NFL Salary Cap & CBA Questions EXAMS GUARANTEE PASS
2024/2025
Franchise Player - Each club may designate one player who would otherwise be an
Unrestricted Free Agent as a Franchise Player. The designation must be made within a two-
week period beginning on the twenty-second day preceding the first day of the new League
Year and will end at 4:00 p.m. New York time on the eighth day preceding the first day of the
new League Year. The club must tender the Franchise Player an offer equal to the formula
stated in Article IOof the CBA or 120% of the player's Prior Year Salary, whichever is greater. If
the player's Club extends the non- exclusive tender offer, the Franchise Player can seek offers
from other clubs, but the old team can match the offer or receive two first round draft choices
from the offeri ng team. If the player's club extends the exclusive tender offer, the club retains
excl usive rights to the player and he cannot negotiate with other teams. Once signed by the
player, the tender is guaranteed.
Transition Player - club can elect to use a Transition Player designation for one Unrestricted
Free Agent instead of using a Franchise Player designation. If it does so, it must tender the
player an offer equal to the formula stated in Article lOof the CBA or 120% of his Prior Year
Salary, whichever is greater. A Transition Player can obtain an offer from any other team, but
his old team can only match or not match the
offer and it cannot collect any draft choice compensation. Once signed by the Player, the
tender is guarant eed.
Credited Season - Credited Season is any season in which a player is on one of the following
lists for at least three (3) regular season or post-season games: Active List, Inactive List,
Injured Reserve List or Physically Unable to Perform List. A player will also earn a Credited
Seaso n if he is released injured and paid the equivalent of at least three (3) game checks.
Earning Credited Seasons entitles you to various benefits under the CBA. For instance, a
player who has earned three (3) or more Credited Seasons in the NFL qualifies to receive the
pension benefit. Keep in mind howeve r,
that the definition for Credited Seasons for Minimum Salary purposes is slightly different.
Please refer to CBA Article 26, Section 2 for more information.
Accrued seasons - Accrued Season is a season during which a player has been on full pay
status (Active, Inactive or Injured Reserve List) for six (6) or more regular season games.
, However, a player who is on the Exempt Commissioner Permission List, the Reserve Physically
Unable to Perform/Non Football Injury List or t
Exclusive Rights Player - Player contract that expires at time when he has 0-1-2- accrued
seasons. Cannot market services to other clubs, if his old club gives him a minimum salary
tender on or before last day of that league year. If tender is provided player can only re-sign
with his old club (unless tender is withdrawn)
Restricted Free Agent - Player whose contract expires when he has earned three (3) Accrued
Seasons. If his old club provides him with a sufficient "Qualifying Offer" on or before the last
day of that League Year, it retains the right to either match an offer the player may get from
another club or to receive draft choice compensation from the club making the offer. The
Qualifying Offer is based on the level of draft choices the old club wants to receive. For
example, the Qualifying Offer to a player with three (3) Accrued Seasons in 2015 for the Club
to receive a second round draft choice and the Right of First Refusal in 2015 is $2,356,000. The
Restricted Free Agent only has until about a week before the draft (April 30th in 2015) to
generate an offer from another club. If he fails to get an offer, his exclusive rights revert to the
old club unless the Qualifying Offer is withdrawn.
Unrestricted Free Agent - A player whose contract expires when he has earned at least four
(4) Accrued Seasons is free to sign with any other club if he does so by July 22 of the same
year. If he does not sign elsewhere, his exclusive rights revert to his old club after July 22
provided that the old club has given him a written tender by June 1st offering to re-sign him
for an additional year at a ten percent increase in salary (the "June l Tender"). An Unrestricted
Free Agent will be restricted in signing elsewhere, however, if he is designated a Franchise or
Transition Player.
30 % Rule - No NFL Player Contract entered into in a season beyond the Final League Year may
provide for an annual increase in Salary , excluding any amount attributable to a signing
bonus (except option bonus proration) as defined in CBA Article 13, Section 6 of more than
30% of the Salary provided for in the Final Capped Year, per year, either in the season after
the Final League Year or in any subsequent season covered by the Player Contract.
25% Rule for Rookies - Rookie Contract may provide for an annual increase of more than 25%
of the player's Year-One Rookie Salary unless such contract provides only for Paragraph 5
Salary equal to the then-applicable Minimum Active /Inactive Salary for each League Year of
the Contract.
2024/2025
Franchise Player - Each club may designate one player who would otherwise be an
Unrestricted Free Agent as a Franchise Player. The designation must be made within a two-
week period beginning on the twenty-second day preceding the first day of the new League
Year and will end at 4:00 p.m. New York time on the eighth day preceding the first day of the
new League Year. The club must tender the Franchise Player an offer equal to the formula
stated in Article IOof the CBA or 120% of the player's Prior Year Salary, whichever is greater. If
the player's Club extends the non- exclusive tender offer, the Franchise Player can seek offers
from other clubs, but the old team can match the offer or receive two first round draft choices
from the offeri ng team. If the player's club extends the exclusive tender offer, the club retains
excl usive rights to the player and he cannot negotiate with other teams. Once signed by the
player, the tender is guaranteed.
Transition Player - club can elect to use a Transition Player designation for one Unrestricted
Free Agent instead of using a Franchise Player designation. If it does so, it must tender the
player an offer equal to the formula stated in Article lOof the CBA or 120% of his Prior Year
Salary, whichever is greater. A Transition Player can obtain an offer from any other team, but
his old team can only match or not match the
offer and it cannot collect any draft choice compensation. Once signed by the Player, the
tender is guarant eed.
Credited Season - Credited Season is any season in which a player is on one of the following
lists for at least three (3) regular season or post-season games: Active List, Inactive List,
Injured Reserve List or Physically Unable to Perform List. A player will also earn a Credited
Seaso n if he is released injured and paid the equivalent of at least three (3) game checks.
Earning Credited Seasons entitles you to various benefits under the CBA. For instance, a
player who has earned three (3) or more Credited Seasons in the NFL qualifies to receive the
pension benefit. Keep in mind howeve r,
that the definition for Credited Seasons for Minimum Salary purposes is slightly different.
Please refer to CBA Article 26, Section 2 for more information.
Accrued seasons - Accrued Season is a season during which a player has been on full pay
status (Active, Inactive or Injured Reserve List) for six (6) or more regular season games.
, However, a player who is on the Exempt Commissioner Permission List, the Reserve Physically
Unable to Perform/Non Football Injury List or t
Exclusive Rights Player - Player contract that expires at time when he has 0-1-2- accrued
seasons. Cannot market services to other clubs, if his old club gives him a minimum salary
tender on or before last day of that league year. If tender is provided player can only re-sign
with his old club (unless tender is withdrawn)
Restricted Free Agent - Player whose contract expires when he has earned three (3) Accrued
Seasons. If his old club provides him with a sufficient "Qualifying Offer" on or before the last
day of that League Year, it retains the right to either match an offer the player may get from
another club or to receive draft choice compensation from the club making the offer. The
Qualifying Offer is based on the level of draft choices the old club wants to receive. For
example, the Qualifying Offer to a player with three (3) Accrued Seasons in 2015 for the Club
to receive a second round draft choice and the Right of First Refusal in 2015 is $2,356,000. The
Restricted Free Agent only has until about a week before the draft (April 30th in 2015) to
generate an offer from another club. If he fails to get an offer, his exclusive rights revert to the
old club unless the Qualifying Offer is withdrawn.
Unrestricted Free Agent - A player whose contract expires when he has earned at least four
(4) Accrued Seasons is free to sign with any other club if he does so by July 22 of the same
year. If he does not sign elsewhere, his exclusive rights revert to his old club after July 22
provided that the old club has given him a written tender by June 1st offering to re-sign him
for an additional year at a ten percent increase in salary (the "June l Tender"). An Unrestricted
Free Agent will be restricted in signing elsewhere, however, if he is designated a Franchise or
Transition Player.
30 % Rule - No NFL Player Contract entered into in a season beyond the Final League Year may
provide for an annual increase in Salary , excluding any amount attributable to a signing
bonus (except option bonus proration) as defined in CBA Article 13, Section 6 of more than
30% of the Salary provided for in the Final Capped Year, per year, either in the season after
the Final League Year or in any subsequent season covered by the Player Contract.
25% Rule for Rookies - Rookie Contract may provide for an annual increase of more than 25%
of the player's Year-One Rookie Salary unless such contract provides only for Paragraph 5
Salary equal to the then-applicable Minimum Active /Inactive Salary for each League Year of
the Contract.
