Giants Daily Blitz Blog

What you need to know about free agency

The NFL released a set of frequently asked questions in regards to free agency, which is set to begin shortly:

SALARY CAP SET AT $123,000,000

Q.  When does the 2013 free agency signing period begin?

A.  At 4:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 12.   

Q.  What is permitted during the new three-day negotiating period prior to the start of free agency?

A.  Beginning at 12:00 midnight ET on Saturday, March 9 (i.e., after 11:59:59 p.m. ET, on Friday, March 8) and ending at 3:59:59 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 12, clubs are permitted to contact, and enter into negotiations with, the certified agents of players who will become Unrestricted Free Agents upon the expiration of their 2012 Player Contracts at 4:00 p.m. ET on March 12.  However, a contract cannot be executed with a new club until 4:00 p.m. ET on March 12.

During this negotiation period, a prospective Unrestricted Free Agent cannot visit a club (other than the player’s current club) at its permanent facility or at any other location, and no direct contact is permitted between the player and any employee or representative of a club (other than the player’s current club).  If a player is self-represented, clubs are prohibited from discussions with the player during the negotiating period.

Clubs (other than the player’s current club) may not discuss or make any travel arrangements with prospective Unrestricted Free Agent players, their certified agents, or anyone else associated with the player until the expiration of those players’ 2012 Player Contracts at 4:00 p.m. ET on March 12.

The three-day negotiating period applies only to potential Unrestricted Free Agents; it does not apply to players who are potential Exclusive Rights Players or Restricted Free Agents, or to players who have been designated as Franchise Players or Transition Players.

Q.  What are the categories of free agency?

A.  Players are either “Restricted Free Agents” or “Unrestricted Free Agents.”  A Restricted Free Agent may be subject to a qualifying offer.  A Restricted or Unrestricted Free Agent may be designated by his prior club as its Franchise Player or Transition Player. Read more »

2013 NFL Important Dates

February 9-10 — Regional Combine, Orange Coast College-Lebard Stadium, Los Angeles, California
February 16 — Regional Combine, Methodist Training Center (Texans), Houston, Texas
February 17 — Regional Combine, Cleveland Browns Training Facility, Cleveland, Ohio
February 20-26 — Combine Timing and Testing, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana.

March 2-3 – Regional Combine, Atlantic Health Jets Training Facility, New York/New Jersey
March 9 — Regional Combine, One Buccaneer Place, Tampa, Florida
March 10 — Regional Combine, Halas Hall (Bears), Chicago, Illinois
March 9-11 — Clubs are permitted to enter into contract negotiations with certified agents of players who will be Unrestricted Free Agents at the end of the current League Year.
March 12 — Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must exercise options for 2013 on all players who have option clauses in their 2012 contracts.
March 12 — Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must submit Qualifying Offers to their Restricted Free Agents with expiring contracts and to whom they desire to retain a Right of First Refusal/Compensation.
March 12 — Prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time, clubs must submit a minimum salary offer to retain exclusive negotiating rights to their players with expiring 2012 contracts and who have fewer than three seasons of free agency credit.
March 12 — All 2012 player contracts will expire at 4:00 p.m., New York time.
March 12 — Top-51 Begins. All clubs must be under the Salary Cap prior to 4:00 p.m., New York time.
March 12 — The 2013 League Year and Free Agency period begin at 4:00 p.m., New York time.
March 12 — Trading period begins at 4:00 p.m., New York time, for 2013 after expiration of all 2012
contracts.
March 16-17 — Regional Combine, Atlanta Falcons Training Facility, Atlanta, Georgia
March 17-20 — Annual League Meeting, The Biltmore, Phoenix, Arizona.
March 23-24 — Regional Combine, Virginia Mason Athletic Center (Seahawks), Seattle, Washington
March 23-24 — Regional Combine, Baltimore Ravens Training Facility, Baltimore, Maryland

April 7-8 — Super Regional Combine, Cowboys Stadium, Dallas, Texas
April 25-27 — NFL Draft, New York City, New York

May 20-22 — NFL Spring League Meeting, Hyatt-Harborside, Boston, Massachusetts.

September 5, 8-9 — NFL Kickoff 2013

*Dates subject to change

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Facebook maps out NFL allegiances

One of the few things as prevalent as Facebook in America is football.

So it was only natural for the social media network to tap into its NFL fans and see where they cluster geographically. According to Facebook, about 35 million account holders in the United States “like” a page for one of the 32 clubs in the league – roughly 10 percent of Americans. From those, a map was constructed by its Data Science group of the top team in each county based on where the fan currently lives.

Here is what Facebook found:

Another section of the research included which teams common friends root for. Giants fans, according to the findings, are most commonly friends with Jets, Cowboys, Steelers, Patriots and Eagles fans, in that order.

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NFL rated most popular sport again

According to The Harris Poll, the NFL has been once again rated the most popular sport by fans in America. Professional football (34 percent) edged out the next three professional sports combined — baseball (16), auto racing (8), and men’s pro basketball (7).

Meanwhile, the NFL’s popularity has risen seven percent over the past decade, which is the largest increase of any sport in that time span.

Source: The Harris Poll, January 2013 (poll taken Dec. 2012) - “If you had to choose, which ONE of these sports would you say is your favorite?” (Base: All adults who follow one or more sport)

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