Post Draft FA signing

Since the initial FA signing was never completely hammered out and the draft is nearing completion, now would be a good time to make sure we're all on the same page.

Shall we have them clear waivers all at once, or ask Scott to stagger it? It might be a good idea to have 30 per day available starting at the top of the list? If we do all at once, that's about 150 players up for bids.

With the hard limit we have in place, it will be impossible to exceed the salary cap. If you bid on a FA and the bid amount takes you over the cap, you won't get the FA. Do we want to change that to allow "over the cap" bids during this initial time, or leave it the way it is?

Also, depending on the decisions to the above, there may be a lot of cutting of players currently on the teams. Waivers are set at 2 days, but since everyone will be in the process of making their teams anyway, might we want to drop that to 1 or 0 to speed things along?

Finally, according to the rules we can cut any player currently on our roster, but if you sign a contract with a FA longer than 0 years, you're stuck with him. Do we want to relax this rule since we're just getting started, or is holding firm better? Holding firm might shorten the time since people will have to be more careful, plus once they've filled their salary cap, they'll be done. On the down side, with people releasing the players already on their teams, it might be possible to "sneak one past" and cut that BA FA they just signed. I'd probably say hold firm to the rule, but that's just my opinion.

Anyway, these are just the issues I thought of. What are your opinions? Any important issues I missed?

Question 1) Should we make everyone a free agent or stagger?

I think that we should just release them all. No more delays - just get them out there and let the market sort it out.

Q2) Should we relieve the cap for the FA bidding process?

No, we voted for the cap and since everyone on our roster can be released without a problem until the season starts - we should be fine. You sign a free agent - you got him, period. Deal with it! Don't bid what you don't want to pay

Q3) Should we lower waiver period from the 2 days?

No, this would be unfair for those who cannot check in everyday. Leave it the way it is - any releases will cause the stagger effect you wanted in Q1.

1. I think all free agents should be released at once - make your bids - take your chances - manage your team properly

2. We shouldnt remove the cap for FA bidding, you must make sure that you are not bidding too much. Only bid what you want to pay

3. Waiver period should stay for released players - lets be honest most of the probably wont be picked up again anyway.

I agree with hornetjohn and slacker.

I agree with hornetjohn and slacker as well, however I think one point needs to be clarified. It's been said that everyone on our rosters can be released before the season starts, I assume that means only those currently on our rosters. Which means anyone picked up from FA when they are available must have their contracts fulfilled and not be dropped even before the games start.

As I understand it, that is correct rpodent. You may only release those players on your team before the start of the FA period.

1) all at once, this will make teams much more carefull when there is more then 1 bid on someone.

2) Its a hard cap and should remain a hard cap. There isnt any reason you cant make the cut ahead of time needed to sign the F/A

3) Leave it as is. Keeping the waiver period as is will actually create a staggered F/A list if someone is going after someone then cutting someone else to try for another F/A. Thus creating more chances to get a staggered list of sorts.

I agree with all of the above. We need to do free agents with the rules agreed upon

Here's my understanding of the rules as they stand:

Group 1: Players that were on your team when you logged in the first time.

Group 2: Players you draft and are "placed" on your team (includes this draft and future drafts)

Group 3: Players you sign from the FA list.

Group 4: Players you trade for.

Players in groups 1 and 2 may be cut up until the first game of the season.

Players in groups 3 and 4 may only be cut if they have a 0 year contract at the time of release.

Two questions then: Does anyone have a different understanding of the rules as they stand? Does anyone want to change the rule for group 3 for this very first signing season? Personally I'd say keep the rule as it is.

The only thing I'd change at all is having a staggered FA waiver schedule, although there's not a lot of support for that idea so far. At any rate, we really need more people to weigh in with their opinions on these issues.

I agree that we should not be able to release the FAs we sign. The whole point of that rule is to make it more realistic, right - so we can't sign a 35-year-old to a ten-year deal and then release him when he starts to decline. This is going to be an exciting FA frenzy, and knowing you have to live with the contract you sign a guy to will help keep people honest.

Quote:

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Originally posted by hornetjohn:
As I understand it, that is correct rpodent. You may only release those players on your team before the start of the FA period.

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<font size="3" face="Sylfaen, Verdana, Helvetica">I can see that we are going to have to get this completely sorted tho. Cos i think the rules actually say that we can release anyone up to the first game of the season. So technically we could sign FAs and then release them. I agree that we should make it that any FA signed can't be cut, but i think we may need another vote on it.
dicky

I thought we were stuck with the draft pick. I would like it clarified because it makes a difference on what I do with the BA/L center I got in the draft

We really can't have official clarification unless we vote on the issue, HOWEVER, this is what the rules thread states:

However all draft picks obtained by each team at the start of the season may be released even though they are on 1 year contracts due to the fact that each GM has to take on these two new players regardless if they want them or not so for this reason all GM?s may release draft picks prior to the start of game one of the new season.

I'd say the current rule is that "all draft picks" may be released before the start of the season. If anyone disagrees, I suppose we can vote on it. We'd better do it soon, though.

I agree with TC

I would assume that draft picks would be the equivalent of players on the team currently that still need to be signed to contracts. The fact they will have 1 year contracts when placed on teams is irrelevant. Until they are signed to your team on your terms they can be released. Since FAs are signed to contract under your terms, that's where the difference lies. So the contract of a player becomes binding only when you have agreed to the contract with them. HOWEVER, all players on rosters at the commencement of the first game will be assumed to be fully contracted.

OK. Was there a post from Fasttracker saying that Scott was resetting all on roster to 0 year? I think that may have been stated after the initial rule.

My thoughts.

- Drafted players can be released up until game 1

- Players signed as FA`s can not be released until they only have 0 years left on their contract.

- FA?s should be available in wawes of 25 players at the time.

Drafted players should be able to be released up until the start of games.

FA's should be available in one wave.

FA's should not be eligible for release unless they are in their zero year.

The salary cap should not be waived.

<font color="#000002" size="1">[ March 12, 2005 12:28 AM: Message edited by: greenwave4 ]</font>