The two-week period for clubs to designate 2010 franchise and transition players ended at 4:00 PM ET on Thursday, February 25.  In the uncapped 2010 season, teams had an extra transition tag to use and could thus designate one franchise player and one transition player OR two transition players. Currently, there are 235 unrestricted free agents.

With that being the case, six franchise player designations were announced this past week for the 2010 NFL free agency signing period that begins on March 5.  There are no transition player designations announced this year.

Following are the players designated franchise players for 2010:

2010 Franchise Players
Green Bay defensive tackle Ryan Pickett
New England defensive tackle Vince Wilfork
Oakland defensive end Richard Seymour**
Pittsburgh kicker Jeff Reed
San Francisco defensive tackle Aubrayo Franklin
Seattle kicker Olindo Mare

**exclusive rights franchise player

How it works

A franchise player is a designated restricted or unrestricted free agent whose team must tender a one-year contract at the average of the five highest-paid players at the player's position in 2009, or 120 percent of the player's 2009 salary, whichever is greater.  A franchise player designation gives the club a first-refusal right to match within seven days an offer sheet given to the player by another club after his contract expires.  If the club matches, it retains the player.  If it does not match, it receives two first-round draft choices as compensation.

An "exclusive" franchise player - not free to sign with another club - is offered a minimum of the average of the top five salaries at the player's position for the current year (2010) as of April 15, or 120 percent of the player's previous year's salary, or the average of the top five salaries at his position as of the end of last season - whichever of the three is greater.

A transition player must be offered a minimum of the average of the top 10 salaries at the player's position in 2009, or 120 percent of the player's 2009 salary, whichever is greater.  A transition player designation gives the club a first-refusal right to match within seven days an offer sheet given to the player by another club after his contract expires.  If the club matches, it retains the player.  If it does not match, it receives no draft pick compensation from that club.

Below is a position-by-position breakdown of minimum tenders for franchise and transition players in 2010.

To designate a Franchise Player in 2010 and retain a Right of First Refusal and potential compensation of two first round Draft Selections, the required Minimum Tenders are as follows:

FRANCHISE PLAYER
Position - Minimum Tender
Quarterback - $ 16,405,000 *
Running Back - $ 8,156,000 *
Wide Receiver - $ 9,521,000 *
Tight End - $ 5,908,000 *
Offensive Linemen - $ 10,731,000 *
Defensive End - $ 12,398,000 *
Defensive Tackle - $ 7,003,000 *
Linebacker - $ 9,680,000 *
Cornerback - $ 9,566,000 *
Safety - $ 6,455,000 *
Kicker/Punter - $ 2,814,000 *

*or 120% of player's 2009 salary, whichever is greater

To designate a Transition Player in 2010, the Minimum Tenders are as follows:

TRANSITION PLAYER
Position - Minimum Tender
Quarterback - $ 14,546,000 *
Running Back - $ 7,151,000 *
Wide Receiver - $ 8,651,000 *
Tight End - $ 5,248,000 *
Offensive Linemen - $ 9,142,000 *
Defensive End - $ 10,193,000 *
Defensive Tackle - $ 6,353,000 *
Linebacker - $ 8,373,000 *
Cornerback - $ 8,056,000 *
Safety - $ 6,011,000 *
Kicker/Punter - $ 2,629,000 *

*or 120% of player's 2009 salary, whichever is greater

NOTE: Tender offers for "exclusive rights Franchise Players" - who are paid the average of the five largest salaries at his position for Player Contracts for the current 2010 season - will be determined at the end of the 2010 Restricted Free Agent signing period on April 15.  - Keith A. Baker

Keith is a sports agent in Stamford, Connecticut. His goal is to offer a unique insight to the world of sports. Comments in his columns are for entertainment purposes only and do not reflect the views and opinions of his firm or his clients.

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