2016 DATES: Free Agency and Draft

[jmdaz44]

It's sort of like the presidential elections right now. We have several options, but none are really that good.

Speak for your own party.

I don't get the weekday vs weekend debate for free agency. We get 5 bids to use over 24 hours. This is not something that requires lots of time or effort throughout the day. If it does then you're doing it all wrong.

I didn't say that I wasn't capable of doing FA during the week; merely that given an option, I'd prefer not to. Ideally, I'd be free to check on the status of my bids and monitor other players at will, and not have to find time to do so while at work. Maybe I just obsess over it and monitor it more than others. Oh well.

I understand the dynamics of how FA works, but thanks for the reminder!

[Knighty Knight]

thanks for the reminder!

[Onyxgem]

I think having the draft almost a month after the real one is flat out dumb. But having it close to fa isn't great either. But with that said I can justify voting for it to be that late in May.

[Goodell]

When I posted the date choices last night I didn't quite put together that 5/27 and 5/28 choices were on Memorial Day weekend. That may be a choice that some people like with some extra time off, but others may be unavailable if on trips, etc. Had I realized that, I probably would have put another draft choice of June 10-12, but I guess there is an option for later in June.

One other note about date choices. If we did the early dates for both, and draft starting 5 days or so after free agency started, we'd have to have some deadlines for tag/rfa bids would have to be within the first 3 days of free agency to have those over as they possibly impact the draft.

[tino38]

Guys just take your cell phone and pop a squat in the bathroom for about 30 minutes, no one will ever know you were on FanGM!

Lol my vote can be swayed, but for now I voted for next Wednesday for FA, and May 27 for draft just because the majority did and I can also make both of those dates work rather easily.

[soonertf]

I voted those two days also but I'm not married to any of it. As long as I know ahead of time, then I will make it work one way or another. I don't like the idea of FA and draft being mere days apart though (I think we need at least 2 weeks between them). I' d also like to see trading open up at least a few days before FA, as trade might effect what people do with LTCs and tag, etc.

[hoopie44641]

Do we even have all teams with GMs yet?

[jerrydlux]

Starting on a weekend doesn't necessarily mean deals will be done on the weekend either. A set of bids on a player could drag out over days...as I'm sure you already know. I agree from an earlier post, set the date in advance and it is what it is. Prior to that happening we could list any potential issues, such as a trip that is planned every year around that time.

[Adam K]

I trade too much - will this be turned on prior to Wednesday?

I have no idea how much money I got? Well, I can figure it out.

Sorry if this has already been covered here or elsewhere.

Plus I am itching for more mock drafts.

[Goodell]

CONCLUSION: Free agency will start on Wednesday, April 27th at 9:00 AM ET.

Make sure you have any franchise/transition tag decisions made before that time, as well as selected any available long-term contracts (LTC) for pending free agents before they hit the market on Wednesday. Let me know if any questions.

Friday 5/27 was also the most popular choice for the start of the college draft.