FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NFL-32 7/16/98
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENCY PERIOD ENDS;
113 RE-SIGN, 113 SWITCH TEAMS
One hundred-and-thirteen veteran free agents re-signed with their old teams this year during the unrestricted free agency signing period, while 113 signed with new teams, the National Football League announced today. The five-month UFA signing period under terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the league and players ended July 15.
The Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers signed the most unrestricted free agents from other teams, eight each; followed by the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks, with seven each; and the Chicago Bears and St. Louis Rams, who signed six each.
There were a total of 305 unrestricted free agents this year. The total player pool is approximately 1,700.
In addition, four of this year's 110 restricted free agents signed with new teams, while 96 returned to their former clubs. The period for restricted free agents to accept offers from other teams ended April 13.
The 117 total free agents who switched teams represent only seven percent of all NFL players. Of 468 players who were free agents in the various categories of the system, 326 have 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 1998 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 February 13 and July 15.
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 15 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 1997 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 1997, or a 20 percent increase, whichever is greater.
A comparison of free agent movement since the current CBA went into effect six years ago:
NFL FREE AGENCY MOVEMENT
| Category | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 |
| Unrestricted | 108 |
121 |
171 |
99 |
85 |
110 |
| Restricted | 8 |
7 |
6 |
4 |
2 |
4 |
| Transition | 4 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
| Franchise | 1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
| TOTALS | 121 |
132 |
179 |
105 |
89 |
117 |
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS SIGNED BY OLD TEAM (96)
| TEAM | PLAYER |
| ARIZONA | QB Stoney Case |
| WR Frank Sanders | |
| ATLANTA | DT John Burrough |
| BALTIMORE | DE Mike Frederick |
| DT Sale Isaia | |
| DE Keith Washington | |
| QB Eric Zeier | |
| BUFFALO | T Ethan Albright |
| LB John Holecek | |
| RB Darrick Holmes | |
| CB Ken Irvin | |
| G Jerry Ostroski | |
| CAROLINA | T Mathew Campbell |
| C Frank Garcia | |
| S Damon Pieri | |
| CHICAGO | LB Sean Harris |
| P Todd Sauerbrun | |
| QB Steve Stenstrom | |
| CINCINNATI | T Anthony Brown |
| WR David Dunn | |
| S Sam Shade | |
| DALLAS | TE Eric Bjornson |
| WR Billy Davis | |
| S Charlie Williams | |
| DENVER | T Jamie Brown (Traded to San Francisco) |
| DE Ernest Jones | |
| DETROIT | LB Stephen Boyd |
| WR Kez McCorvey | |
| S Ron Rice | |
| RB Ron Rivers | |
| TE David Sloan | |
| GREEN BAY | WR Antonio Freeman |
| RB Aaron Hayden | |
| RB William Henderson | |
| DT Darius Holland | |
| RB Travis Jervey | |
| G Adam Timmerman | |
| LB Brian Williams | |
| INDIANAPOLIS | QB Paul Justin (Traded to Cincinnati) |
| S Ray McElroy | |
| LB Steve Morrison | |
| TE Marcus Pollard | |
| JACKSONVILLE | LB Brant Boyer |
| S Travis Davis | |
| S Chris Hudson | |
| LB Tom McManus | |
| TE Pete Mitchell | |
| LB Bryan Schwartz | |
| NEW ENGLAND | CB Jimmy Hitchcock (Traded to Minnesota) |
| C Dave Wohlabaugh | |
| NEW ORLEANS | T Trezelle Jenkins |
| G Mike Verstegen | |
| N.Y. GIANTS | C Lance Scott |
| G Rob Zatechka | |
| N.Y. JETS | LB Chad Cascadden |
| S Anthony Marshall | |
| OAKLAND | K Cole Ford |
| PHILADELPHIA | T Barrett Brooks |
| DE Greg Jefferson | |
| WR Chris T. Jones | |
| CB Bobby Taylor | |
| PITTSBURGH | S Lethon Flowers |
| DE-DT Oliver Gibson | |
| LB Donta Jones | |
| G Brenden Stai | |
| ST. LOUIS | TE Aaron Laing |
| LB Troy Dumas | |
| S Gerald McBurrows | |
| S Mike Scurlock | |
| LB Lorenzo Styles | |
| WR Johnny Thomas | |
| T Zach Wiegert | |
| SAN DIEGO | RB Terrell Fletcher |
| DT Norman Hand | |
| CB Mark Montreuil | |
| G Troy Sienkiewicz |
| SEATTLE | LB Mike Barber |
| TE Christian Fauria | |
| LB Jason Kyle | |
| K Todd Peterson | |
| TAMPA BAY | S Tony Bouie |
| RB Jerry Ellison | |
| DE Tyoka Jackson | |
| T Pete Pierson | |
| RB Errict Rhett (Traded to Baltimore) | |
| TENNESSEE | DE Eric England |
| LB Lemanski Hall | |
| T Melvin Hayes | |
| RB Rodney Thomas | |
| DE Gary Walker | |
| WASHINGTON | TE Jamie Asher |
| K Scott Blanton | |
| DE Jamal Duff | |
| DE Rich Owens | |
| CB-S Darryl Pounds | |
| CB Scott Turner |
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS SIGNED BY NEW TEAM (4)
| TEAM | PLAYER | OLD TEAM |
| JACKSONVILLE | C Quentin Neujahr | Baltimore |
| NEW ORLEANS | S Chad Cota | Carolina |
| LB Andre Royal | Carolina | |
| N.Y. JETS | RB Curtis Martin | New England |
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS SIGNED BY OLD TEAM (105)
| TEAM | PLAYER |
| ARIZONA | WR Anthony Edwards |
| TE Chris Gedney | |
| LB Terry Irving | |
| CB J.J. McCleskey DT Brad Ottis |
|
| RB Cedric Smith | |
| ATLANTA | T Scott Adams |
| LB David Brandon | |
| RB Gary Downs | |
| DE Shane Dronett | |
| RB Harold Green | |
| TE Brian Kozlowski | |
| CB Lenny McGill | |
| LB Ed Sutter | |
| BALTIMORE | TE Eric Green |
| S Bennie Thompson | |
| DE Larry Webster | |
| BUFFALO | TE Lonnie Johnson |
| LB Marlo Perry | |
| DE Mark Pike | |
| DT Shawn Price | |
| LB Sam Rogers | |
| CAROLINA | WR Michael Bates |
| WR Mark Carrier | |
| QB Shane Matthews | |
| C Mark Rodenhauser | |
| WR Dwight Stone | |
| CHICAGO | DT Jim Flanigan |
| QB Erik Kramer | |
| S John Mangum | |
| LB Barry Minter | |
| TE Ryan Wetnight | |
| CINCINNATI | DE John Copeland |
| DALLAS | C Dale Hellestrae |
| DT Hurvin McCormack | |
| DENVER | RB Derek Loville |
| G Mark Schlereth | |
| DE Neil Smith | |
| DETROIT | CB Robert Bailey T Ray Roberts |
| G Tony Semple DT Mark Spindler |
|
| T Larry Tharpe | |
| GREEN BAY | WR Robert Brooks |
| DE Paul Frase | |
| TE Jeff Thomason |
| JACKSONVILLE | TE Richard Griffith |
| DE Jeff Lageman | |
| KANSAS CITY | CB James Hasty |
| WR Danan Hughes | |
| LB Greg Manusky | |
| MIAMI | T James Brown |
| DT Mike Chalenski | |
| QB Craig Erickson | |
| CB Tim Jacobs | |
| RB Bernie Parmalee | |
| WR Brett Perriman | |
| DB Bracey Walker | |
| MINNESOTA | QB Randall Cunningham |
| G David Dixon | |
| TE Andrew Glover | |
| T Everett Lindsay | |
| WR Chris Walsh | |
| NEW ENGLAND | T Bruce Armstrong |
| TE Mike Bartrum | |
| DE Willie McGinest | |
| LB Marty Moore | |
| G Todd Rucci | |
| NEW ORLEANS | G Isaac Davis LB Richard Harvey |
| DT Austin Robbins | |
| N.Y. GIANTS | LB Marcus Buckley K Brad Daluiso |
| CB Robert Massey | |
| T Jerry Reynolds | |
| S Tito Wooten | |
| OAKLAND | LB John Henry Mills |
| DE Aaron Wallace C Curtis Whitley |
|
| PHILADELPHIA | T Jerry Crafts |
| RB Charlie Garner | |
| PITTSBURGH | LB Jason Gildon |
| DT Joel Steed | |
| ST. LOUIS | WR Malcolm Floyd |
| QB Will Furrer | |
| RB Amp Lee | |
| SAN DIEGO | TE David Binn |
| S Mike Dumas | |
| C Greg Engel | |
| TE Frank Hartley | |
| S Greg Jackson | |
| QB Casey Weldon | |
| SAN FRANCISCO | TE Chad Fann |
| LB James Williams | |
| SEATTLE | RB Steve Broussard |
| TE Carlester Crumpler | |
| DE Matt LaBounty | |
| WR James McKnight | |
| TAMPA BAY | S Charles Mincy |
| TENNESSEE | DE Henry Ford |
| LB Barron Wortham | |
| WASHINGTON | TE David Frisch |
| LB Ken Harvey | |
| RB Brian Mitchell | |
| G Joe Patton |
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS SIGNED BY NEW TEAM (109)
| TEAM | PLAYER | OLD TEAM |
| ARIZONA | RB Mario Bates | New Orleans |
| LB Mark Maddox | Buffalo | |
| S Van Malone | Detroit | |
| ATLANTA | WR Keith Crawford | St. Louis |
| G Matt Elliott | Carolina | |
| CB-S Randy Fuller | Pittsburgh | |
| T Corey Louchiey | Buffalo | |
| S Eugene Robinson | Green Bay | |
| QB Mark Rypien | St. Louis | |
| DE Esera Tuaolo | Jacksonville | |
| C Dave Widell | Jacksonville | |
| BALTIMORE | RB Roosevelt Potts | Miami |
| BUFFALO | RB Sam Gash | New England |
| G Joe Panos | Philadelphia | |
| WR Kevin Williams | Arizona |
| CAROLINA | CB-S Brent Alexander | Arizona |
| LB Ernest Dixon | New Orleans | |
| CB Doug Evans | Green Bay | |
| RB William Floyd | San Francisco | |
| CB-S Derwin Gray | Indianapolis | |
| G Corbin Lacina | Buffalo | |
| S Brett Maxie | San Francisco | |
| CB Leonard Wheeler | Minnesota | |
| CHICAGO | RB Edgar Bennett | Green Bay |
| LB Andre Collins | Cincinnati | |
| TE Ty Hallock | Jacksonville | |
| WR Thomas Lewis | N.Y. Giants | |
| LB Ricardo McDonald | Cincinnati | |
| DT Mike Wells | Detroit | |
| CINCINNATI | CB Thomas Randolph | NY Giants |
| DALLAS | G Everett McIver | Miami |
| DENVER | QB Doug Nussmeier DE Marvin Washington |
New Orleans San Francisco |
| DETROIT | LB Allen Aldridge | Denver |
| QB Jim Miller | Atlanta | |
| DE Dan Owens C Jim Pyne |
Atlanta Tampa Bay |
|
| TE Walter Rasby | Carolina | |
| GREEN BAY | DE Eric Curry | Tampa Bay |
| P Sean Landeta | Tampa Bay | |
| S Pat Terrell | Carolina | |
| T Matt Willig | Atlanta | |
| INDIANAPOLIS | LB Myron Baker | Carolina |
| CB Jeff Burris | Buffalo | |
| LB Jeff Herrod | Philadelphia | |
| G Tom Myslinski | Pittsburgh | |
| WR Torrance Small | St. Louis | |
| JACKSONVILLE | LB Bryce Paup | Buffalo |
| KANSAS CITY | WR Derrick Alexander | Baltimore |
| MIAMI | T Kevin Donnalley S Brock Marion |
Tennessee Dallas |
| MINNESOTA | K Gary Anderson | San Francisco |
| LB Bobby Houston | San Diego | |
| NEW ENGLAND | RB Antonio Carter | Chicago |
| WR Brian Stablein | Indianapolis | |
| NEW ORLEANS | RB Aaron Craver | San Diego |
| WR Sean Dawkins | Indianapolis | |
| CB Tyronne Drakeford | San Francisco | |
| WR Qadry Ismail | Miami | |
| RB Lamar Smith | Seattle | |
| N.Y. GIANTS | RB Gary Brown | San Diego |
| QB Kent Graham | Arizona | |
| RB LeShon Johnson | Arizona | |
| N.Y. JETS | G Todd Burger | Chicago |
| RB Keith Byars | New England | |
| C Mike Gisler | New England | |
| G Kevin Mawae | Seattle | |
| OAKLAND | T Darryl Ashmore | Washington |
| TE Derek Brown | Jacksonville | |
| WR Terry Mickens | Green Bay | |
| DE Chris Mims | Washington | |
| S Anthony Newman | New Orleans | |
| PHILADELPHIA | LB Mike Caldwell | Arizona |
| T George Hegamin | Dallas | |
| DE Bill Johnson G Keith Sims |
St. Louis Washington |
|
| PITTSBURGH | C Roger Duffy | N.Y. Jets |
| CB Dewayne Washington | Minnesota | |
| ST. LOUIS | DT Ray Agnew | N.Y. Giants |
| DB Willie Clark | Philadelphia | |
| C John Flannery | Dallas | |
| LB Eric Hill | Arizona | |
| WR Ricky Proehl | Chicago | |
| P Rick Tuten | Seattle | |
| SAN DIEGO | TE John Burke | N.Y. Jets |
| LB Gerald Dixon | Cincinnati | |
| T John Jackson | Pittsburgh | |
| RB Natrone Means | Jacksonville | |
| G Aaron Taylor | Green Bay | |
| SAN FRANCISCO | DT Shane Bonham | Detroit |
| DE Brentson Buckner | Cincinnati | |
| QB Ty Detmer | Philadelphia | |
| CB Antonio Langham | Baltimore | |
| TE Irv Smith | New Orleans | |
| LB Winfred Tubbs | New Orleans | |
| DE Gabe Wilkins | Green Bay |
| SEATTLE | CB Mark Collins | Green Bay |
| P Jeff Feagles C Kevin Glover |
Arizona Detroit |
|
| G Chris Gray | Chicago | |
| G Brian Habib | Denver | |
| LB Darrin Smith | Philadelphia | |
| RB Ricky Watters | Philadelphia | |
| TAMPA BAY | T Jason Mathews | Indianapolis |
| TENNESSEE | TE Jackie Harris | Tampa Bay |
| P Craig Hentrich | Green Bay | |
| WR Yancey Thigpen | Pittsburgh | |
| WASHINGTON | G Rod Milstead DT Dana Stubblefield |
San Francisco San Francisco |
UNRESTRICTED
FREE AGENTS WITH RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL SIGNED BY OLD TEAM (2)| TEAM | PLAYER |
| INDIANAPOLIS | T Tony Mandarich |
| N.Y. JETS | CB Otis Smith |
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS WITH RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL SIGNED BY NEW TEAM (1)
| TEAM | PLAYER | OLD TEAM |
| CINCINNATI | DE Michael Bankston | Arizona |
TRANSITION PLAYERS SIGNED BY OLD TEAM (5)
| TEAM | PLAYER |
| BUFFALO | DT Ted Washington |
| INDIANAPOLIS | DE Tony Bennett |
| MINNESOTA | DT John Randle |
| RB Robert Smith | |
| PHILADELPHIA | DT Rhett Hall |
TRANSITION PLAYERS SIGNED BY NEW TEAM (1)
| TEAM | PLAYER | OLD TEAM |
| Tampa Bay | WR Bert Emanuel | Atlanta |
FRANCHISE PLAYERS SIGNED BY OLD TEAM (1)
| TEAM | PLAYER | |
| CINCINNATI | DT Dan Wilkinson (Traded to Washington) |
FRANCHISE
PLAYERS SIGNED BY NEW TEAM (2)| TEAM | PLAYER | OLD TEAM |
| CAROLINA | DT Sean Gilbert | Washington |
| KANSAS CITY | DT Chester McGlockton | Oakland |