Sign-and-trade

[Lance]

Here's a question--

I had a RFA on my team. He was the 3rd DE in my 3-4 defense, and while he was quite good (in the 55/55 range), he wasn't as good as my two starting DEs. Both starters were young (I got lucky with some drafts) and this 3rd DE was complaining about playing time. Unfortunately, I couldn't realistically change his position, so I was sort of stuck with him as a DE.

The problem is that he was so mad about the lack of playing time that he wouldn't sign with me. That was fine-- I was happy to trade him. However, since he wasn't under contract, he wasn't showing up as a person I could trade. I would have been happy to do a sign-and-trade deal, and I'd have even signed him on the cheap if it would get rid of him and give me a draft pick (or position player in an area of need). But since he was technically unsigned, I didn't have that option. I couldn't even cut him! He was just stuck in RFA limbo.

Is this a bug in the system? Is there a way around it? I ended up doing nothing, and he missed out on being part of my DE rotation for my team's first championship. Too bad for him (if one can have feelings for a computer program), but I feel like there should have been a way for me to get some compensation for this guy.

[stevew]

you have to franchise a disgruntled RFA, or you have no chance to sign him.

[Lance]

you have to franchise a disgruntled RFA, or you have no chance to sign him.Ah. OK. Well, that seems like a lose-lose, then. This RFA was hardly worth what a franchise tag would have brought, and it would have been difficult to trade someone with that sort of price-tag. Oh well-- that doesn't usually happen but one wonders if there could have been some sort of work-around.

Alas.

[QuikSand]

Or, you could play him enough to keep him from getting downgraded to "angry" by his walk year.

[Lance]

Or, you could play him enough to keep him from getting downgraded to "angry" by his walk year.Well, it was his rookie contract. I guess I should have paid more attention to his attitude earlier on. I would have been happy to keep him-- having that sort of DE rotation would have been even better. Alas!

I admit that I sometimes get so anxious to move forward in the game that I forget some of the smaller details.

[sqvirrel]

When I run into spots like that I trade them early in their contract year. I know I'm not going to be able to keep them happy in the future so there is not much benefit to keeping them as a backup for a season when I can get a decent pick instead.