Once upon a time, June 2 brought about a second wave of free agency. Now, the delayed-reaction action comes not long after the draft, when the formula for compensatory picks shuts off.
That happens later today, as noted earlier by Field Yates of ESPN.com. After 4:00 p.m. ET on Monday, players who became unrestricted free agents on March 16 can sign new contract with new teams, and those contracts won’t impact the process of determining the compensatory selections that will be awarded next year.
It’s a huge consideration for most teams. And it often delays the ability of some players to get new deals. Headlining this year’s class is former Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu, who is poised to sign with the Saints. Others who fall into this category include tackle Duane Brown and pass-rusher Jadeveon Clowney.
Players who were released, like receiver Jarvis Landry, don’t count -- and they never did.
For all players still available, the far bigger impediment was the intersection, or lack thereof, between their expectations and the available offers. So teams waited, players waited, and now there’s a real benefit to be realized by the teams.
