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| AFC North |
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AFC East |
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AFC West |
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AFC South |
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| NFC North |
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NFC East |
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NFC West |
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NFC South |
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2001 FREE AGENT SIGNINGS
(Based on official notification to NFL office)
2001 Final Report
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENCY PERIOD ENDS
73 RE-SIGN, 93 SWITCH TEAMS
Seventy-three veteran free agents re-signed with their old teams this year during the unrestricted free agency signing period, while 93 signed with new teams, the National Football League announced today. The four-month UFA signing period, under terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the league and players, ended July 22.
The number of free agents who switched teams decreased significantly this year to a four-year low and the second-lowest number in the nine-year history of the current system (see chart below).
The New England Patriots signed the most unrestricted free agents from other teams, nine, followed by the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs with eight apiece, and the Washington Redskins with seven. There were a total of 292 unrestricted free agents this year. The total player pool is approximately 1,700.
In addition, four of this year's 112 restricted free agents signed with new teams, while 97 returned to their former clubs. The period for restricted free agents to accept offers from other teams ended April 16. The 97 total free agents who switched teams represent only six percent of all NFL players. Of 471 players who were free agents in the various categories of the system, 275 signed new contracts with either new teams or their old clubs.
"The veteran free agent signings reflect an ongoing awareness on the part of teams and players that continuity and stability are more important in our sport, perhaps, than in others," said HAROLD HENDERSON, executive vice president of labor relations and chairman of the NFL Management Council. "The system is maintaining the competitive balance that is so important in our sport." Under the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement, those players without 2001 contracts who had four or more seasons of free agency experience were termed "unrestricted free agents" and were free to sign with any club between March 2 and July 22.
If a player's prior club made a 110 percent tender on or before June 1, the prior club retained exclusive negotiating rights after July 22 if the player did not sign with another club. If the player and club are unable to negotiate a contract by the 10th week of the regular season, the player may not play the remainder of the season. If the player sits out the season, he becomes an unrestricted free agent next year. Under the CBA, restricted free agents are those players who have three seasons of free agency experience and are subject to compensation and/or right of first refusal.
A "transition" player is a designated unrestricted free agent whose team must tender a one-year contract at the average of the 10 highest-paid players of 2000 at the transition player's position, or a 20 percent increase, whichever is greater. A "franchise" player is a designated unrestricted free agent whose team must tender a one-year contract at the average of the five highest-paid players at the franchise player's position in 2000, or a 20 percent increase, whichever is greater.
A comparison of free agent movement since the current CBA went into effect nine years ago:
NFL FREE AGENCY MOVEMENT
(Veteran Free Agents Who Signed With New Teams)
| Category |
1993 |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
| Unrestricted |
108
|
121
|
171
|
99
|
85
|
110
|
115
|
107
|
93
|
| Restricted |
8
|
7
|
6
|
4
|
2
|
4
|
2
|
4
|
4
|
| Transition |
4
|
4
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
| Franchise |
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| TOTALS |
121
|
132
|
179
|
105
|
89
|
117
|
118
|
111
|
97
|
2001
NFL UNRESTRICTRED & RESTRICTED FREE-AGENT SIGNINGS
1)
93 UNRESTRICTED free
agents signed with NEW teams:
| TEAM |
PLAYER |
FORMER TEAM |
| ARIZONA |
G Pete Kendall |
Seattle |
| CAROLINA |
TE Luther Broughton |
Philadelphia |
| |
DT Brentson Buckner |
San Francisco |
| |
G Kevin Donnalley |
Miami |
| |
LB Jason Kyle |
San Francisco |
| |
C Jeff Mitchell |
Baltimore |
| |
RB Adrian Murrell |
Washington |
| CHICAGO |
LB Greg Jones |
Washington |
| |
P Brad Maynard |
NY Giants |
| |
RB Daimon Shelton |
Jacksonville |
| |
QB Billy Joe Tolliver |
New Orleans |
| CINCINNATI |
QB Jon Kitna |
Seattle |
| |
T Richmond Webb |
Miami |
| |
DT Tony Williams |
Minnesota |
| CLEVELAND |
TE Rickey Dudley |
Oakland |
| |
LB Dwayne Rudd |
Minnesota |
| |
DT Mark Smith |
Arizona |
| |
G Ross Verba |
Green Bay |
| DENVER |
T Ethan Brooks |
Arizona |
| |
RB Antonio Carter |
New England |
| |
LB Henri Crockett |
Atlanta |
| |
T Todd Fordham |
Jacksonville |
| |
TE Patrick Hape |
Tampa Bay |
| |
WR Eddie Kennison |
Chicago |
| |
DT Leon Lett |
Dallas |
| |
CB Denard Walker |
Tennessee |
| DETROIT |
TE Brad Banta |
NY Jets |
| |
QB Jim Harbaugh |
San Diego |
| |
CB Todd Lyght |
St. Louis |
| |
TE Pete Mitchell |
NY Giants |
| INDIANAPOLIS |
DT Christian Peter |
NY Giants |
| KANSAS CITY |
CB Taje Allen |
St. Louis |
| |
QB Bubby Brister |
Minnesota |
| |
CB Ray Crockett |
Denver |
| |
RB Priest Holmes |
Baltimore |
| |
DE Rich Owens |
Miami |
| |
P Dan Stryzinski |
Atlanta |
| |
WR Chris Thomas |
St. Louis |
| |
C Casey Wiegmann |
Chicago |
| MIAMI |
CB Terry Cousin |
Atlanta |
| |
WR James McKnight |
Dallas |
| |
G Todd Perry |
Chicago |
| |
T Marcus Spriggs |
Buffalo |
| |
WR Dedric Ward |
NY Jets |
| MINNESOTA |
TE Byron Chamberlain |
Denver |
| |
DE Lance Johnstone |
Oakland |
| NEW ENGLAND |
C Mike Compton |
Detroit |
| |
RB Marc Edwards |
Cleveland |
| |
WR Bert Emanuel |
Miami |
| |
LB Larry Izzo |
Miami |
| |
TE Johnny McWilliams |
Minnesota |
| |
WR David Patten |
Cleveland |
| |
DE Anthony Pleasant |
San Francisco |
| |
CB Terrance Shaw |
Miami |
| |
LB Mike Vrabel |
Pittsburgh |
| NEW ORLEANS |
S Jay Bellamy |
Seattle |
| |
WR Albert Connell |
Washington |
| NY GIANTS |
DE Kenny Holmes |
Tennessee |
| NY JETS |
LB James Darling |
Philadelphia |
| |
WR Matthew Hatchette |
Minnesota |
| |
S Damien Robinson |
Tampa Bay |
| OAKLAND |
DE Trace Armstrong |
Miami |
| |
RB Charlie Garner |
San Francisco |
| |
G Tony Hutson |
Washington |
| |
G Frank Middleton |
Tampa Bay |
| |
LB Ryan Phillips |
NY Giants |
| |
T Shar Pourdanesh |
Pittsburgh |
| PHILADELPHIA |
DE Ndukwe Kalu |
Washington |
| |
CB Monty Montgomery |
San Francisco |
| |
WR James Thrash |
Washington |
| PITTSBURGH |
G Jeff Hartings |
Detroit |
| |
LB Michael Jones |
St. Louis |
| |
S Mike Logan |
Jacksonville |
| |
RB Ron Rivers |
Atlanta |
| ST. LOUIS |
LB Don Davis |
Tampa Bay |
| |
C Frank Garcia |
Carolina |
| |
S Kim Herring |
Baltimore |
| |
DE Tyoka Jackson |
Tampa Bay |
| |
|
|
| SAN DIEGO |
T Ed Ellis |
Washington |
| |
CB Alex Molden |
New Orleans |
| |
DE Marcellus Wiley |
Buffalo |
| SAN FRANCISCO |
LB Derek Smith |
Washington |
| SEATTLE |
DT Chad Eaton |
New England |
| TAMPA BAY |
QB Brad Johnson |
Washington |
| |
DE Simeon Rice |
Arizona |
| TENNESSEE |
K Joe Nedney |
Carolina |
| WASHINGTON |
P Bryan Barker |
Jacksonville |
| |
RB Donnell Bennett |
Kansas City |
| |
G Mathew Campbell |
Carolina |
| |
K Brett Conway |
NY Jets |
| |
DB Donovan Greer |
Buffalo |
| |
WR Kevin Lockett |
Kansas City |
| |
TE Walter Rasby |
Detroit |
2)
73 UNRESTRICTED free
agents re-signed with their OLD
team:
| TEAM |
PLAYER |
| ARIZONA |
S Tommy Bennett |
| |
G Chris Dishman |
| ATLANTA |
CB Ray Buchanan |
| |
TE Brian Kozlowski |
| |
S Gerald McBurrows |
| BALTIMORE |
G Orlando Bobo |
| |
LB Cornell Brown |
| |
LB Jamie Sharper |
| |
S Rod Woodson |
| BUFFALO |
K Steve Christie |
| |
DT Shawn Price |
| |
QB Alex Van Pelt |
| CAROLINA |
WR Isaac Byrd |
| |
S Mike Minter |
| CHICAGO |
CB Walt Harris |
| |
QB Shane Matthews |
| |
DE Clyde Simmons |
| |
S Frankie Smith |
| CINCINNATI |
G Rich Braham |
| |
QB Scott Mitchell |
| |
G Matt O'Dwyer |
| CLEVELAND |
RB Tarek Saleh |
| |
TE O.J. Santiago |
| DALLAS |
LB Dexter Coakley |
| DENVER |
QB Gus Frerotte |
| |
RB Howard Griffith |
| |
C K.C. Jones |
| |
LB John Mobley |
| |
G Dan Neil |
| DETROIT |
WR Desmond Howard |
| |
RB Cory Schlesinger |
| |
DE Tracy Scroggins |
| GREEN BAY |
C Rob Davis |
| |
TE Tyrone Davis |
| JACKSONVILLE |
C Jeff Smith |
| KANSAS CITY |
TE Jason Dunn |
| |
G Will Shields |
| MIAMI |
TE Ed Perry |
| |
QB Mike Quinn |
| |
LB Derrick Rodgers |
| |
LB Twan Russell |
| MINNESOTA |
WR Nate Jacquet |
| |
TE Andrew Jordan |
| |
DE Fernando Smith |
| NEW ENGLAND |
DT Brandon Mitchell |
| |
DB Matt Stevens |
| NEW ORLEANS |
WR Willie Jackson |
| |
CB Kevin Mathis |
| |
LB Darrin Smith |
| NY GIANTS |
RB Tiki Barber |
| |
CB Jason Sehorn |
| |
S Omar Stoutmire |
| NY JETS |
DT Jason Ferguson |
| |
S Chris Hayes |
| |
DE Rick Lyle |
| OAKLAND |
WR David Dunn |
| |
WR James Jett |
| |
RB Terry Kirby |
| |
LB William Thomas |
| PHILADELPHIA |
TE Jeff Thomason |
| PITTSBURGH |
RB Jerome Bettis |
| |
WR Will Blackwell |
| |
|
| |
|
| ST. LOUIS |
K Jeff Wilkins |
| SAN DIEGO |
DE Albert Fontenot |
| |
G Raleigh Roundtree |
| SAN FRANCISCO |
S Zack Bronson |
| |
T Scott Gragg |
| SEATTLE |
WR Fabien Bownes |
| |
CB Willie Williams |
| TAMPA BAY |
CB Ronde Barber |
| |
T Jerry Wunsch |
| TENNESSEE |
WR Derrick Mason |
| WASHINGTON |
LB Kevin Mitchell |
3)
4 RESTRICTED
free agents signed with NEW teams:
| TEAM |
PLAYER |
FORMER TEAM |
| CLEVELAND |
RB Michael Sellers |
Washington |
| KANSAS CITY |
WR Tony Horne |
St. Louis |
| MIAMI |
QB Ray Lucas |
NY Jets |
| SAN DIEGO |
K Wade Richey |
San Francisco |
4)
97 RESTRICTED
free agents re-signed with their OLD
team:
| TEAM |
PLAYER |
| ARIZONA |
CB Corey Chavous |
| |
G Anthony Clement |
| |
TE Terry Hardy |
| |
RB Michael Pittman |
| |
P Scott Player |
| |
S Pat Tillman |
| |
LB Zack Walz |
| ATLANTA |
WR Tim Dwight |
| |
WR Jammi German |
| |
T Ephraim Salaam |
| |
DT Shawn Swayda |
| |
CB Elijah Williams |
| BALTIMORE |
DT Lional Dalton |
| |
G Mike Flynn |
| |
WR Pat Johnson |
| |
P Kyle Richardson |
| BUFFALO |
C Billy Conaty |
| |
T Robert Hicks |
| CAROLINA |
WR Karl Hankton |
| |
WR Donald Hayes |
| |
S Damien Richardson |
| CHICAGO |
RB James Allen |
| |
C Olin Kreutz |
| |
TE Kaseem Sinceno |
| CINCINNATI |
CB Artrell Hawkins |
| |
LB Adrian Ross |
| CLEVELAND |
G Jim Bundren |
| DALLAS |
LB Darren Hambrick |
| |
DT Michael Myers |
| |
S Izell Reese |
| |
RB Robert Thomas |
| DENVER |
QB Brian Griese |
| |
T Matt Lepsis |
| |
T Trey Teague |
| DETROIT |
C Eric Beverly |
| |
G Kerlin Blaise |
| |
CB LaMar Campbell |
| GREEN BAY |
WR Corey Bradford |
| |
RB Ahman Green |
| |
S Scott McGarrahan |
| |
CB Allen Rossum |
| |
T Mike Wahle |
| INDIANAPOLIS |
DT Larry Chester |
| |
WR E.G. Green |
| |
T Waverly Jackson |
| |
G Steve McKinney |
| |
G Larry Moore |
| KANSAS CITY |
DE Derrick Ransom |
| MIAMI |
DE Lorenzo Bromell |
| |
TE Alonzo Mayes |
| |
WR Jeff Ogden |
| MINNESOTA |
C Matt Birk |
| |
LB Kailee Wong |
| NEW ENGLAND |
DE Greg Spires |
| NEW ORLEANS |
DT Martin Chase |
| |
TE Cameron Cleeland |
| |
CB Fred Weary |
| |
|
| NY GIANTS |
RB Greg Comella |
| |
WR Joe Jurevicius |
| |
CB Emmanuel McDaniel |
| NY JETS |
T Jason Fabini |
| |
S Scott Frost |
| |
T Kerry Jenkins |
| OAKLAND |
T Toby Myles |
| PHILADELPHIA |
LB Ike Reese |
| |
LB Jeremiah Trotter |
| |
DT Brandon Whiting |
| PITTSBURGH |
LB John Fiala |
| |
RB Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala |
| |
WR Bobby Shaw |
| |
CB Jason Simmons |
| |
CB Deshea Townsend |
| |
WR Hines Ward |
| ST. LOUIS |
LB London Fletcher |
| |
WR Az-Zahir Hakim |
| |
LB Leonard Little |
| |
TE Roland Williams |
| SAN DIEGO |
G DeMingo Graham |
| |
C Kendyl Jacox |
| |
WR Reggie Jones |
| |
QB Moses Moreno |
| |
DT Jamal Williams |
| SAN FRANCISCO |
RB Fred Beasley |
| |
S Lance Schulters |
| SEATTLE |
TE Itula Mili |
| TAMPA BAY |
RB Rabih Abdullah |
| |
DT James Cannida |
| |
CB Brian Kelly |
| |
C Todd Washington |
| TENNESSEE |
G Gennaro DiNapoli |
| |
LB Greg Favors |
| |
C Kevin Long |
| |
S Perry Phenix |
| |
DT Joe Salave'a |
| |
CB Dainon Sidney |
| WASHINGTON |
LB Shawn Barber |
| |
C Mark Fischer |
5)
3 UNRESTRICTED free
agents with right of first refusal
re-signed with their OLD team:
| TEAM |
PLAYER |
| MINNESOTA |
TE John Davis |
| OAKLAND |
S Marquez Pope |
| PHILADELPHIA |
DT Paul Grasmanis |
6)
2 TRANSITION players
re-signed with their OLD team:
| TEAM |
PLAYER |
| CHICAGO |
DE Bryan Robinson |
| CINCINNATI |
RB Corey Dillon |
7)
3 FRANCHISE players
re-signed with their OLD team:
| TEAM |
PLAYER |
| ARIZONA |
CB Aeneas Williams |
| MIAMI |
DE Jason Taylor |
| ST. LOUIS |
DE Kevin Carter |
|
| | | |
