngster or veteran) can receive a 1-year contract for as low as 435K. That's similar to NFL where 1-year veteran minimum contracts can count less toward the cap than their higher veteran payment amount. As our players here aren't real and don't cash checks and not real money, we won't worry about making the amount higher but only counting less against the cap. We'll just allow the cap value to be bid. That's 435K minimum for all players for 1-year deals only, no matter their experience.

Any veteran (over 2 years experience) contract over 1-year must be at 745K veteran minimum. Multi-year deals for veterans must also include a signing bonus.

[RebelFan]

How much of a signing bonus?

[Goodell]

How much of a signing bonus?

That hasn't changed. It stays at a small $1000 bare minimum if a signing bonus added. If the length of the contract increases, that minimum has previously and continues to increase:

For contracts over 3 years you must have a $1M+ signing bonus.
For contracts over 4 years you must have a $3M+ signing bonus.
For contracts over 6 years you must have a $7M+ signing bonus.

[Ben C.]

How much of a signing bonus?

That hasn't changed. It stays at a small $1000 bare minimum if a signing bonus added. If the length of the contract increases, that minimum has previously and continues to increase:

For contracts over 3 years you must have a $1M+ signing bonus.
For contracts over 4 years you must have a $3M+ signing bonus.
For contracts over 6 years you must have a $7M+ signing bonus.

Next year we need to review the minimum signing bonus for multiple year contracts. $1000 is chump change when the cap is $140 million.

Also, I'm seeing some bids that are 3 year deals with $1000 bonuses. I thought the minimum for those is $1,000,000?

[Goodell]

How much of a signing bonus?

That hasn't changed. It stays at a small $1000 bare minimum if a signing bonus added. If the length of the contract increases, that minimum has previously and continues to increase:

For contracts over 3 years you must have a $1M+ signing bonus.
For contracts over 4 years you must have a $3M+ signing bonus.
For contracts over 6 years you must have a $7M+ signing bonus.

Next year we need to review the minimum signing bonus for multiple year contracts. $1000 is chump change when the cap is $140 million.

Also, I'm seeing some bids that are 3 year deals with $1000 bonuses. I thought the minimum for those is $1,000,000?

I believe it's "over 3 years" jumps to that. We made some fairly large changes in free agency this time that were the focus of most of the discussions, and other elements like those SB minimums hadn't come up in those discussions so kept the minimums we've used for years in place without changing everything all at once. Definitely something to look at for future change, though, and see how things go with some of the changes this year and tweak some of those other aspects ahead as makes sense.

[RebelFan]

Multi-year deals for veterans must also include a signing bonus.

I still feel like I'm missing something. Multi-year deals, as in 2 years? If so, what's the baseline SB for that?

And why were we in such a hurry to get free agency going? I know 4/13 was the deadline you set for it to begin, but rolling out the new rules a few hours before it begins seems like rushing things a bit to me.

Also, is the add-a-player tool up and running yet?