Rookie Draft/Developmental Squad

[Philadelphia Freedom]

Only rookies (players with no prior NFL experience) will be eligible to be drafted in the rookie draft. The rookie draft will begin on or about one week after the first day of the NFL college draft (see Section 5B).

Based on the above it seems to me that we may want to clarify 2 things. First, what is the status of a player like Drew Henson? Second, what about players that are not drafted in the NFL but sign a free agent contract?

With Henson, I would think that he needed to have been drafted last year. However, he is, by the way the above is written eligible to be drafted this year. As for the free agents this could make a difference because by drafting them you could place them on the DS. Not sure how many of us would want to do this but if it is a local player or whatever you may want to acquire but not want to make him active right away.

Anyhow, thoughts and clarification from the rule committee would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[Nittany Dodgers]

My interpretation of Drew Henson would depend on his status on draft day. I haven't been following him lately, so forgive my ignorance if something has happened. If he was signed and traded by Houston, then I would say he's no longer a rookie, as he is not eligible for the draft. If he hasn't been signed and goes back into the draft, I believe he retains his NFl rookie status and would be eligible for the Frenzy draft.

For undrafted players, if they were eligible for the draft this year, I would say they are Frenzy draftable. We drafted one or two undrafted free agents last year.

[Philadelphia Freedom]

Thanks for the reply Brian. Henson was actually traded to the Cowboys so my guess is he would be ineligible. However, we may want to tighten up that loophole. His NFL.com bio shows him with 0 years of NFL experience however other rookies from last years draft are shown as "R" in the experience column. I would guess that after this years draft they will all (including Henson) show as "1" in the experience column.

[Royal Hawaiian Opihi]

I'd also say that if he's already on a team (ie. Freedom), then he's NOT ELLIGIBLE... no matter whether or not he was signed, traded, or just went back into the draft. If you got him "fair and square" last year, he's yours.

Now if that needs to be written into the rules, then it should!

[Mutts]

Henson was eligible for the Frenzy draft last year as an NFL drafted player, and also available through Frenzy free agency all of last season... therefore, I believe he will not be eligible for the Frenzy draft this year. As for a player not drafted but signed as a free agent, he would be eligible for the Frenzy draft as long as he was not a member, or ever has been a member, of any NFL team prior to this year's NFL draft.

[Preds]

Originally Posted by Wonder Mutts

Henson was eligible for the Frenzy draft last year as an NFL drafted player, and also available through Frenzy free agency all of last season... therefore, I believe he will not be eligible for the Frenzy draft this year. As for a player not drafted but signed as a free agent, he would be eligible for the Frenzy draft as long as he was not a member, or ever has been a member, of any NFL team prior to this year's NFL draft.

I think Jake hit the nail on the head... the intent of the rule is pretty much how Jake put it. Henson was an NFL draftee last year, and could have been taken by any Frenzy team in our 2003 rookie draft.

I haven't read the entire section of the rules doc since I've been too busy today, but I know the intent of what Matt has pointed out was to define current year NFL draftee's or undrafed rookie FA's as Frenzy draft eligibles. Once a player has been exposed to a Frenzy draft, whether an undrafted or unsigned NFL rook or not, they should be no longer eligible for the Frenzy draft and thus would be classified as UFA's. I think there might be more clarification about this in the Supplimental Draft section of the rules. When I have more time I'll try to look it up.

In anycase, IMO, Henson should not be eliigible for the 2004 Frenzy Rookie Draft.

[Royal Hawaiian Opihi]

Originally Posted by Wonder Mutts

As for a player not drafted but signed as a free agent, he would be eligible for the Frenzy draft as long as he was not a member, or ever has been a member, of any NFL team prior to this year's NFL draft.

Are you saying that if Matt picked up Hensen as a free agent last year, and he didn't reach a contract agreement with the Texans prior to the start of this year's draft, then even though he was on the FREEDOM he would automatically get thrown back into the "pool" and be elligible for the draft?

That doesn't seem fair. That may be the way the NFL works. But is that the way we will, too? If a team owner is savvy enough to grab an elligible fantasy player and stash him somewhere on his roster, he shouldn't be penalized by losing that player... in my opinion.

But hey, I'm not on the rules committe, either! :bow

[Preds]

Originally Posted by Royal Hawaiian Opihi

Are you saying that if Matt picked up Hensen as a free agent last year, and he didn't reach a contract agreement with the Texans prior to the start of this year's draft, then even though he was on the FREEDOM he would automatically get thrown back into the "pool" and be elligible for the draft?

That doesn't seem fair. That may be the way the NFL works. But is that the way we will, too? If a team owner is savvy enough to grab an elligible fantasy player and stash him somewhere on his roster, he shouldn't be penalized by losing that player... in my opinion.

But hey, I'm not on the rules committe, either! :bow

IMO, once a player is on a Frenzy roster they cannot be entered back into the rookie draft pool.

Further, if a player has already been exposed to a Frenzy draft, they cannot re-enter the draft.

Their classification in subsequent years would be as UFA's, at least in IMHO. Thats how I believe the rules were intended to be written, and possibly are (again, I'm going off memory here... but I'm pretty certain that's the intent of the rule... if it's not stated specifically we'll need to clean it up).

[Royal Hawaiian Opihi]

Okay, great. That makes sense to me, too. Thanks! (Can you tell I'm a Hensen owner in my dynasty league?!? lol)

[Preds]

OK, section 5 of the rules isn't as specific as I think it should be, and IMO we should clean this up.

Section 5C states the following:

5C. Supplemental Draft

Any player drafted by the NFL (whether rookie or supplemental) must be required to be exposed to a frenzy rookie draft before being granted outright UFA. Further, the Frenzy will implement a blind Supplemental Draft on an as needed basis (i.e. whenever the NFL holds one and an offensive player is drafted).

which IMO is the basis of the intent of the rule in sections 5a and 5b.

Basically the supplimental rules state that a player has to be exposed to the Frenzy rookie draft before becoming an outright UFA, however, IMO the rules in 5a and 5b should be clarified to state that once exposed to a Frenzy rookie draft, a player, whether drafted or not, is no longer eligible for subsequent rookie drafts and would have a classification of UFA if not on a Frenzy roster

This would also clean-up the loophole of a player being on a Frenzy roster but falling back into the rookie draft pool, as it'd be impossible to make it onto a Frenzy roster without 1st having been exposed to a Frenzy rookie draft.. Am I making sense or have I complicated things as usual?

Brian, here's where we need your succint words to clean things up ;)!

[Mutts]

I agree, lets throw this one to Brian for wording. I think we are in agreement as to the intent of the rules.

[Philadelphia Freedom]

Thanks for the feedback and tightening.

[Nittany Dodgers]

It's a little crazy at work this week. I'll have a revision drafted and posted for approval over the weekend.

[Preds]

Originally Posted by Nittany Dodgers

It's a little crazy at work this week. I'll have a revision drafted and posted for approval over the weekend.

Sounds very good, I think we're all in agreement on the intent of the rule, so this one is pretty easy to clean up right?

[Nittany Dodgers]

Yeah, I think this should be pretty easy. No questions here I don't think.

For some reason I think there was something else I was going to clean up that I hadn't got to yet. I might as well do it at the same time, but I can't remember what that was.

[Royal Hawaiian Opihi]

Originally Posted by Nittany Dodgers

For some reason I think there was something else I was going to clean up that I hadn't got to yet. I might as well do it at the same time, but I can't remember what that was.

It wouldn't have been my woefull running attack, would it? :whistle

[Nittany Dodgers]

Originally Posted by Royal Hawaiian Opihi

It wouldn't have been my woefull running attack, would it? :whistle

Sorry, no. My receiving corps is higher on my priority list.ukeface

[Philadelphia Freedom]

Here is the message that has just been posted:
***************
Sorry, no. My receiving corps is higher on my priority list.": Pukeface"
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Funny how these messages come through via e-mail (a feature that I really like with this new board by the way). Anyhow, I thought for a second Brian was calling Jim pukeface until I realized that it was the symbol for the barfing icon. Made me laugh (and when you lose as much as I do you take what you can) anyway.

[Royal Hawaiian Opihi]

BRING IT ON, BRIAN!?!?! (Barf-breath!):box