NFL Free Agent Market Set To Open Amid Uncertain Financial Time

Haynesworth Among NFL Free Agents Facing Uncertain Market

WILL THEY SPEND? In Philadelphia, Rich Hofmann writes there will be a "couple of huge signings," but "not a bonanza." The salary cap for the '09-10 season will be $123M. Some teams enter free agency around $50M below the salary cap, and some clubs "will struggle to find a way to spend the required minimum this year" of about $106M. Hofmann: "They cannot possibly spend all of their money. For an owner, what's not to like?" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 2/26). In Denver, Lee Rasizer notes there is "more cap room available to teams, given the hefty $123[M] spending limit and better long-range planning by teams." But agent Peter Schaffer said, "That doesn't mean there will be more cash" (ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, 2/26). In Philadelphia, Paul Domowitch writes, "Will a team in a league whose commissioner recently took a 20[%] pay cut give [free agent DT Albert Haynesworth] the $30[M] in guaranteed money that his agent is asking for?" (PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, 2/26). In Minneapolis, Mark Craig writes, "Given the thin batch of available young talent and a weak economy, the prevailing sense throughout the league is this year's free agency period could be a relative dud" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 2/26).

PLAYING UNDER NEW RULES: In Pittsburgh, Scott Brown notes the owners "opting out of the CBA ... triggered constraints for contracts that are signed this year," the most notable of which is the "rule that prohibits players' salaries from rising more than 30[%] a year from their base salary" for the '09 season. Also, no deals signed this year "can go beyond five years" (Pittsburgh TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 2/26).

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