NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement

Article 9
Veteran Free Agency

Section 3(h)
Offer Sheet and Right of First Refusal Procedures

(h)

No Consideration Between Clubs. There may be no consideration of any kind given by one Club to another Club in exchange for a Club’s decision to exercise or not to exercise its Right of First Refusal, or in exchange for a Club’s decision to submit or not to submit an Offer Sheet to a Restricted Free Agent or to make or not to make an offer to enter into a Player Contract with a Restricted Free Agent. Nothing in this Subsection shall preclude a Prior Club from entering into a Player Contract with a player subject to a Tender, and subsequently trading that player under that Player Contract to another Club. With respect to a trade involving any non-exclusive rights player subject to a Tender or Qualifying Offer who is a Nonexclusive Franchise Player or a Restricted Free Agent who is subject to a Qualifying Offer with Draft Choice Compensation, the following restrictions shall apply: (i) the Clubs may not agree to draft choice consideration that is greater than the draft choice compensation specified for the Tender or Qualifying Offer; (ii) the trade may not include the acquisition of another player’s Player Contract; and (iii) the player and the NFLPA must approve in advance any such trade that takes place during the Signing Period. With respect to a trade involving any non-exclusive rights player subject to a Tender or Qualifying Offer who is a Transition Player, or a Restricted Free Agent who is subject to a Qualifying Offer for a Right of First Refusal Only, the player and the NFLPA must approve in advance any such trade that takes place during the Signing Period. The provisions of this Subsection (h) shall not apply to a trade involving any player who is subject to a Tender or Qualifying Offer that provides for exclusive negotiating rights for the Prior Club (i.e., an Exclusive Franchise Player or an “Exclusive Rights Player,” as defined in Article 8, Section 2 of this Agreement). If a Club exercises its Right of First Refusal and matches an Offer Sheet, that Club may not trade that player to the Club that submitted the Offer Sheet for at least one calendar year, unless the player consents to such trade.