Update On 2016’s Restricted Free Agents

Friday’s deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets with rival teams came and went without any noteworthy RFA news, which can be attributed – at least in part – to the lack of restricted free agents remaining on the market. Although nearly 40 players eligible for restricted free agency this offseason were tendered by their respective teams, only three of those players remain unsigned.

Now that the deadline for offer sheets has passed, the three unsigned RFAs have little leverage when it comes to securing a long-term contract. At this point, an unsigned RFA could still get a multiyear offer from his own team, but he can’t sign elsewhere unless his current team rescinds his tender. As such, the players who haven’t yet signed their tenders will likely do so in the coming days or weeks.

These are the three RFAs who have yet to sign their tenders:

While Wilhote received a right-of-first refusal tender, worth $1.671MM, Leary and Marshall got second-round tenders, worth $2.553MM. As such, it’s no surprise that they were unable to land offer sheets from a rival team — any team signing Leary or Marshall would have had to surrender a second-round pick to do so.

Most other restricted free agents simply signed their tenders in recent weeks, but four RFAs signed offer sheets, with two of those players ultimately changing teams. Here’s a breakdown of that group:

  • C.J. Anderson, RB: Signed four-year, $18MM offer sheet with Dolphins. Matched by Broncos.
  • Josh Hill, TE: Signed three-year, $7.1MM offer sheet with Bears. Matched by Saints.
  • Chris Hogan, WR: Signed three-year, $12MM offer sheet with Patriots. Bills did not match.
  • Benson Mayowa, DE: Signed three-year, $8.25MM offer sheet with Cowboys. Raiders did not match.

The following players signed their RFA tenders, so they’re off the market and back under contract with their respective teams. These salaries are non-guaranteed, but if they play out the 2016 season on these one-year deals, they’ll be eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2017:

First-round tenders ($3.635MM):

Second-round tenders ($2.553MM):

Original-round/right-of-first-refusal tenders ($1.671MM):

Over The Cap was used in the creation of this post.

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