With the end to the lockout imminent there are several reports starting to circulate regarding the beginning of free agency for the 2011 NFL season. Here is one of the latest reports/predictions:
July 25th: Beginning of 3-day exclusive right window where teams can negotiate with their impending free agents. In addition the teams will able to negotiate with their draft picks and sign undrafted free agents.
July 28th: Free agency begins.
A couple of thoughts on this:
1) Even though teams will have three days to re-sign their players I am not sure how many deals are really going to get done. If you are a free agent, would you not want to hit the open market and try to get the best deal that you can?
2) How exactly are these agents going to field all of the inquiries about their players? I think there could be some delays getting players signed, especially considering that the league office has to approve all of the contracts.
3) The first week of training camp could be a circus as players will be shuffling in and out of the locker room. This is where teams with a strong veteran presence will have an advantage.
What do you think about the proposed free agency dates? Talk about it in the JetNation.com forums.