Restricted FAs

One new twist to free agency this year is with restricted free agents.

In past years, there have been three options for teams with their restricted free agents.

• * Teams could place a low tender on a RFA, which meant that if another team signed the player to an offer sheet, the original team could match it or receive a draft pick matching the round in which the player entered the league.
  
  * Teams could place a first-round tender on a RFA, which meant that if another team signed the player to an offer sheet, the original team could match it or receive a first-round draft pick.
  
  * Teams could place a high tender on a RFA, which meant that if another team signed the player to an offer sheet, the original team could match it or receive a first-round pick and a third-round pick.

This year, as part of the new collective bargaining agreement, a second-round tender has been added. If a team places that tender on a RFA, the original team could match any offer or would receive a second-round pick in return.

The tender amounts are as follows:

Low tender -- $850,000
Second-round tender -- $1.3 million
First-round tender -- $1.85 million
First- and third-round tender -- $2.35 million