Free Agency Start Date

[Goodell]

We're starting to round everyone up as each league is down to single digits on people left to "check in" on their team rosters. Teams can do most many internal transactions right now but no trades with other teams or signing other players until free agency starts. We may start trades up a little sooner ahead of free agency.

The NFL draft is April 25th-27th I believe. I'd like to shoot for having our draft right after that (if we start FA earlier in April) or we've done our draft a week or two later at times as well. Once we do free agency and then the draft, there's a bit of an off-season lull here until training camps open again.

Putting draft dates into that time consideration a bit, believe we have one conflict posted for May 1-7. We can't possibly accomodate date conflicts and schedules for a hundred different people across three 32-team leagues, but if you do have a conflict and especially if multiple people have a similar conflict we can try to factor that into the off-season date determinations. I will be away 3/31-4/2 (although with some internet access at times) with the family on a quick spring break getaway, and someone else mentioned being gone that week also. I probably need to be around for start of FA a lot to make sure no issues so probably best to not have it start until after I'm back (and also good for more time to round everyone up).

I initially said FA could start as soon as first week in April, so I have an option up there for a start late in that first week which gives us over 10 days to get everything ready and everyone set to go for free agency frenzy. Some concern possibly about making sure we give people enough time to consider their LTC and tag/rfa options, so also added some later dates this month also with either a first of the week or weekend start.

For new GMs, free agency isn't like a fantasy draft where it's an hour or two one day and done. Teams have 5 bids per day (and unlimited bids on their own UFA's) and once we start free agency it will be CONSTANTLY running through the end of the regular season. So anytime you hear a news story about some rookie doing well in practice or OTAs you can jump on free agency and see if they're available to sign anytime. Players are signed once they have no counter offers for 24 hours.

The bulk of free agency will usually last a couple weeks if I recall before things start to slow down and the good players signed. You can either spend 5 minutes on it and place your 5 bids per day all at once and not look again until the next day after 24 hours when you get 5 more bids if you're busy during that day, or you can spread them out and spend a lot of time strategically planning who you're bidding on and when as many GMs do during this highly active time. Free agency and the draft are probably the best activities in the league with the highest partipation and excitement.

We'll see if a majority of people are leaning toward a particular start time and announce the official start date later this week after feedback. If you want to post any time conflicts for April/May beyond those mentioned above, you can also add them to this thread for consideration of start dates.

[tino38]

I voted for April 6th for start of Free Agency. However, that is just because I really do not have anything at all going on that weekend. If there are a lot of people who won't be able to be back until April 8th-"ish" I would be willing to change my vote.

[Goodell]

Speaking of rounding people up... some GMs lost their teams this off-season in part for not having shown up for a long while as we get ready for our biggest off-season events and want to have active teams involved.

If you want to make sure you don't miss out, follow us on Facebook and/or Twitter if you're regularly on there and we'll post messages prior to important dates so you'll be reminded to check back in for important activities.

https://www.facebook.com/fanulation
https://twitter.com/fanulation

[JonC]

I voted the 8th. I could do the 6th in a pinch, but I'll be out of town.

[redsoxfan31x21]

I wouldn't do the 6th. I know some people are on spring break then and most people have stuff going on during the weekend away from a computer. I'd say the 8th for sure. Just my 2 cents

[tino38]

I wouldn't do the 6th. I know some people are on spring break then and most people have stuff going on during the weekend away from a computer. I'd say the 8th for sure. Just my 2 cents

Vote changed to the 8th to give others a little breathing room.

[larry linke]

I didn't vote as I have no preference

Larry
Minnesota AFFL

[sportznut]

I've always fought hard for starting the draft during the weekend so we can get maximum participation within those first two days of the draft.

However, with a 24 hour clock in FA, its really not a big deal to me as to when we start at all. Although I'll be going to Tigers Opening Day on April 5th, and home all day on the 6th. No big deal though to me.

[Jared A]

I voted 8th, because Monday is a more stable day. However, the LTC thing needs resolved first... not sure we have enough time.

[tino38]

I voted 8th, because Monday is a more stable day. However, the LTC thing needs resolved first... not sure we have enough time.

GM vacancies should be filled soon too so the new GM's know what is going on with a little time to play around with their teams