Players who have three years or less of NFL experience and no contract for 2014 continue to receive contract tenders from their current teams. For exclusive rights free agents, these tenders essentially represent the contracts they’ll be playing under in 2014, since ERFAs aren’t permitted to negotiate with any of the league’s other 31 teams. Restricted free agents, on the other hand, can accept these one-year contract offers, but will also have the freedom to negotiate with other suitors and perhaps sign an offer sheet once the free agent period begins.
Here are Thursday’s contract tenders from around the NFL:
- The Saints have extended a $1.431MM tender offer to safety Rafael Bush, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link). Since Bush is a restricted free agent and went undrafted, New Orleans wouldn’t receive any draft compensation if the 26-year-old signs elsewhere.
- The Colts extended tenders today to restricted free agents Josh Gordy and Joe Reitz, and to exclusive rights free agent Cam Johnson, says Craig Kelley of Colts.com (via Twitter). The two RFA tenders are expected to be worth $1.431MM, while Johnson’s tender will be worth the minimum.
- Nose tackle Alameda Ta’amu received a tender from the Cardinals and has signed it, tweets Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. Ta’amu, who is recovering from an ACL injury, was an exclusive rights free agent.
- Earlier today, we passed along word of contract tenders made by the Bills and Browns.