2018 RULES: Free Agency Cracks

[Goodell]

Before we start free agency, exploring ideas for possible small tweaks to the process. One of the most noticable things that some complain about in the past are some bargains slipping through the cracks at under-valued deals during the initial avalanche of free agency when there are so many players with bids but each team is limited to 5 per day so some deals slide through.

Running late this season without a lot of time for massive changes to the system, I think we'll want to perhaps try some ideas out (if strongly supported) on a limited basis. And maybe if we implment something that we apply in a limited way this year (say just on the first day) perhaps successful changes could be further expanded in future seasons.

One idea is giving every team 2 extra bids for the first 24 hours when so many players get signed. I can imagine that might prevent some under-valued deals from escaping without getting countered if teams have more bids, but others may argue extra bids not needed just better management of those bids by teams before complaining about players signed cheaply while they bid otherwise.

Another idea sent into me is interesting. Instead of bonus bids for everyone early in free agency, only give bonus bids to rewarded teams such as playoff or winning record teams. Winner of the GM of the Year also gets bonus 2 bids for that first day. The idea there that grounds it in reality is that players are more likely to be intersted in going to winning teams, and winning brings advantages. A counter arguement might be that it creates a widening gap between the have and the have nots. If highly supported, it might be something done very limitedly this year (maybe 1 extra bid for winning record teams the first day) but perhaps expanded in future seasons.

Some of the bargains that slip through are those minimum type deals. It might be said those types of minimum veteran deals don't happen early in free agency but tend to be later in the process in reality. We could possibly only allow multi-year deals to be offered early in free agency and then open it up to all deals (including minimum 1-year deals) later so 1-year minimum bargains don't slip through the first day rush.

Some have suggested doing away or changing unlimited bidding for your own free agents. I personally think we should keep it for team building and to recognize the reality of advantages for home teams outside of players in high demand on the market. However, we could look at delaying the unlimited bidding early in the process and only allow bids on other team players the first day before opening up unlimited bidding to slow that first day push.

There are strong opinions on both sides of tiered free agency. One argument is that top players are the focus of signings early in reality, then the lesser players find their teams later, so perhaps we only make starting grade players available for bids the first few days before opening it to all players.

Or we could keep everything the same. Feel free to offer up your ideas for future improvements.

[Ben C.]

Do you have any data on the number of UFAs at the start of the Free Agency period?

Right now there are 160 free agency bids that can be placed league-wide on day 1. Are there 160 UFAs worthy of a first day bid that isn't at league minimum?

[Goodell]

Do you have any data on the number of UFAs at the start of the Free Agency period?

Right now there are 160 free agency bids that can be placed league-wide on day 1. Are there 160 UFAs worthy of a first day bid that isn't at league minimum?

In AFFL, for example, if query right I show 637 UFAs that are currently associated with a team roster (lots more UFAs as street free agents on nobody's team at the end of the season). That includes practice squad guys who automatically become a UFA for their team at seasons end.

[RyanM]

Do you have any data on the number of UFAs at the start of the Free Agency period?

Right now there are 160 free agency bids that can be placed league-wide on day 1. Are there 160 UFAs worthy of a first day bid that isn't at league minimum?

I'm not sure that's exactly how to look at it. A large number of bids will be placed on the same players by multiple teams, with players often times even getting multiple bids from the same team as their initial bid gets beat.

[Ben C.]

I think I fall into this camp:

but others may argue extra bids not needed just better management of those bids by teams before complaining about players signed cheaply while they bid otherwise.

The point of having the number of bids limited early in free agency is in order to force teams to focus efforts on their priorities. In real life you don't see a GM able to bring in 7 free agents on day 1 for a visit & negotiation.

Right now there are 160 bids available to be placed on UFAs of other teams on the first day. That seems to me to be plenty.

[vikingfan]

All I would like to see is elimination of 24 hour waiting period during the season.

[jerrydlux]

Speaking of in season moves

If I sign someone from a practice squad and they are on my team when the sim runs but then the original team matches the contract....any way around that?

Most PS players arent making a huge difference but I thnk I may have gotten a kickoff return td or something and that could swing a game

[bpboguta1483]

We could also sign players to futures contracts as a way to keep the practice squad players like they do in the NFL, wouldn't mind that feature or at least something similar

[Goodell]

We could also sign players to futures contracts as a way to keep the practice squad players like they do in the NFL, wouldn't mind that feature or at least something similar

The way we turn practice squad players into UFAs still being associated with their home team, giving them unlimited bidding rights to keep those players, is intended to serve similarly. In that first day rush of free agency with unlimited bidding, most teams will get most if not all their practice squad players back, unless someone just happened to be of such high demand on the market that a team would give up one of their first day bids for a practice squad type guy. So in practice, almost all practice squad type players can be signed back, similarly to reality.

[Shagg]

it's worked to this point so i vote keeping the same