|Mitch|

A restricted free agent is a player who has received a "qualifying" offer (negotiated in the CBA) from his old club, but is free to negotiate with any club through the free agent signing period. If he accepts an offer sheet from a new club, his old club can match the offer and retain him, or not match the offer and possibly receive draft-choice compensation depending on the amount of its qualifying offer.

If an offer sheet is not executed, the player’s rights revert to his old club after the free agent signing period ends.

Players become restricted free agents when they complete three accrued seasons and their contract expires.

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An unrestricted free agent may sign with any club, with no compensation owed to his old club, through the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp (generally late July). At that point, his rights revert to his old club if it made a "tender" offer (110 percent of last year's salary) to him by June 1. His old club then has until the Tuesday after the 10th week of the season to re-sign him. If he does not sign by then, he must sit out the season.

If no tender is offered by June 1, the player can be signed by any club at any time throughout the season.

An unrestricted free agent must have completed four or more accrued seasons with an expired contract.