The uncapped year begins in fewer than 48 hours. And one of the strange tweaks to the rule comes from the so-called Final Eight Plan.
Two levels apply. For the final four teams (Saints, Colts, Vikings, Jets), they may sign their own unrestricted free agents (
e.g., the Colts may sign linebacker
Gary Brackett) but they may sign an unrestricted free agent from another team only after losing one of their unrestricted free agents (
e.g., the Colts may pursue Vikings running back
Chester Taylor only after Brackett signs with another team).
For teams No. 5 through No. 8 (Chargers, Ravens, Cardinals, Cowboys), the Final Eight Plan carries with it an exception. A big one. One unrestricted free agent may be signed for a first-year salary above a certain number, and an unlimited amount may be signed at a first-year salary below a certain number, with limited growth in the future.
The numbers have been finalized, finally.
For the former category, the first-year salary is $5,807,475. For the latter, it's $3,861,823.
So the Cowboys, for example, can break the bank for one guy, as long as he gets at least $5,807,475 in 2010 -- and then they can round up as many guys as they want at $3.86 million in year one and 30-percent growth each year thereafter.
We'll be summarizing all of the rules of the uncapped year, with links back to the more detailed items on the subject, later today.]
