Previously in the NFL June 1 was a big date signaling the second wind of free agency. Without getting too far into it, teams could cut players on (or after) this date and spread out the salary cap hit. This was a big day you used to see a lot of veterans being released.
With the lack of a salary cap, things have changed.
All RFAs can sign by June 1 the contract their original club tendered before March 5 — the first day of the 2010 league year. If a player does not sign by June 1, the original club can extend the qualifying offer and thereby retain exclusive rights to the player.
For the Chiefs, this situation is applicable to only Jarrad Page, the lone unsigned restricted free agent on the team.
So the Chiefs have a few options: Re-issue the same tender offer they originally gave him or issue an offer at 110% of his 2009 base salary (whichever is greater) or not offer him anything and let him become a free agent.
What the Chiefs will do is keep the previous offer since it's greater than 110% of Page's 2009 salary.
June 15 is an important date...kind of. At that point the Chiefs can apply a tender at 110% of his 2009 salary and -- compared to the tender that's on the table now -- that would cost him almost $60,000. That's a lot of money but somehow I don't think that's playing a big role here.
Page is one of 37 unsigned restricted free agents so he's hardly unique.
Update: Great minds think alike. Josh Looney of KCChiefs.com is talking about the same subject.