When is the first day of free agency?

[ICE74129]

The Bills have a lot of work to do in regards to the cap. I wonder what is the first day this year?

[Dr. Lecter]

Re: When is the first day of free agency?

http://www.askthecommish.com/freeagency/faq.asp

March 3.

[Dr. Lecter]

Re: When is the first day of free agency?

http://www.askthecommish.com/freeagency/

This has more dates and info.

[ICE74129]

Re: When is the first day of free agency?

Thanks DL. March 3rd. Barely over a month. Sweet! I know the combine got moved up some.

On Feb 8th we can franchise clements. I say don't wait. Franchise then deal with him. Try to have a trade worked out so we can pull it off about 12:01 am on march 3rd and get his number off of our cap.

[patmoran2006]

Re: When is the first day of free agency?

I'm not sure if Franchising Clements and then trying to trade him is a great idea.

I know this much, with all the interior help we need combined with the piss poor season Clements had, he's not worth the money it will cost to keep him.

[ICE74129]

Re: When is the first day of free agency?

I'm not sure if Franchising Clements and then trying to trade him is a great idea.

I know this much, with all the interior help we need combined with the piss poor season Clements had, he's not worth the money it will cost to keep him.

I don't let him walk for nothing. He will head straight north to NE and there is no way we need that additional headache. Look I want a first but if say Tenn offers up the 3rd pick in the 2nd round, you take it.

[mysticsoto]

Re: When is the first day of free agency?

I'm not sure if Franchising Clements and then trying to trade him is a great idea.

I know this much, with all the interior help we need combined with the piss poor season Clements had, he's not worth the money it will cost to keep him.

No. Don't franchise him that fast. Let people look at him - let the Giants talk to him and get enamored with him. Then franchise him and make them pay if they really want him!!!

[ICE74129]

Re: When is the first day of free agency?

Mystic, he has to be franchised BEFORE the start of FA. You can't let him go talk to a team and them start talking contract then franchise him. do the tag then call the Giants.

[mysticsoto]

Re: When is the first day of free agency?

Mystic, he has to be franchised BEFORE the start of FA. You can't let him go talk to a team and them start talking contract then franchise him. do the tag then call the Giants.

??? Isn't that what we did with Peerless?

[ICE74129]

Re: When is the first day of free agency?

??? Isn't that what we did with Peerless?

No. You franchise first then call teams. That is what happened with Peerless. But what you do is tell Clements agent to go find a trade. That is what PP's agent did. We had it all in place by the first day of FA.

[The_Philster]

Re: When is the first day of free agency?

Without the Bills' permission, no other team can talk to or about any of our free agents until the free agency period begins.

[mysticsoto]

Re: When is the first day of free agency?

Without the Bills' permission, no other team can talk to or about any of our free agents until the free agency period begins.

And this is what I'm referring to. Give other teams permission now - way before FA starts. Let them fall in love with him before we tell them exactly how much he would cost them...

[Saratoga Slim]

Re: When is the first day of free agency?

I wouldn't expect this to happen until Marv and Dick have had a chance to at least attempt some negotiations with Nate. Obviously the best case scenario is for us to work out a long-term deal with Nate at a palatable $$. Seems like Marv should try to talk Nate off the ledge before we make it clear that he's tradebait.

Anyway, don't you think most teams will expect Nate to get tagged? I mean, it seems pretty silly to let him walk for nothing. If we negotiate smart, we make it clear that Nate's bad year was the result of the D unit's problems as a whole, and that he is still a top-5 corner in the league. He may not have as good a claim as the best 1-2 in the league as he did at the beginning of the season, but i think its still a fiarly strong case that he's in the top 5. If so, someone's going to be willing to eat his tag salary.

And I think someone will give us a #1 for him. I would be OK with a #2 also, so long as its a high #2. And I'd also be up for a trade for a veteran G, DT or DE.

[mysticsoto]

Re: When is the first day of free agency?

I wouldn't expect this to happen until Marv and Dick have had a chance to at least attempt some negotiations with Nate. Obviously the best case scenario is for us to work out a long-term deal with Nate at a palatable $$. Seems like Marv should try to talk Nate off the ledge before we make it clear that he's tradebait.

Anyway, don't you think most teams will expect Nate to get tagged? I mean, it seems pretty silly to let him walk for nothing. If we negotiate smart, we make it clear that Nate's bad year was the result of the D unit's problems as a whole, and that he is still a top-5 corner in the league. He may not have as good a claim as the best 1-2 in the league as he did at the beginning of the season, but i think its still a fiarly strong case that he's in the top 5. If so, someone's going to be willing to eat his tag salary.

And I think someone will give us a #1 for him. I would be OK with a #2 also, so long as its a high #2. And I'd also be up for a trade for a veteran G, DT or DE.

All I'm saying is to handle it like we did Peerless. Allow other teams to talk to him, so they don't get their heart set too quickly in getting a CB from the draft. Many teams were at the senior bowl this past week looking heavily at players and the Giants were reportedly looking strongly at some of the CBs that would be available. Let them talk to Nate from the onset so they don't make too many plans and then decide not to even consider Nate. But that doesn't mean Marv isn't trying to negotiate something with him either. In the mean time, make alternate plans just in case we will not have him next year. To tell you the truth, I consider Nate a decent CB, but not an elite one, and so I won't be too upset if we lose him. But the price better be worth it...

The Giants drafting at number 25...atleast the 1st 2 top CBs will be gone. So I feel we should get more than just a 1st rd pick. Otherwise, the Giants come out winning, trading a low 1st rd pick for a top/decent CB with good pro experience...

[ICE74129]

Re: When is the first day of free agency?

All I'm saying is to handle it like we did Peerless. Allow other teams to talk to him, so they don't get their heart set too quickly in getting a CB from the draft. Many teams were at the senior bowl this past week looking heavily at players and the Giants were reportedly looking strongly at some of the CBs that would be available. Let them talk to Nate from the onset so they don't make too many plans and then decide not to even consider Nate. But that doesn't mean Marv isn't trying to negotiate something with him either. In the mean time, make alternate plans just in case we will not have him next year. To tell you the truth, I consider Nate a decent CB, but not an elite one, and so I won't be too upset if we lose him. But the price better be worth it...

The Giants drafting at number 25...atleast the 1st 2 top CBs will be gone. So I feel we should get more than just a 1st rd pick. Otherwise, the Giants come out winning, trading a low 1st rd pick for a top/decent CB with good pro experience...

We applied the tag to peerless before his agent started talking to other teams. Feb 8th I think is the first day you can tag a guy and I bet we do it on that date. I bet we also hear Marv told his agent feel free to look for a trade. The giants pick would be great to have.