The NFL is approaching its free agency deadline of March 5, 2010 without a salary cap in place, which would be the first time since 1993. This will result in the largest restricted free agent class in NFL history, potentially close to 300 players. Some analysts believe this could lead to a weak free agent class with many restricted players unwilling to change teams due to compensation rules. Teams like the Patriots, Giants, Redskins and Cowboys are expected to benefit the most from an uncapped year. Several veteran players have already been released, showing the early impacts of teams facing no penalty for cutting players' salaries.

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Chris Ostrow
Sports Business Journal
Author Liz Mullen
Uncapped Year in the NFL
The NFL Free Agent market is approaching its deadline of March 5, 2010. At this time if
no deal is in place the NFL will have a season without a salary cap. This would be first time
since 1993 that the NFL will have no salary cap. This will be the biggest restricted free agent
class in the history of the NFL. Last season the NFL restricted free agents class only was 80
players. As this season approaches it will be as close as 300.
Some believe that this may be a dead free agent class according to one agent. "The new
rules have 2010 fourth and fifth year players, as restricted free agents those are usually the heart
and soul of the free agent market." These players will be less likely to move because another
club who signs them will have to give up a first round draft pick or trade. ( Mullen, Liz, 2010
Sports Business Journal )
This new agreement will largely affect our two New York teams. Teams that have
advanced beyond the wild card round of the playoffs will face additional restrictions on signing
players. The league set this up so that it could prevent all the free agents from signing with only
the best teams. The Jets are one of those teams who surprised everyone and just missed out on
the first trip to the Super Bowl since 1969. They will only be allowed to sign a free agent if
someone that had played on their team the previous year signs with someone else. They also are
only allowed to sign players for the amount that the player they lost signed for. I think this is an
unfair but I may be biased because I'm a Jets fan.

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The New York Giants who finished out of the top eight teams will be able to sign anyone
they want for whatever amount of money they choose. This is a big advantage to a small market
team such as the Carolina Panthers who finished with a similar record. It will be interesting to
see the results of this Super Bowl. The Super Bowl that took place less than three weeks ago had
Indianapolis Colts face the New Orleans Saints. This would be the equivalent of the Pittsburgh
Pirates facing the Kansas City Royals in Major League Baseball. With no salary cap in place
teams such as the New England Patriots, New York Giants, Washington Redskins and the Dallas
Cowboys should benefit highly from it.
One unnamed agent doesn’t think all players are going to happy with the deal that is in
place. He was quoted as saying in the article “If a restricted player is not signed by the
beginning of the training camp he will not attend.” I expect a few things this summer Brett
Favre to be on the fence about his retirement for the 100th time, and I also believe many players
will hold out of their contract. We have already begun to see the affects of an uncapped year
which will leave teams no penalty from releasing players. Veteran players who have spent
nearly a decade with the same team have been let go such as Ladanian Tomlinson and Brian
Westbrook. These two players were elite less than two years ago now they are looking for work.
( Mullen, Liz, 2010 Sports Business Journal )
The unnamed agent believes that this could be a record setting year for free agents that
are over their 6th season. The one premier free agent is Julius Peppers who may collect up to 20
million dollars. This unnamed agent believes it will be difficult to most of these aging veterans
to collect 20, 30, or 40 million dollar contracts.

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References
Mullen, Liz February 22-28 Issue