FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NFL-27
7/16/99
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENCY PERIOD ENDS;
79 RE-SIGN, 116 SWITCH TEAMS
Seventy-nine veteran free agents re-signed with their old teams this year during the unrestricted free agency signing period, while 116 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 expansion Cleveland Browns signed the most unrestricted free agents from other teams, 14; followed by the Carolina Panthers with 11, and the Philadelphia Eagles with nine.
There were a total of 303 unrestricted free agents this year. The total player pool is approximately 1,700.
In addition, two of this year's 135 restricted free agents signed with new teams, while 118 returned to their former clubs. The period for restricted free agents to accept offers from other teams ended April 12.
The 118 total free agents who switched teams represent only seven percent of all NFL players. Of 469 players who were free agents in the various categories of the system, 315 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 1999 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 12 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 1998 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 1998, or a 20 percent increase, whichever is greater.
A comparison of free agent movement since the current CBA went into effect seven years ago:
NFL FREE AGENCY MOVEMENT
(Veteran Free Agents Who Signed With New Teams)
| Category | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
| Unrestricted | 108 |
121 |
171 |
99 |
85 |
110 |
115 |
| Restricted | 8 |
7 |
6 |
4 |
2 |
4 |
2 |
| Transition | 4 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
| Franchise | 1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
| TOTALS | 121 |
132 |
179 |
105 |
89 |
117 |
118 |
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS RE-SIGNED WITH OLD TEAM (118)
| TEAM | PLAYER |
| ARIZONA | S Tommy Bennett |
| T James Dexter | |
| C Aaron Graham | |
| T Matt Joyce | |
| LB Ronald McKinnon | |
| TE Johnny McWilliams | |
| LB Patrick Sapp | |
| ATLANTA | LB Ben Talley |
| BALTIMORE | TE A.J. Ofodile |
| WR James Roe | |
| BUFFALO | S Emanuel Martin |
| DT Sean Moran | |
| TE Jay Riemersma | |
| S Eric Smedley | |
| C Dusty Zeigler | |
| CAROLINA | RB Mike Dulaney |
| DE Tim Morabito | |
| C Bryan Stoltenberg | |
| CHICAGO | WR Bobby Engram |
| DT Paul Grasmanis | |
| G Chris Villarrial | |
| C Casey Wiegmann | |
| CINCINNATI | TE Marco Battaglia |
| G Ken Blackman | |
| T Rod Jones | |
| DE Jevon Langford | |
| RB Brian Milne | |
| S Greg Myers | |
| WR Stepfret Williams | |
| CLEVELAND | T Jeff Buckey |
| G Ben Cavil | |
| S Marlon Forbes | |
| CB Raymond Jackson | |
| LB Lenoy Jones | |
| RB Jerris McPhail | |
| QB Scott Milanovich | |
| DALLAS | LB Randall Godfrey |
| DETROIT | T Andre Johnson |
| S Ryan Stewart | |
| GREEN BAY | C Mike Flanagan |
| WR Derrick Mayes | |
| DE Keith McKenzie | |
| G Marco Rivera | |
| CB Tyrone Williams | |
| INDIANAPOLIS | RB Scott Greene |
| JACKSONVILLE | WR Reggie Barlow |
| CB Aaron Beasley | |
| WR Will Moore | |
| G Rich Tylski | |
| KANSAS CITY | DT Tom Barndt |
| WR Joe Horn | |
| DE Ty Parten | |
| TE Brian Roche | |
| C Jeff Smith | |
| MIAMI | RB Karim Abdul-Jabbar |
| LB O.J. Brigance | |
| DT Shane Burton | |
| LB Anthony Harris | |
| LB Larry Izzo | |
| RB Stanley Pritchett | |
| LB Zach Thomas | |
| S Shawn Wooden | |
| MINNESOTA | RB Harold Morrow |
| RB Moe Williams | |
| NEW ENGLAND | LB Tedy Bruschi |
| G Heath Irwin | |
| TE Lovett Purnell | |
| DE Chris Sullivan | |
| K Adam Vinatieri | |
| NEW ORLEANS | G Tom Ackerman |
| TE John Farquhar | |
| T Keno Hills | |
| TE Tony Johnson | |
| TE Scott Slutzker | |
| DE Brady Smith | |
| DE Troy Wilson | |
| NY GIANTS | LB Doug Colman |
| S Percy Ellsworth | |
| LB Scott Galyon | |
| CB Conrad Hamilton | |
| DT Bernard Holsey | |
| NY JETS | CB Ray Mickens |
| OAKLAND | CB Marquis Walker |
| PHILADELPHIA | TE Jason Dunn |
| QB Bobby Hoying | |
| WR Dietrich Jells | |
| DT Steve Martin | |
| C Bubba Miller | |
| C Morris Unutoa | |
| PITTSBURGH | WR Jahine Arnold |
| LB Carlos Emmons | |
| DE Orpheus Roye | |
| RB Jon Witman | |
| ST. LOUIS | QB Tony Banks |
| C Mike Gruttadauria | |
| RB Derrick Harris | |
| G Fred Miller | |
| DE Jay Williams | |
| SAN DIEGO | WR Charlie Jones |
| SEATTLE | G Frank Beede |
| RB Reggie Brown | |
| DE Phillip Daniels | |
| CB Fred Thomas | |
| TAMPA BAY | LB Don Davis |
| TE John Davis | |
| LB Jeff Gooch | |
| T Jason Odom | |
| TENNESSEE | CB Anthony Dorsett |
| LB Terry Killens | |
| QB Steve Matthews | |
| DE James Roberson | |
| T Jon Runyan | |
| WASHINGTON | RB Stephen Davis |
| S Leomont Evans | |
| DE Kelvin Kinney | |
| DB Matt Stevens | |
| WR Chris Thomas | |
| G-T Kipp Vickers |
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS SIGNED WITH NEW TEAMS (2)
| TEAM | PLAYER | OLD TEAM |
| CAROLINA | WR Patrick Jeffers | Dallas |
| MIAMI | TE Hunter Goodwin | Minnesota |
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS RE-SIGNED WITH OLD TEAM (76)
| TEAM | PLAYER |
| ARIZONA | C Mike Devlin |
| K Chris Jacke | |
| S Kwamie Lassiter | |
| LB Mark Maddox | |
| DT Carl Simpson | |
| DT Bernard Wilson | |
| ATLANTA | CB Ronnie Bradford |
| WR Ronnie Harris | |
| C Adam Schreiber | |
| BALTIMORE | DB Corey Harris |
| LB Jeff Kopp | |
| RB Errict Rhett | |
| WR Floyd Turner | |
| BUFFALO | G Ethan Albright |
| CB Ken Irvin | |
| T Jerry Ostroski | |
| CAROLINA | DE Ernest Jones |
| DB Steve Lofton | |
| CHICAGO | LB Sean Harris |
| DB Frankie Smith | |
| CINCINNATI | CB Corey Sawyer |
| DALLAS | DT Darren Benson |
| WR Ernie Mills | |
| DETROIT | LB Stephen Boyd |
| TE David Sloan | |
| WR Brian Stablein | |
| GREEN BAY | DT Santana Dotson |
| RB William Henderson | |
| LB George Koonce | |
| INDIANAPOLIS | CB-S Ray McElroy |
| DE Mark Thomas | |
| JACKSONVILLE | LB Brant Boyer |
| DE Eric Curry | |
| LB Tom McManus | |
| LB Bryan Schwartz | |
| KANSAS CITY | T Marcus Spears |
| DE Dan Williams | |
| MIAMI | C John Bock |
| LB Robert Jones | |
| MINNESOTA | LB Pete Bercich |
| LB Ed McDaniel | |
| C Mike Morris | |
| RB David Palmer | |
| S Orlando Thomas | |
| NEW ENGLAND | DT Henry Thomas |
| S Larry Whigham | |
| NEW ORLEANS | RB Aaron Craver |
| C Jerry Fontenot | |
| LB Vinson Smith | |
| NY GIANTS | C Lance Scott |
| LB Corey Widmer | |
| NY JETS | LB Dwayne Gordon |
| OAKLAND | WR Terry Mickens |
| QB Wade Wilson | |
| PHILADELPHIA | RB Aaron Hayden |
| TE Andrew Jordan | |
| DE Mike Mamula | |
| PITTSBURGH | CB-S Lethon Flowers |
| SAN DIEGO | DT Troy Sienkiewicz |
| DB Jimmy Spencer | |
| SAN FRANCISCO | DT Brentson Buckner |
| TE Chad Fann | |
| WR J.J. Stokes | |
| SEATTLE | WR Brian Blades |
| TE Christian Fauria | |
| LB James Logan | |
| K Todd Peterson | |
| TENNESSEE | G Bruce Matthews |
| LB Eddie Robinson | |
| WASHINGTON | K Cary Blanchard |
| TE James Jenkins | |
| G Rod Milstead | |
| C Cory Raymer | |
| G Keith Sims | |
| C Dan Turk | |
| QB Casey Weldon |
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS SIGNED WITH NEW TEAMS (115)
| TEAM | PLAYER | OLD TEAM |
| ARIZONA | LB Rob Fredrickson | Detroit |
| ATLANTA | G Greg Bishop | NY Giants |
| S Marty Carter | Chicago | |
| DT Robert Kuberski | Green Bay | |
| S Gerald McBurrows | St. Louis | |
| LB Pellom McDaniels | Kansas City | |
| BALTIMORE | TE Greg DeLong | Minnesota |
| RB Charles Evans | Minnesota | |
| DE Fernando Smith | Jacksonville | |
| T Harry Swayne | Denver | |
| CB James Trapp | Oakland | |
| TE Frank Wainright | Miami | |
| CAROLINA | QB Steve Bono | St. Louis |
| DE Antonio Edwards | Atlanta | |
| T Clarence Jones | New Orleans | |
| LB Donta Jones | Pittsburgh | |
| TE Brian Kinchen | Baltimore | |
| WR Todd Kinchen | Atlanta | |
| CB-S Roderick Mullen | Green Bay | |
| S Mike Scurlock | St. Louis | |
| LB Steve Tovar | San Diego | |
| LB Dean Wells | Seattle | |
| P Klaus Wilmsmeyer | Miami | |
| CHICAGO | T Blake Brockermeyer | Carolina |
| LB Keith Burns | Denver | |
| DE Jamal Duff | Washington | |
| S Chris Hudson | Jacksonville | |
| QB Shane Matthews | Carolina | |
| DE Clyde Simmons | Cincinnati | |
| CINCINNATI | G Brian DeMarco | Jacksonville |
| DT Oliver Gibson | Pittsburgh | |
| G Matt O’Dwyer | NY Jets | |
| CLEVELAND | DE Derrick Alexander | Minnesota |
| DT Jerry Ball | Minnesota | |
| T Lomas Brown | Arizona | |
| T Orlando Brown | Baltimore | |
| CB Corey Fuller | Minnesota | |
| P Chris Gardocki | Indianapolis | |
| DT Darius Holland | Detroit | |
| DT John Jurkovic | Jacksonville | |
| RB Terry Kirby | San Francisco | |
| LB Jamir Miller | Arizona | |
| CB Marquez Pope | San Francisco | |
| WR Leslie Shepherd | Washington | |
| DE John Thierry | Chicago | |
| C Dave Wohlabaugh | New England | |
| DALLAS | WR Raghib Ismail | Carolina |
| C Mark Stepnoski | Tennessee | |
| DENVER | T Tony Berti | Seattle |
| CB Dale Carter | Kansas City | |
| DE Carl Reeves | Chicago | |
| DETROIT | T Barrett Brooks | Philadelphia |
| DT James Jones | Baltimore | |
| DT Kelvin Pritchett | Jacksonville | |
| GREEN BAY | G Raleigh McKenzie | San Diego |
| LB Mike Morton | Oakland | |
| INDIANAPOLIS | DE Chad Bratzke | NY Giants |
| QB Stoney Case | Arizona | |
| S Chad Cota | New Orleans | |
| RB Darick Holmes | Green Bay | |
| G Sale Isaia | Baltimore | |
| DE Shawn King | Carolina | |
| JACKSONVILLE | CB-S Carnell Lake | Pittsburgh |
| DT Gary Walker | Tennessee | |
| KANSAS CITY | LB Lamont Hollinquest | Green Bay |
| TE Lonnie Johnson | Buffalo | |
| LB Marvcus Patton | Washington | |
| DT Artie Smith | Dallas | |
| MIAMI | CB Greg Jeffries | Detroit |
| DE Rich Owens | Washington | |
| RB Roosevelt Potts | Baltimore | |
| MINNESOTA | DE John Burrough | Atlanta |
| TE Carlester Crumpler | Seattle | |
| QB Jeff George | Oakland | |
| NEW ORLEANS | CB Ashley Ambrose | Cincinnati |
| G Wally Williams | Baltimore | |
| NY GIANTS | QB Kerry Collins | New Orleans |
| TE Pete Mitchell | Jacksonville | |
| NY JETS | DE Mike Frederick | Baltimore |
| TE Eric Green | Baltimore | |
| LB Roman Phifer | St. Louis | |
| P-QB Tom Tupa | New England | |
| QB Scott Zolak | New England | |
| OAKLAND | RB Zack Crockett | Jacksonville |
| QB Rich Gannon | Kansas City | |
| PHILADELPHIA | TE Jamie Asher | Washington |
| RB Eric Bieniemy | Cincinnati | |
| S Tim Hauck | Indianapolis | |
| WR Charles Johnson | Pittsburgh | |
| P Sean Landeta | Green Bay | |
| G Lonnie Palelei | NY Giants | |
| QB Doug Pederson | Green Bay | |
| WR Torrance Small | Indianapolis | |
| DT Mark Wheeler | New England | |
| PITTSBURGH | T Anthony Brown | Cincinnati |
| S Travis Davis | Jacksonville | |
| T Wayne Gandy | St. Louis | |
| ST. LOUIS | S Devin Bush | Atlanta |
| LB Todd Collins | New England | |
| QB Trent Green | Washington | |
| C Andy McCollum | New Orleans | |
| G Adam Timmerman | Green Bay | |
| DT Jeff Zgonina | Indianapolis | |
| SAN DIEGO | S Darren Perry | Pittsburgh |
| TE Alfred Pupunu | NY Giants | |
| SAN FRANCISCO | RB Travis Jervey | Green Bay |
| RB Tommy Vardell | Detroit | |
| DE Marvin Washington | Denver | |
| SEATTLE | WR Sean Dawkins | New Orleans |
| DB Lenny McGill | Carolina | |
| TENNESSEE | DT Jason Fisk | Minnesota |
| DE Mike Jones | St. Louis | |
| WASHINGTON | DE Anthony Cook | Tennessee |
| TE Troy Sadowski | Jacksonville | |
| S Sam Shade | Cincinnati |
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT
WITH RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL RE-SIGNED WITH OLD TEAM (1)
| TEAM | PLAYER |
| NY JETS | QB Vinny Testaverde |
TRANSITION PLAYER RE-SIGNED WITH OLD TEAM (1)
| TEAM | PLAYER |
| ST. LOUIS | G Zach Wiegert |
TRANSITION PLAYER SIGNED WITH NEW TEAM (1)
| TEAM | PLAYER | OLD TEAM |
| JACKSONVILLE | TE Kyle Brady | NY Jets |
FRANCHISE PLAYER RE-SIGNED WITH OLD TEAM (1)
| TEAM | PLAYER |
| SAN FRANCISCO | WR Terrell Owens |