Restricted Free Agents

[RiverDog]

We have 4 Restricted Free Agents (RFA's) on our roster: Jacob Hollister, Joey Hunt, Branden Jackson, and David Moore. I ran across a good article that describes the restricted free agency process and thought I'd share it with you folks:

If the team decides to extend a tender offer to a RFA, there are three different levels of tender offer that can be extended: First Round tender, Second Round tender or Original Round tender. Each tender comes with a salary determined by formula and specified by the league. While the exact tender amounts for RFAs for the 2020 season have yet to be announced, OverTheCap.com has historically been very close on the tender amounts, and their current projections are as follows:

First Round tender: $4.667M
Second Round tender: $3.278M
Original Round tender: $2.144M

The way the tenders work is that they are an offer for a one-year contract at the specified amount. If another team wishes to sign an RFA to a contract once free agency starts in March, they are required to give up a draft pick corresponding to the round of tender placed on the player. So, for example, if a player is given a second round tender and another team signs the player to an offer sheet, the new team must then send its second round pick to the player’s prior team. Now, in the middle of all of that, the player’s former team has the right of first refusal and can opt to match the contract given to the player in lieu of accepting the draft pick.

In the case of an Original Round tender, the draft pick the new team would be required to give up is the same as the draft pick originally used to select the player when they came out of college. Now, in Hollister’s case, since he originally entered the league as an undrafted free agent, if an Original Round tender is used and another team signs him to an offer sheet, no draft pick compensation would need to be sent. The Hawks, however, would still retain the right of first refusal and be given the opportunity to match whatever contract Hollister signs with another team.

So, with the mechanics of the tender system now laid out, it seems likely that the Hawks will extend one of the tenders to Hollister in order to bring him back for the 2020 season. Thus, the question becomes which level of tender they will choose to use.

First round tenders are typically only used on players who play at premium positions and excel at their positions, such as the New England Patriots did with Malcolm Butler in 2017. With Hollister having cleared waivers when he was released at the end of training camp, it seems unlikely that even his productive 2019 campaign would move a team to the point where it would be willing to part with its first round pick in exchange for his services. That means there is no real need to consider the First Round tender.

That leaves the Second Round tender and the Original Round tender. The difference between the two is not large, likely barely more than a million dollars, and the Hawks certainly have the cap space this offseason to afford the extra million. The question that needs to be answered is whether the team is afraid another team could sign Hollister to an offer sheet if he signs the original round tender. If the answer to that question is yes, and after a 41 catch, 3 touchdown performance in just 11 games it likely is, then it might make sense for the team to use the higher of the two options.

https://www.fieldgulls.com/2020/1/22/21 ... F8tXA5bOlY

[c_hawkbob]

Except for Holister, who may get a 2nd round tender, I'd be surprised to see us go more than an original round tenders. If even that.

[NorthHawk]

I would think it depends on how they value what those players bring to the team and what their intentions in FA and the Draft are.
For instance if they expect to select a WR high, then they might just use the Original round tender for Moore, but if they think he's
a big part of their future and has a good rapport with Wilson, they might tender him higher. As well, they must factor in how valuable
he might be on the open market. As this is a solid draft year for WR's, his value will probably be much less than in other years, but
Branden Jackson might be more sought after being the DL is weaker this year so maybe they might tender him at a second round.
Of course if they think any of those players has only "pedestrian" talent, then original round tenders would be the way to go.

[Agent 86]

Agree with C-Bob, don't think any of the other 3 will receive anything more than original round tenders. Hunt(6th rounder in 2016), Jackson(undrafted 2016 by Raiders), and Moore(7th rounder in 2017).

Hunt did an admirable job filling in for Britt, and probably won a few points for what he did. But from what I saw and read, overall, his play was probably not up to where he would be considered a full time starter and replacement for Britt, who is entering the final year of his contract at an $11.4 million cap hit and is 30 years old. Hunt is probably looked at as a decent back up, and with what he did this year, would be nice to see him retained and rewarded for what he did.

Jackson, honestly I don't know enough about his play to take a guess at what the Hawks will do with him. DE is a position they need to upgrade, so he may not even be given a tender and they may let him walk to UFA.

Moore, I am on the fence with him, he shows flashes of decent talent, but has not been consistent. Malik Turner is an Exclusive Right Free Agent, along with Josh Gordon and Jaron Brown as UFA's. There are openings at #3, #4, and #5 WR behind Lockett and Metcalf, and Ursua is the only other one the roster who I would say is a potential top 5 WR. I am not a fan of Jaron Brown, hope they let him walk, too many drops. Josh Gordon, just cannot depend on him anymore, remains to be seen if he takes a break away from the game or attempts another shot at it. Free agency and the draft will address the WR position I think.

Hollister, I think with the shortage of TE's and Dissly's early career injury concerns, Hawks may go with the 2nd round tender. Hollister was a pleasant surprise this year when it came to pass catching, not sure how effective he was as a blocker in the run game?

Thanks for the info Riverdog!

[RiverDog]

I agree with Cbob that the only player we have that will get tendered this season is Hollister, and if another team makes him an offer, I wouldn't be surprised to see us take the pick and say goodbye. Hollister proved to be a reliable receiver but he isn't near the blocker that Dissley is.

There's going to be a lot of DL's on the market this offseason and as North Hawk stated, the draft is supposedly stacked with good wide receivers so I can't see Moore or Jackson getting tendered. Hunt got manhandled a lot this season and the demise of our running attack and our offensive effectiveness in general can be traced back to when Britt went down with an injury. I can't help but believe that there's better backup centers out there.