[JustinM]

I don't know the answer to #1 to be honest, and there are several more interface questions I have that nobody seems to have posted an answer to...either the questions were too stupid to ask in the first place (meaning I'm dumb) or people think they are stupid questions but everyone's afraid to ask.

Anyway, the answer to #2 is pretty simple though the game takes no pains to actually explain this to anyone, so here are the free agency guidelines from KFFL.com.

Quote:

» Unrestricted Free Agents (UFA) - Players with four years or more of NFL experience who can sign with their own team or any other team in the NFL. If they leave their previous team the team that signs them can do so without having to award the previous team compensation. » Restricted Free Agents (RFA) - Players with three years of NFL experience. Like an unrestricted free agent they are free to negotiate with any team however the current team has the right to match any offer and if they do so they retain the rights to the player. Failure to meet the offer means the player is awarded to the new team but the new team must give the old team compensation in the form of draft picks. » Exclusive-Rights Free Agents (ERFA) - Players with two or fewer years of experience who have no outside negotiating power. Their rights belong to their previous club provided they are made a minimum qualifying offer. » Franchise Free Agents (FFA) - Unrestricted free agents who have been designated as the "Franchise" player. Current team has the right to match any offer. If they refuse they are given compensation by the new team the player has signed to play for. » Transitional Free Agents (TFA) - Players who can negotiate with any club but current team retains matching rights.

I believe that neither ERFA nor TFA exist in Madden 2005. At any rate, the offer you give the player in the RFA screen is a "qualifying" one. If you don't make it, you stand the chance of losing the player altogether, but you'll get stuff in return.