FanPost

CBA Loophole? Or typo?

Please see first comment below as I realized what the language meant after writing this.

I have become much more familiar with the NFL CBA because of Le'Veon Bell. It is not what you would call leisurely reading. I am not a lawyer, but I did stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night, Ba-Dum Tshh! This is the section that I believe Bell's agent is referring to as a "loophole". Section 2 (b) page 47

(b) Any Club that designates a player as a Franchise Player for the third time shall, on the date the third such designation is made, be deemed to have tendered the player a one-year NFL Player Contract for the greater of: (A) the average of the five largest Prior Year Salaries for players at the position (within the categories set forth in Section 7(a) below) with the highest such average; (B) 120% of the average of the five largest Prior Year Salaries for players at the position (within the categories set forth in Section 7(a) below) at which the player participated in the most plays during the prior League Year; or (C) 144% of his Prior Year Salary. (By way of example, a kicker desig- nated as a Franchise Player for the third time in the 2014 League Year would have a Required Tender equal to the greater of: (i) the average of the five largest 2013 Salaries for quarterbacks; (ii) 120% of the average of the five largest 2013 Salaries for kickers; or (iii) 144% of the player’s own 2013 Salary.) If the Club designates the player as a Fran- chise Player for the third time, the designating Club shall be the only Club with which the player may negotiate or sign a Player Contract. In lieu of designating such a player as a Franchise Player for the third time, any Club may designate such player as a Transition Player pursuant to Section 3 below.

Take a look at the words in BOLD (above). Now if you read the second set of words highlighted in BOLD (above), they are referring to (A) which is the first set of words highlighted in BOLD. Within (A) they even use the words "at the position". When you read 7(a) which I will paste below, it also reads as if the salaries are position specific (at least to me it does). That is to say if you are a QB, you would get the average of the 5 highest paid salaries of QB's.

Here is 7(a)

Section 7. Salary Information:
(a) No later than February 1 of each League Year during the term of this

Agreement, the NFL shall compile and disclose to the NFLPA a list of each of the five and ten largest Prior Year Salaries for players at the following positions which shall be utilized for calculating the average Prior Year Salaries of players at the positions of Fran- chise Players and Transition Players: Quarterback, Running Back, Wide Receiver, Tight End, Offensive Line, Defensive End, Interior Defensive Line, Linebacker, Cornerback, Safety, and Kicker/Punter.

I think it is clear that the salary and the position go hand in hand. Now if you read the second set of bold words above which I will paste here so you don't have to go back up like you do in the CBA here is what I think the typo is:(By way of example, a kicker desig- nated as a Franchise Player for the third time in the 2014 League Year would have a Required Tender equal to the greater of: (i) the average of the five largest 2013 Salaries for quarterbacks

Quarterbacks? Quarterbacks! They are talking about a kicker and I think it should have said kicker instead of quarterbacks. Now we all know that QB's make the most money and the top 5 salaries in the league are going to be QB's but if they really wanted it to be the average of the top five salaries for all positions they could have just said so. There are no rules guaranteeing that quarterbacks have to be the top five salaries. Khali Mack and Aaron Donald are darn close to QB money. And as I have already said the language is written as position specific everywhere else in the CBA.

So in conclusion, I think the fact that the writers used "Quarterbacks" instead of "Kickers" is going to get Le'Veon to free agency. There is also a section about players who don't play on the Franchise Tag but it just refers back to Section 2 (b). I should also mention that for years one and two of the Exclusive Franchise Tag they refer to 2(b) and you didn't see Bell getting top 5 QB money. Why not? Because it's supposed to be position specific. The only place you see in the whole damn CBA anything referring to kickers getting top 5 QB money is what I am calling a typo. Anyway, if you made it this far, thank you for reading. I spent way to much time reading the CBA not to share my thoughts. If anyone actually reads this post and see's it differently please share your thoughts below. Ciao Mr. Bell.

PS. Let's all hope James Conner will be kissing #7 on Sunday, February 3rd. And I don't mean Big Ben.


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