A.T.E. RFA's

hailskins666 · Post by **hailskins666** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 1:19 am

maybe theres something you guys can clear up for me. i know a RFA(restriced free agent) is a player who's contract has expired after three years..... BUT, can a vet, a guy who has already been with one team, and re-signed, or signed with another team, be a RFA??? example: if player X hits the market after his first contract has expired, and signs a three year deal with another club, after that contract, does he become a RFA? or is this status only given to rookies whos contract expires after 3 years???

skinsfaninroanoke · Post by **skinsfaninroanoke** » Fri Feb 13, 2004 3:07 am

Apparently so since Rosenfels is listed as an RFA this year from the Dolphins, as the first example I found

hailskins666 · Post by **hailskins666** » Fri Feb 13, 2004 12:33 pm

we drafted him three years ago, and traded him. so i think that means he's still under his rookie contract that we originlly signed, making him a RFA now that the contract is up.

skinsfaninroanoke · Post by **skinsfaninroanoke** » Fri Feb 13, 2004 6:51 pm

ah... mebbe so - then I dunno ::shrug::

:lol:

BossHog · Post by **BossHog** » Fri Feb 13, 2004 9:14 pm

... sorry to have not got to this before...

An unrestricted free agent is ANY player who has more than 4 accrued seasons and has his contract come due... a restricted free agent is one that has less than 4 seasons and has a contract come due.

Just think of it this way....
Who the guy has played for, has nothing to do with it... how old he is, has nothing to do with it... all that matters is does he have 4 accrued seasons in the NFL when his contract comes due.

Your question doesn't say anything other than 'veteran' making it impossible to answer.

Any 'veteran' with more than 4 years would be an UFA.

Any 'veteran' with less than 4 years would be an RFA.

The accrued seasons definitely do not have to be with the same team though.