2011 OFF-SEASON PRIMER

[Goodell]

You should be able to also cut players now, as well as add some to the retired list. I haven't had time to research a full retired list yet, but will add all the official retirements soon.

We'll treat 8/14 like our June 1st. If you have a player with a roster bonus (RB) that bonus will be paid on 8/14. You have to cut the player by then or you will have that RB on your books all year no matter what as real money paid by you.

The system is also setup from last year for the previous June 1st exemptions where you could do cap hit splits for 2 transactions prior to June 1st and unlimted after that. So the system will see 8/14 as this year's artificial June 1st.

We'll see how this week goes, but thinking about free agency at the start of next week after that. We'll try to take care of the other things like rookie contracts, etc. this week.

[Onyxgem]

Awesome, we will be able to have trading open before 8/14 and before Fa starts right?

[Goodell]

Awesome, we will be able to have trading open before 8/14 and before Fa starts right?

Yeah, we can probably start trading before that -- thinking perhaps this weekend and FA at the start of the week.

As trades effect other teams, I'd like to have most everyone signed in and any replacement GMS in place prior to opening trades, though. I should have more time to focus on that the rest of this week.

Someone asked a question, and not sure if it's the same reason you were hoping for trades before FA, but just in case... teams can't trade UFAs. Had a question or two about trading a UFA to another team who wanted to tag them before FA starts. Can't trade UFAs, as they are players without contracts. You can only trade a player once he's been taged/restricted and under a 1-year tender salary for this year already. No other team can tag a player or offer a RFA tender to a free agent except the team they ended the season with last year.

If teams looking to trade before FA to move some salary around and clear some space, there should be some opportunity for that prior to FA starting.

[Jared A]

I think you should push back the roster bonus time period. I would have it go into affect after free agency begins... (much like in real life). Give a full week for trading/free agency PRIOR to forcing GM's to make decisions because of Roster Bonuses. Real NFL teams had the opportunity to move players this winter, prior to the roster bonus deadline.

[soonertf]

I agree with Jared. We need a little time to try to trade a player with Roster bonuses, if we choose to move them from our team that way.

[soonertf]

And it's not like GM's aren't making trades already, so I'm not sure turning the trade tool on is going to put any GM at any more of a disadvantage as they are already in for not being here.

[Jared A]

Plus, real life teams had an opportunity to sign free agents prior to roster bonuses. If we can sign someone in the first couple of days, it might make someone else more expendable.

[Goodell]

Yeah, that was an arbitrary date. I could see moving that back to maybe even a milestone like the start of the regular season. Just that the system has that limit on cap splits before 6/1 date so with all the cuts expected and some teams maybe needing to split more cuts was going to get to that sooner, but suppose we can manually make some adjustments for that if teams can't have system do a split for them (if used up their two) and our 6/1 artificial date is still not reached yet for unlimited splitting. I could maybe take a look at modifying some programming for that, but sometimes that approach creates trouble or confusion next year when more normal.

But I would agree we could move that date back if needed.

[charlie813brown]

do we have a definite start date to FA? I am really hoping it is after this weekend, as I am away and would hate to miss the start. I know i am only one GM,but its still a request. thanks

[Goodell]

do we have a definite start date to FA? I am really hoping it is after this weekend, as I am away and would hate to miss the start. I know i am only one GM,but its still a request. thanks

I believe I put 8/14 down as a deadline for RFA/Tagging decisions, and could possibly do FA at the start of the week after. Wouldn't be before the start of next week, but haven't said a date for sure as not sure if need to get replacement GMs going, etc.