Mid-season trades and salaries

[Guiness]

How flexible (if at all) are the NFL rules about mid-season trades and the salaries of the players involved?

I'm asking because of the drama unfolding around Freeman in Tampa Bay. He's owed about $6.5M, and no one is going to pay him that for the rest of this season. That means TB gets nothing for him...maybe a compensatory pick.

Can TB offer to pay part of the salary? Say TB paying $5M and the team getting him paying $1.5M. That would allow TB to get out from under some of the money and get rid of a headache.

This sort of thing is done in baseball all the time, but I suspect the answer is no because it would fiddle with the salary cap.

[pbmax]

I read today that the cap does not allow the original team to pay part of the salary as part of the deal. But they could restructure and convert salary to bonus and pay that amount before a trade is final.

[Guiness]

I read today that the cap does not allow the original team to pay part of the salary as part of the deal. But they could restructure and convert salary to bonus and pay that amount before a trade is final.

Of course. So there is a way around it...but the player has to co-operate. If someone was willing to consider Freeman, it would come down to a fight between his desire to stick it to TB and to take the next step in his career.

I don't know why anyone would look at him now. A new starting QB is not something you install part way through the season. If you're interested, wait until the offseason. Some team might be interested in giving up a 7th rounder and paying the pro-rated portion of the vet minimum for an opportunity to have an extended look at a young guy who was a Pro-Bowler not that long ago, but that's about it.

[Joemailman]

I read today that the cap does not allow the original team to pay part of the salary as part of the deal. But they could restructure and convert salary to bonus and pay that amount before a trade is final.

Can they do that in the last year of a contract, which is the case with Freeman?

[Guiness]

Can they do that in the last year of a contract, which is the case with Freeman?

I don't see why not...there are rules against renegotiating too often (once per 18 months?), but that's all I think. I used to think there were rules about lowering the overall value of the contract (which is why contracts were always extended and funny money added at the end to free up cap space now) but this past off-season dissuaded me of that belief!

[pbmax]

I think they could slash the salary down to the minimum allowed and pay him the difference up front.

However, Freeman could jam the deal by refusing to sign it if he doesn't like the team willing to trade for him.

[Guiness]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/10/01/bucs-continue-to-be-unable-to-get-out-of-their-own-way-on-freeman/

Serenity Now!

[denverYooper]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...ay-on-freeman/

Serenity Now!

[Smidgeon]

Repped.

[Guiness]

This is turning into an unbelievably ugly divorce.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/10/03/freemans-agent-accuses-bucs-of-another-leak/

I bet Rex Ryan and Sanchez are seething at all the print being devoted to them and are planning their next move to steal the spotlight back!

[Guiness]

And the divorce is final, Freeman is released.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/23985532/buccaneers-release-qb-josh-freeman

Who brings him in for a look? Have to think the Jags are calling him. Maybe Oakland if they decide they don't want Flynn at all, although Pryor looks like he'll play this week-end. Can't think of any other team in dire need of a QB in the RIGHT NOW time frame. Even Cleveland appears to have someone promising!

edit: and wow, PFT mentions just one team that should have interest in him...the Packers!!!

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/10/03/freeman-bucs-get-fresh-start/