- Proposed Change: 8.3 - Waiver Claims throughout the season will be awarded based upon the previous year's draft order during week one and the game's Power Rankings thereafter.
- Explanation: I have taken out this part of the rule: "Waiver contracts are only for the current season. All Waiver Claim Players will become free agents at the end of that KRFL season."
One of my favorite parts of this league was adding free agents during the season in hopes of them helping out my team next year. We voted a few years ago to eliminate that. I would like to bring that back. We added three separate rules that sort of overlap with each other. One was reducing the in season salary cap from an extra $10 million to $5 million. The other was making in-season waiver claims count against the cap. With those other two rules in place, it makes it so teams with good records have to decide if they want to trade for help this year or add players for next year.
Its just a really fun part of the league that I miss and I would like to bring back.
As much as I liked this part of the league also, and it gave me added reason to watch games and scan summaries, the rule change (FAs not retained) does allow for fuller free agent draft and more balance among teams. That said, I'm ok with putting to vote.
I understand and appreciate Jeff's proposal about the pleasure of scouring the free agent wire for that future player overlooked by everyone else. Unfortunately, I have to disagree at this time for two reasons:
1) I support the idea of league parity and champion any rule that promotes that aim. Part of that is working towards increasing the depth of talent available in the pool for the Free Agent Draft. Example: We recently went from a ten round rookie draft to a seven round rookie draft. That change released 72 potential free agents into the Free Agent pool and that is a good thing since a franchise changing player like Zak Prescott is now available.
2) I don't like the idea of diluting that Free Agent pool any further which Jeff's proposal would do by allowing an on the ball owner to lock up a player like, say, WR Terrelle Pryor at the bargain basement price of $500k when his actual value on the Free Agent market would be more in the range of $3-5 million. That cost inequity gives that owner a large fiscal advantage while removing an all-star from the list of available players.
As I argued in the related thread, "7.1 Change In Season Trade Deadline Back to Week #8," the rule eliminating permanent free agent pickups on the waivers has only been in effect for one season. I think we need to give it a year or two more before we can evaluate how successful it is in achieving its purpose.
--I understand the idea that it dilutes the draft a little - though I don't think it dilutes it very much at all.
--As you know, your example of Dak Prescott doesn't really relate - as this rule has no effect. Prescott would still be a free agent in the upcoming draft.
-- I believe this rule has been in affect for 2 years now, not just one. Its been a long, frustrating wait to not be able to pick up free agents.
--One more thing I would like to point out. There are some consequences to picking up players in the free agent pool. The first is that players count against the cap. So if I do pickup a player, that impacts my ability to make a trade for some stud.
The 2nd is I do have to release a player and I would like to point out that many years ago, in order to pickup some flyer in the free agent pool, I released 2nd year player Osi Umenyiora. He was wasting away on the bench for the Giants, I released him, then he went on a tear. So I added to the FA pool by reaching for someone.
We hold our FA draft months before NFL team decisions are made. I think permanent FA pickups add more fun to the league at not much of a cost
