when I was reading PFT and one of the commentor’s said “Would someone please slap me with $7 million in the face”. Touche.

Wilfork said that would be “ok” but he wants to be paid more than just “ok” (his words) so yeah, a MERE $7 Million would be peanuts to what he could get on the open market …

(anyone else out there disgusted with player salaries?)

Most of the guys I can think of would be covered under the 4 to 6 year RFA deal.

Also, you get an extra transition tag, as well. FA will be pretty bad this year.

Waters is still under contract for a couple more years. DJ will be a restricted FA unless there’s a new bargaining agreement by early March…which is unlikely.

A Transition Player is a free agent who has had the Transition tag applied by his original team. (A club can designate one transition or franchise player in any given year.)

The Transition Player’s club must offer a minimum of the average of the top 10 salaries of last season at the player’s position or 120 percent of the player’s previous year’s salary, whichever is greater. In doing so, the team retains a first-refusal right to match within seven days an offer sheet given to the player by another club after his contract expires.

If the team matches the offer, it retains the player. If it does not match, it receives no compensation.

Definition:
1. A designation given to a player by his team to keep him from leaving via free agency. According to the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement, the player must be paid the average salary of the top five players at his position.

2. A term used to refer to a superstar player who is invaluable to his team.

2 types of franchise tags, exclusive and non-exclusive:

An “exclusive” franchise player must be offered a one-year contract for an amount no less than the average of the top five salaries at the player’s position as of a date in April of the current year in which the tag will apply, or 120 percent of the player’s previous year’s salary, whichever is greater. Exclusive franchise players cannot negotiate with other teams.

A “non-exclusive” franchise player must be offered a one-year contract for an amount no less than the average of the top five salaries at the player’s position in the previous year, or 120 percent of the player’s previous year’s salary, whichever is greater. A non-exclusive franchise player may negotiate with other NFL teams, but if he signs an offer sheet from another team, the original team has a right to match the terms of that offer, or if it does not match the offer and thus loses the player, is entitled to receive two first-round draft picks as compensation.

Transition tag:

• A transition player has received a minimum offer of the average of the top 10 salaries of last season at the player’s position or 120 percent of the player’s previous year’s salary, whichever is greater.

• A transition player designation gives the club a first-refusal right to match within seven days an offer sheet given to the player by another club after his contract expires. If the club matches, it retains the player. If it does not match, it receives no compensation. Transition players can be signed from March 3 through July 22."

More Football Basics

While I understand you’re argument, you would be playing into players’ egos. O-Line is about the group, not the man. Linebackers obviously require a lot more play from each individual, but they should be regarded as the LB corps, not ‘this guy with these other not so good guys’. Football is a team sport and should be regarded as such.